LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neuterthird declension

ulcus

ulcus n (genitive ulceris)
Classical[ˈʊɫ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈul.kus]

Meaning

  1. neutersore, ulcer, wound

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Vulnus · Plaga · Ulcus · Cicatrix · Saucius

1. Vulnus and plaga denote a wound from without; vulnus (from lanius?) by means of a weapon, or other cutting instrument; plaga, by means of any instrument carried with intention to injure; whereas ulcus (ἄλοξ, ὦλξ) means any open or sore place in the body, that has begun to fester, etc.; cicatrix, the scar that is left when a wound is healed. Suet. Vit. 10. Verbera et plagas, sæpe vulnera, nonnunquam necem repræsentantes adversantibus. Plin. H. N. xvi. 12. Cels. viii. 4. 2. Vulneratus means wounded in general; saucius, so wounded as to be unfit for fighting, and is the proper expression for those that are wounded in battle. Cic. Verr. i. 27. Servi nonnulli vulnerantur; ipse Rubrius sauciatur. (iv. 255.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeulcus
ulcusculum		ulcera
ulcuscula
genitiveulceris
ulcusculī		ulcerum
ulcusculōrum
dativeulcerī
ulcusculō		ulceribus
ulcusculīs
accusativeulcus
ulcusculum		ulcera
ulcuscula
ablativeulcere
ulcusculō		ulceribus
ulcusculīs
vocativeulcus
ulcusculum		ulcera
ulcuscula

ulcus (hulc-), ĕris, n. ἕλκος,
I. a sore, ulcer.
I. Lit., Cels. 5, 9; 5, 14; 5, 26, n. 31; 5, 28, n. 6 al.; Plin. 23, 6, 60, § 112; 23, 9, 81, § 161; 22, 23, 49, § 103; Lucr. 6, 1148; 6, 1166; Verg. G. 3, 454; Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 24; Pers. 3, 113 al.—Prov.: ulcus tangere, to touch a sore spot, touch on a delicate subject, Ter. Phorm. 4, 4, 9.—
B. Transf., of trees, an excrescence, Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 227: montium hulcera, i. e. marble quarries, id. 36, 15, 24, § 125.—
II. Trop.: ulcus (i. e. amor) enim vivescit et inveterascit alendo, Lucr. 4, 1068: quicquid horum attigeris, ulcus est, it will prove a sore place, i. e. will turn out absurd, Cic. N. D. 1, 37, 104: si tu in hoc ulcere tamquam inguen exsisteres, id. Dom. 5, 12.

Origins

From earlier *olcos, from Proto-Italic *elkos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁élḱos (“wound, illness, ulcer”), from the root *h₁elḱ-; compare Ancient Greek ἕλκος (hélkos, “wound, ulcer”), English ill. Sanskrit अर्श॑स् (árśas, “hemorrhoids”).

Descendants
  • Italianulcera
  • Frenchulcèrefrom Old French ulcere
  • Romanianulcerfrom Old French ulcere
  • Englishulcerfrom Old French ulcere
  • Catalanúlcera
  • Englishulcus
  • Spanishúlcera
  • Portugueseúlcera
  • Romanianulcus
  • Asturianúrzula

Quick answers

What does ulcus mean in Latin?
ulcus, a noun, means “sore, ulcer, wound”.
What is the genitive of ulcus?
The genitive singular is ulceris. ulcus is neuter, third declension.
How do you pronounce ulcus?
In classical Latin, [ˈʊɫ.kʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈul.kus].