LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

vindex1

vindex m or f (genitive vindicis)
Classical[ˈwɪn.dɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈvin.deks]

Meaning

  1. femininemasculineprotector, defender, maintainer
  2. femininemasculineclaimant, vindicator

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quī iūs dēfendit, quī malōs pūnit
vindex -icis (m) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 1, 18

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativevindexvindicēs
genitivevindicisvindicum
dativevindicīvindicibus
accusativevindicemvindicēs
ablativevindicevindicibus
vocativevindexvindicēs

vindex, ĭcis, comm. vindico.
I. One who lays legal claim to a thing, a claimant; hence, also, a maintainer, defender, protector, deliverer, liberator, vindicator: vindex ab eo, quod vindicat, quominus is, qui prensus est, ab aliquo teneatur, Fest. p. 376 Müll.: ASSIDVO. VINDEX. ASSIDVVS. ESTO. PROLETARIO. CIVI. QVOI. QVIS. VOLET. VINDEX. ESTO, XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 16, 10, 5: habeat sane populus tabellam quasi vindicem libertatis, Cic. Leg. 3, 17, 39: aeris alieni, a defender, protector of debtors, id. Att. 2, 1, 11: majestatis imperii, Liv. 28, 28, 14: legum ac libertatis (M. Brutus), Suet. Rhet. 6: injuriae, a protector from wrong, Liv. 3, 46, 6: periculi, in peril, id. 10, 5, 5: terrae (Hercules), Ov. M. 9, 241: aurum Vindice decepto Graias misistis in urbes, id. ib. 7, 214: nec deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice nodus Inciderit, Hor. A. P. 191: honori posterorum tuorum ut vindex fieres, a preserver, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 18.—In apposition: audita vox una (provoco) vindex libertatis, Liv. 3, 56, 6: vindicibus pacatus viribus orbis, Ov. H. 9, 13.—
II. An avenger, punisher, revenger: conjurationis, Cic. Fam. 5, 6, 2: custos ac vindex cupiditatum, id. Agr. 2, 9, 24: vindex ultorque parentis, Ov. M. 5, 237.—Fem.: Furiae deae ... vindices facinorum et scelerum, Cic. N. D. 3, 18, 46; of Tisiphone, Stat. Th. 1, 80.—In apposition: vindice flammā, Ov. M. 1, 230: poena, Cat. 64, 192.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wéyHs
  2. Proto-Italic*wīs
  3. Latinvindex

Latin dīcere Proto-Indo-European *-s Latin -s Latin vindex From vim + dīcere (“to indicate”) + -s. Compare iūdex.

Descendants
  • Italianvindice
proper noun · masculinethird declension
Vindex2
Vindex m sg (genitive Vindicis)
Classical[ˈwɪn.dɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈvin.deks]

Meaning

  1. masculinesingularA Roman cognomen, famously held by
  2. masculinesingularGaius Iulius Vindex, a Roman governor

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeVindex—
genitiveVindicis—
dativeVindicī—
accusativeVindicem—
ablativeVindice—
vocativeVindex—

Origins

From vindex (“vindicator”).

Quick answers

What does vindex mean in Latin?
vindex, a noun, means “protector, defender, maintainer; claimant, vindicator”.
What is the genitive of vindex?
The genitive singular is vindicis. vindex is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce vindex?
In classical Latin, [ˈwɪn.dɛks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈvin.deks].
Where does vindex come from?
Proto-Indo-European *wéyHs → Proto-Italic *wīs → Latin vindex.