armentum

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

A reanalysis of the older feminine singular armenta as a neuter plural, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-mn̥-teh₂, from *h₂er- (“to join”) + *-mn̥ + *-teh₂. Semantic development was "grouping, joining" > "herd". Related to arma.[1]

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /arˈmen.tum/, [arˈmɛn.tũː]

Noun

armentum n (genitive armentī); second declension

  1. (zoology) A draft animal, a large domestic animal suitable for drawing a plow: an ox, a horse.
    • 1st century, L. Iunius Moderatus Columella, De Res Rustica, Book VI, Preface, Sect. 3:
      Unde etiam iumenta et armenta nomina a re traxere quod nostrum laborem vel onera subvectando vel arando iuvarent.
      And so it is that iumenta and armenta draw their names from the fact that they aid our work either by bringing up burdens or by plowing.
  2. (zoology) Synonym of armenta: such animals taken collectively.

Usage notes

In Latin, armenta are distinguished both from the iumenta used to draw carts and from weaker domestic animals (pecora) unable to pull heavy loads such as milk cows and horses used only as mounts.

Declension

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative armentum armenta
Genitive armentī armentōrum
Dative armentō armentīs
Accusative armentum armenta
Ablative armentō armentīs
Vocative armentum armenta

Hyponyms

Descendants

References

Citations
  1. De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 54

Bibliography
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