LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivethird-declension two-termination adjective

versipellis1

versipellis (neuter versipelle)
Classical[wɛr.sɪˈpɛl.lɪs]Ecclesiastical[ver.siˈpɛl.lis]

Meaning

  1. two terminationshape-shifting, capable of transforming itself or altering its appearance
  2. figurativelytwo terminationsly, cunning, crafty

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeversipellisversipellisversipelle
vorsipelle
genitiveversipellisversipellisversipellis
dativeversipellī
vorsipellī		versipellī
vorsipellī		versipellī
vorsipellī
accusativeversipellem
vorsipellem		versipellem
vorsipellem		versipelle
vorsipelle
ablativeversipellī
vorsipellī		versipellī
vorsipellī		versipellī
vorsipellī
vocativeversipellisversipellisversipelle
vorsipelle
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeversipellēs
vorsipellēs		versipellēs
vorsipellēs		versipellia
vorsipellia
genitiveversipellium
vorsipellium		versipellium
vorsipellium		versipellium
vorsipellium
dativeversipellibus
vorsipellibus		versipellibus
vorsipellibus		versipellibus
vorsipellibus
accusativeversipellīs
versipellēs, vorsipellēs		versipellīs
versipellēs, vorsipellēs		versipellia
vorsipellia
ablativeversipellibus
vorsipellibus		versipellibus
vorsipellibus		versipellibus
vorsipellibus
vocativeversipellēs
vorsipellēs		versipellēs
vorsipellēs		versipellia
vorsipellia

versĭpellis (vorsĭp-), e, adj. vertopellis, that changes its skin; hence, in gen.,
I. that changes its shape or form, that alters its appearance, that transforms himself or itself.
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: eccum Juppiter In Amphitruonis vertit sese imaginem ... Ita versipellem se facit, quando lubet, Plaut. Am. prol. 123: capillus fit, i. e. turns gray, id. Pers. 2, 2, 48 (v. s. v. versicapillus).—
B. In partic., subst.: ver-sĭpellis, is, m., acc. to the superstitious belief of the ancients, one who can change himself into a wolf, a man-wolf, were-wolf, Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 80; Petr. 62 fin.; App. M. 2, p. 124, 21.—
II. Trop., skilled in dissimulation, sly, cunning, crafty, subtle (anteand post-class.): vorsipellem esse hominem convenit, pectus cui sapit: bonus sit bonis, malus sit malis, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 12 Ritschl: quicum versipellis fio, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 38, 7: hortamen, Prud. Cath. 9, 91. —Comp., Porc. Latro ap. Cat. 9.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wert-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wértetor
  3. Proto-Italic*wertō
  4. Latinversipellis

Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pelnis Proto-Italic *pelnis Latin pellis Latin versipellis From vertō (“turn”) + pellis (“skin, hide”).

Descendants
  • Italianversipelle

In English words that came into English from versipellis

  • turnskinversipellis
noun · masculinethird declension
versipellis2
versipellis m (genitive versipellis)
Classical[wɛr.sɪˈpɛl.lɪs]Ecclesiastical[ver.siˈpɛl.lis]

Meaning

  1. masculinea werewolf, lycanthrope

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeversipellisversipellēs
genitiveversipellisversipellium
dativeversipellīversipellibus
accusativeversipellemversipellēs
versipellīs
ablativeversipelleversipellibus
vocativeversipellisversipellēs

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wert-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wértetor
  3. Proto-Italic*wertō
  4. Latinversipellis

Proto-Indo-European *pel- Proto-Indo-European *pelnis Proto-Italic *pelnis Latin pellis Latin versipellis From vertō (“turn”) + pellis (“skin, hide”).

Descendants
  • Italianversipelle

Quick answers

What does versipellis mean in Latin?
versipellis, a adjective, means “shape-shifting, capable of transforming itself or altering its appearance; sly, cunning, crafty”.
How do you pronounce versipellis?
In classical Latin, [wɛr.sɪˈpɛl.lɪs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ver.siˈpɛl.lis].
Where does versipellis come from?
Proto-Indo-European *wert- → Proto-Indo-European *wértetor → Proto-Italic *wertō → Latin versipellis.