LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

trabs

trabs f (genitive trabis)
Classical[ˈtraps]Ecclesiastical[ˈtrabs]

Meaning

  1. femininetimber, beam, rafter
  2. femininetree trunk
  3. femininepenis

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Trabes · Tignum

Trabes, trabs (τράφηξ) denotes a longer and narrower beam, like a pole; tignum, a shorter and thicker beam, like a block. A raft consists of trabes, not of tigna; whereas the wood-work of a building, which, as a pillar, is destined to support something, is composed of tigna, not of trabes, by which the cross-beams only are denoted. Cæs. B. Civ. ii. 9. Supra eum locum duo tigna transversa injecerunt, quibus suspenderent eam contignationem supraque ea tigna directo transversas trabes injecerunt easque axibus religaverunt. (v. 290.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativetrabstrabēs
genitivetrabistrabum
dativetrabītrabibus
accusativetrabemtrabēs
ablativetrabetrabibus
vocativetrabstrabēs

trabs, trăbis (ante-class. collat. form of the nom. trăbes, Enn. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 75; id. Fat. 15, 35; id. Top. 16, 61, or Trag. v. 281 Vahl.; Cic. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 33 Müll., or Ann. v. 598 Vahl.), f. τράπηξ.
I. Lit., a beam, a timber: tigna trabesque, Lucr. 2, 192 sq.; v. tignum; Caes. B. G. 2, 29; 3, 13; 7, 23; id. B. C. 2, 9; Plin. 16, 38, 73, § 184; Gell. 1, 13, 17; Ov. M. 3, 78.—
II. Transf.
A. A tree: silva frequens trabibus, Ov. M. 8, 329; cf. id. ib. 14, 360: securi Saucia trabs ingens, id. ib. 10, 373; cf. Varr. ap. Non. 178, 31; Prop. 3 (4), 22, 38. fraxineae, Verg. A. 6, 181: lucus trabibus obscurus acernis, id. ib. 9, 87: Val. Fl. 5, 640. —
B. Any thing made of beams or timbers.
1. Very freq., a ship or vessel: abiegna trabes, Enn. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 30, 75: trabes rostrata per altum, id. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 33: jam mare turbari trabibus ... vide bis, Verg. A. 4, 566: ut trabe Cypria Myrtoum pavidus nauta secet mare, Hor. C. 1, 1, 13; Ov. P. 1, 3, 76: Thessalica, Sen. Agam. 120.—
2. A roof: sub trabe citreā, Hor. C. 4, 1, 20; so in plur., id. ib. 2, 18, 3; 3, 2, 28. —
3. A battering - ram, ballista, etc., Val. Fl. 6, 383.—
4. A javelin, Stat. Th. 5, 566; 9, 124.—
5. A club, cudgel, Stat. Th. 1, 621.—
6. A table, Mart. 14, 91, 2.—
7. A torch, Sen. Herc. Fur. 103. —
8. In mal. part. = mentula, Cat. 28, 10.—
C. A fiery phenomenon in the heavens, a meteor: emicant et trabes simili modo, quas δοκοὺς vocant, qualis cum Lacedaemonii classe victi imperium Graeciae amisere, Plin. 2, 26, 26, § 96: trabes et globi et faces et ardores, Sen. Q. N. 1, 1, 5; 1, 1, 15; 1, 15, 4; 7, 4, 3-5; 7, 5, 21; id. Ep. 94, 56.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *trabs, from Proto-Indo-European *treb- (“wooden beam”). Cognate with Lithuanian troba, Dutch dorp, German Dorf, English thorp and English troop. Doublet of troppus.

Gallo-Romance
  • Catalantravafrom Old Catalan trava
  • Occitantraufrom Old Occitan trau
  • Old Frenchtrave
  • Old Frenchtrev
  • Old Frenchtref
  • Old Frenchtreif
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesetravefrom Old Galician-Portuguese trave
  • Spanishtraba
  • Galiciantrabefrom Old Galician-Portuguese trave
  • Basquetrabafrom Spanish traba
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiantrave
  • Dalmatiantrua
  • Neapolitantrave
  • Siciliantravu
Gallo-Italic
  • Piedmontesetrav

Quick answers

What does trabs mean in Latin?
trabs, a noun, means “timber, beam, rafter; tree trunk; penis”.
What is the genitive of trabs?
The genitive singular is trabis. trabs is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce trabs?
In classical Latin, [ˈtraps]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈtrabs].