LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

tonus

tonus m (genitive tonī)
Classical[ˈtɔ.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈtɔː.nus]

Meaning

  1. masculineThe stretching or straining of a rope.
  2. broadlymasculineA strain; tension.
  3. figurativelymasculineThe pitch, sound or tone of something.
  4. figurativelymasculineA crack of thunder.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativetonustonī
genitivetonītonōrum
dativetonōtonīs
accusativetonumtonōs
ablativetonōtonīs
vocativetonetonī

tŏnus, i, m., = τόνος.
I. The stretching, straining of a rope: mollior, vehementior, Vitr. 10, 10, 6. —
II. Trop.
A. Lit., the sound, tone, of an instrument, Vitr. 5, 4; Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 1 med.; Mart. Cap. 9, § 959.—Of the tone of a syllable, accent, Nigid. ap. Gell. 13, 25, 1 sq.—
B. Transf.
1. Like our tone, in painting, of the natural color of an object, Plin. 35, 5, 11, § 29.—
2. For tonitrus, thunder, Sen. Q. N. 2, 56, 1.

Origins

From Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “tone”), from Proto-Hellenic *tónos, from Proto-Indo-European *tón-os, from *ten- (“stretch”).

Elsewhere
  • Catalantro
  • Catalanto
  • Englishtunefrom Old French ton
  • Frenchton
  • Englishtonfrom French ton
  • Frenchtonus
  • GermanTon
  • Italiantuono
  • Italiantono
  • Occitantron
Old Leonese
  • Asturiantronu
  • Asturiantruenu
  • Asturiantonu
  • Mirandesetruono

Quick answers

What does tonus mean in Latin?
tonus, a noun, means “The stretching or straining of a rope.; A strain; tension.”.
What is the genitive of tonus?
The genitive singular is tonī. tonus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce tonus?
In classical Latin, [ˈtɔ.nʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈtɔː.nus].