noun · masculinethird declension
vertex
vertex m (genitive verticis)
Classical[ˈwɛr.tɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈvɛr.teks]
Meaning
- masculinewhirl, whirlpool, eddy, vortex
- masculineeddy of wind or flame, whirlwind, coil of flame
- literallymasculinetop, crown of the head
- masculinepoetichead
vacuus vertex
an empty head - masculinepole of the heavens (north or south)
- masculinehighest point, top, peak, summit (of a mountain, house, tree, etc.)
a vertice
from above/at the topin verticem
upright/vertically - figurativelymasculinepoetichighest, uttermost, greatest
- Neo Latinmasculinevertex
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
summum caputvertex -icis (m) — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 11
summum montis vel undaevertex -icis (m) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 23
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Vorago · Vortex · Gurges
Vorago (ὄρηχος) and the poetical word, of foreign origin, barathrum, denote an abyss in water, which may be either in a pool, pond, or sea; whereas vortex and gurges suppose water in motion; vortex moves in a horizontal direction, so that its water turns in a circle, and hinders whatever swims therein from escaping; gurges (from γοργός? or γύργαθος?), in a perpendicular direction, so that it drags down whatever comes into its eddy, into the depth below. Liv. xxviii. 30. Navis retro vortice intorta; compare with xxii. 6. Deficientibus animis hauriebantur gurgitibus. (v. 155.)
Ventus · Procella · Tempestas · Vortex · Turbo
Ventus (ἀείς, or ἄντη, Hesiod) is the generic term for wind; procella and tempestas denote a violent wind; procella (κέλαδος), a mere squall or gust of wind; tempestas, a complete storm, or stress of weather, generally accompanied by thunder and lightning, rain or hail; whereas vortex and turbo denote a whirlwind; vortex (vertere), a weaker sort, that merely raises the dust; turbo (στρέφω, στροφάλιγξ), a strong whirlwind that causes destruction. (v. 287.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | vertex | verticēs |
| genitive | verticis | verticum |
| dative | verticī | verticibus |
| accusative | verticem | verticēs |
| ablative | vertice | verticibus |
| vocative | vertex | verticēs |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- vertex caeli, axis caeli, cardo caeli
- the pole.
vertex (vortex; cf. Quint. 1, 7, 25 The archaic form vortex was already disused in Cicero's time; cf. Ribbeck, Prol. Verg. 436 sq.; id. G. 1, 481 n. Wagn. The grammarian Caper distinguishes thus: vortex fluminis est, vertex capitis; but this distinction was unknown in the class. per.; v. Charis. p. 68), ĭcis, m. verto.
I. A whirl, eddy, whirlpool, vortex: secundo modo dicitur proprium inter plura, quae sunt ejusdem nominis, id, unde cetera ducta sunt: ut vertex est contorta in se aqua vel quicquid aliud similiter vertitur: inde propter flexum capillorum pars summa capitis;
ex hoc id, quod in montibus eminentissimum. Recte dixeris haec omnia vertices, proprie tamen, unde initium est, Quint. 8, 2, 7: ut aquae circumlatae in se sorbeantur et vorticem efficiant, Sen. Q. N. 5, 13, 2: torto vertice torrens, Verg. A. 7, 567: illam ... rapidus vorat aequore vertex, id. ib. 1, 117: (flumen) minores volvere vertices, Hor. C. 2, 9, 22; Ov. M. 5, 587; 8, 556; 9, 106; id. F. 6, 502; Sil. 4, 230: citatior solito amnis transverso vertice dolia inpulit ad ripam, Liv. 23, 19, 11; 28, 30, 11; Curt. 6, 13, 16.—B. Trop.:
amoris, Cat. 68, 107: officiorum, Sen. Ep. 82, 2: quā medius pugnae vocat agmina vertex, Sil. 4, 230.—II. An eddy of wind or flame, a whirlwind, coil of flame:
(venti) interdum vertice torto Corripiunt rapideque rotanti turbine portant, Lucr. 1, 293; 6, 444; Liv. 21, 58, 3: extemplo cadit igneus ille Vertex, Lucr. 6, 298; Verg. A. 12, 673; cf.: ventus saepius in se volutatur, similemque illis, quas diximus converti aquas, facit vorticem, Sen. Q. N. 5, 13, 2. —III. The top or crown of the head.
A. Lit.:
ab imis unguibus usque ad verticem summum, Cic. Rosc. Com. 7, 20; cf. Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 4; Plin. 11, 37, 48, § 132; Hor. C. 1, 1, 36; Ov. M. 12, 288; 2, 712; id. P. 3, 8, 12; Quint. 8, 2, 7; 1, 11, 10.—B. Transf.
1. The head (poet.) Cat. 64, 63; 64, 310:
toto vertice supra est, Verg. A. 7, 784: nudus, id. ib. 11, 642: moribundus, Ov. M. 5, 84: intonsus, Stat. Th. 6, 607; Val. Fl. 4, 307.— 3. The highest point, top, peak, summit of a mountain, house, tree, etc.:
ignes, qui ex Aetnae vertice erumpunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 48, § 106; Quint. 8, 3, 48; Lucr. 6, 467; Tib. 1, 7, 15; Ov. M. 1. 316; 13, 911; Petr. poët. 122; 134 fin.; Curt. 8, 3, 26: in Erycino vertice, Verg. A. 5, 759; Val. Fl. 1, 700: arcis, Lucr. 6, 750: domus, Mart. 8, 36, 11; cf. Hor. C. 4, 11, 12: theatri, Mart. 10, 19, 7: quercūs, Verg. A. 3, 679: pinūs, Ov. M. 10, 103.—Hence, a vertice, from above, down from above, Verg. G. 2, 310; id. A. 1, 114; 5, 444.—b. Trop., the highest, uttermost, greatest (poet.):
dolorum anxiferi vertices, Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 9, 21: principiorum, the highest officers, Amm. 15, 5, 16: Alexandria enim vertex omnium est civitatum, id. 22, 16, 7.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
vertex (vortex) icis, m
VERT-, a whirl, eddy, whirlpool, vortex: torto vertice torrens, V.: (flumen) minores volvere vertices, H.: sine vertice aquae euntes, O.: amnis transverso vertice dolia inpulit ad ripam, L.—A whirlwind: contra (ventum) enitentes vertice intorti adfligebantur, L.— Of flame, a coil, whorl: flammis inter tabulata volutus Ad caelum undabat vertex, V.—The highest point, top, peak, summit: ignes, qui ex Aetnae vertice erumpunt: flammae rotantes Vertice fumum, H.: a vertice, from above, V.—Of the head, the top, crown: ab imis unguibus usque ad verticem summum: talos a vertice pulcher ad imos, H.: toto vertice supra est, by the head, V.: moribundus, O.—The pole: caeli vertices ipsi: Hic vertex nobis semper sublimis, V.—The highest, greatest (poet.): dolorum vertices.
Origins
From vertō (“to turn around, turn about”).
Descendants
- Englishvertex
- Frenchvertex
- Italianvertice
- Portuguesevértice
- Spanishvértice
- Lombardvierdza
- Lombardverdza
- Lombardértes
- Lombardvértisa
- Piedmonteseverdz̆a