LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

thēsaurus

thēsaurus m (genitive thēsaurī)
Classical[tʰeːˈsau̯.rʊs]Ecclesiastical[teˈs̬aːu̯.rus]

Meaning

  1. treasure, hoard
    […] et vasa intulit in domum thesauri dei sui" […] and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god."Late 4th century, Jerome [et al.], transl., edited by Roger Gryson, Biblia Sacra: Iuxta Vulgatam Versionem (Vulgate), 5th edition, Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, published 2007, →ISBN, Danihelis 1:2:
  2. a dear friend, loved one
  3. a vault for treasure
  4. chest, strongbox
  5. repository, collection

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativethēsaurusthēsaurī
genitivethēsaurīthēsaurōrum
dativethēsaurōthēsaurīs
accusativethēsaurumthēsaurōs
ablativethēsaurōthēsaurīs
vocativethēsaurethēsaurī

thēsaurus (old form thensaurus, Plaut. Trin. prol. p. ciii. Ritschl; cf. Marin. Fratr. Arv. p. 590; collat. form thensau-rum, n., Petr. 46, 8), i, m., = θησαυρός.
I. Any thing laid or stored up, a hoard, treasure, provision, store.
A. Lit.: TABVLARIVS THENSAVRORVM, Inscr. Orell. 3247: thensaurum effodere, Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 53; 4, 4, 8; id. Ps. 2, 2, 33; id. Aul. prol. 7: thesaurum defodere ... invenire, Cic. Div. 2, 65, 134: nec vero quemquam senem audivi oblitum, quo loco thesaurum obruisset, id. Sen. 7, 21: non exercitus neque thensauri praesidia regni sunt, verum amici, Sall. J. 10, 4: intactis opulentior Thesauris Arabum, Hor. C. 3, 24, 2.—
2. Law t. t., treasure trove: thensaurus est vetus quaedam depositio pecuniae, cujus non exstat memoria, ut jam dominum non habeat, Dig. 41, 1, 31, § 1; 41, 2, 3, § 3; Cod. 10, 15, 1.—
B. Trop. (very rare): thesaurus mali, a great quantity, Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 54: stupri, id. Fragm. ap. Non. 456, 19; cf.: augent ex pauxillo; thensaurum inde pariunt, id. Most. 4, 1, 8: thesauros penitus abditae fraudis vultu laeto tegentes, App. M. 5, p. 165, 15. —
2. Of persons, a treasure, loved one, a valued or dear object: Di. Quid, amator novos quispiam? Ast. Integrum et plenum adortust thensaurum, Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 13; cf. id. ib. 2, 1, 34: eccum lenonem, incedit, thensaurum meum, id. Curc. 5, 2, 76; cf.: thensaurus copiarum, id. As. 3, 3, 67.—
II. A place where any thing is stored up, a storehouse, treasure - chamber, treasure - vault, treasury (cf.: cella, armarium).
A. Lit.: monedula condens semina in thesauros cavernarum, id. 17, 14, 22, § 99; cf. poet., of the cells of bees, Verg. G. 4, 229: admonent quidam, esse thesaurum publicum sub terrā saxo quadrato septum, Liv. 39, 50, 3: Proserpinae, id. 29, 8, 9; 29, 18, 4; 31, 12, 1; cf. poet. of the Lower World: postquam est Orcino traditus thesauro, Naev. ap. Gell. 1, 24, 2.—
2. Esp., a strong-box, treasure-chest: cum thesaurum effregisset heres, Plin. 34, 7, 17, § 37: apertis thesauris suis, Vulg. Matt. 2, 11.—
B. Trop., a repository, conservatory, magazine, collection, Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 12: quid dicam de thesauro rerum omnium, memoria? Cic. de Or. 1, 5, 18; Quint. 11, 2, 1; cf.: thesauri argumentorum, Cic. Part. Or. 31, 109: suppeditat nobis Atticus noster de thesauris suis quos et quantos viros, id. Fin. 2, 21, 67: thesauros oportet esse non libros, Plin. praef. § 17; cf.: mihi quoties aliquid abditum quaero, ille thesaurus est, a literary storehouse, Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 2.—
III. The title of a Greek play by Philemon, upon which Plautus founded the Trinummus, Plaut. Trin. prol. 18.

Origins

From Ancient Greek θησαυρός (thēsaurós, “storehouse, treasure”).

Descendants
  • Italiantesauro
  • Sardiniantesorufrom Italian tesauro
  • Italiantesoro
  • Portuguesetesourofrom Old Galician-Portuguese tesouro
  • Portuguesetesoirofrom Old Galician-Portuguese tesouro
  • Portuguesethesoirofrom Old Galician-Portuguese tesouro
  • Portuguesethesourofrom Old Galician-Portuguese tesouro
  • Portuguesetesauro
  • Spanishtesoro
  • Spanishtesauro

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesThesaurusThesaurus (θησαυρός), a storehouse, treasury. The name is commonly used both in a correct and an incorrect significance, when applied to surviving bui…

Quick answers

What does thēsaurus mean in Latin?
thēsaurus, a noun, means “treasure, hoard; a dear friend, loved one; a vault for treasure”.
What is the genitive of thēsaurus?
The genitive singular is thēsaurī. thēsaurus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce thēsaurus?
In classical Latin, [tʰeːˈsau̯.rʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [teˈs̬aːu̯.rus].