LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

vetulus1

vetulus (feminine vetula, neuter vetulum)
Classical[ˈwɛ.tʊ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈvɛː.tu.lus]

Meaning

  1. adjectiveold; little old, poor old
    1522, The Profane Feast (Conuiuium profanum)It is hard to accustom an old dog to a leash.

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Anus · Vetula

Anus (as the fem. to senex) denotes an old lady, with respect, and also as a term of reproach; an old woman, with reference to her weakness, credulity, loquacity, and so forth: vetula, an old woman, with reference to her ugliness and disagreeableness. (iv. 92.)

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativevetulusvetulavetulum
genitivevetulīvetulaevetulī
dativevetulōvetulaevetulō
accusativevetulumvetulamvetulum
ablativevetulōvetulāvetulō
vocativevetulevetulavetulum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativevetulīvetulaevetula
genitivevetulōrumvetulārumvetulōrum
dativevetulīsvetulīsvetulīs
accusativevetulōsvetulāsvetula
ablativevetulīsvetulīsvetulīs
vocativevetulīvetulaevetula

vĕtŭlus, a, um,
I. adj. dim. [vetus], little old, old (class.)
I. Adj.: vetulus, decrepitus senex, Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 43: gladiator, Cic. Quint. 7, 29: filia, id. Att. 13, 29, 1: equi, id. Lael. 19, 67: arbor (opp. novella), id. Fin. 5, 14, 39: Falernum, Cat. 27, 1: cornix, Hor. C. 4, 13, 25; cf. cadi, Mart. 13, 112, 2 et saep.—
II. Substt.
A. vĕtŭlus, i, m., a little old man, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 4.— Jocularly: mi vetule, my little old fellow, Cic. Fam. 7, 16, 1.—
B. vĕtŭla, ae, f., a little old woman, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 118; Juv. 6, 241; Mart. 8, 79, 1.

Origins

From vetus (“old”) + -ulus (diminutive ending).

Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanvellfrom Old Catalan veyl
  • Frenchvieuxfrom Old French viel
  • Occitanvièlhfrom Old Occitan vielh
  • Italianvegliofrom Old Occitan vielh
  • Franco-Provençalviely
  • Poitevin-Saintongeaisvieùfrom Old French viel
  • Walloonvîfrom Old French viel
Italo-Romance
  • Italianviecchio
  • Italianvecchio
  • Friulianvecjofrom Italian viecchio
  • Neapolitanviecchio
  • Sicilianvecchiu
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesevelhofrom Old Galician-Portuguese vello
  • Spanishviejofrom Old Spanish viejo
  • Aragoneseviello
  • Asturianvieyufrom unknown vieyo
  • Leonesevieyufrom unknown vieyo
  • Mirandesebielhofrom unknown vieyo
  • Falavellufrom Old Galician-Portuguese vello
  • Galicianvellofrom Old Galician-Portuguese vello
  • Ladinoviejofrom Old Spanish viejo
  • Ladinovyejofrom Old Spanish viejo
Balkan Romance
  • Romanianvechi
  • Aromanianveclju
  • Megleno-Romanianvecľu
Dalmatian
  • unknownvieclo
North Italian
  • Emilianvèc'
  • Ligurianvêgio
  • Lombardvegg
  • Piedmontesevej
  • Piedmontesevegg
  • Friulianvieli
  • Istriotviecio
  • Romanshvegl
  • Romanshvigl
  • Venetanvecio
Insular Romance
  • Campidanesebéciu
  • Campidanesebetzu
  • Logudoresebegru
  • Logudoreseegru
  • Logudoresebeju
  • Logudoreseeju
  • Nuoresebecru
  • Nuoresebrecu
noun · masculinesecond declension
vetulus2
vetulus m (genitive vetulī)
Classical[ˈwɛ.tʊ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈvɛː.tu.lus]

Meaning

  1. masculineold man; little old man
    "et dominus meus vetulus ("and my lord is an old man")Genesis 18:12 (in Latin)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativevetulusvetulī
genitivevetulīvetulōrum
dativevetulōvetulīs
accusativevetulumvetulōs
ablativevetulōvetulīs
vocativevetulevetulī

Origins

From vetus (“old”) + -ulus (diminutive ending).

Quick answers

What does vetulus mean in Latin?
vetulus, a adjective, means “old; little old, poor old”.
How do you pronounce vetulus?
In classical Latin, [ˈwɛ.tʊ.ɫʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈvɛː.tu.lus].