lentus

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *lentos (“soft”), from Proto-Indo-European *lentos (“soft, smooth, pliant”), likely related to Proto-Indo-European *lentéh₂ (“linden, lime(-wood)”), and cognate with Proto-Germanic *lindō (“linden”) (whence English linden), Proto-Balto-Slavic *lentā́ˀ (whence Lithuanian lentà (“(linden) board”), Russian лут (lut, “(linden) bast”)), Albanian lëndë (“wood, material”), as well as perhaps Sanskrit लता (latā, “tendril, creeper”).

Compare also lēnis, with similar sound and meaning but different origin.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈlen.tus/, [ˈɫ̪ɛn̪t̪ʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈlen.tus/, [ˈlɛn̪t̪us]

Adjective

lentus (feminine lenta, neuter lentum, comparative lentior, superlative lentissimus, adverb lentē); first/second-declension adjective

1. sticky, tenacious
2. slow, sluggish

   Synonyms: tardus, sērus, languidus

   Antonyms: rapidus, vēlōx, levis, celer, properus, promptus, facilis

3. flexible, pliant

   Synonym: lēnis

4. indifferent, phlegmatic

   Synonym: quiētus

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	lentus	lenta	lentum		lentī	lentae	lenta
Genitive	lentī	lentae	lentī		lentōrum	lentārum	lentōrum
Dative	lentō		lentō		lentīs
Accusative	lentum	lentam	lentum		lentōs	lentās	lenta
Ablative	lentō	lentā	lentō		lentīs
Vocative	lente	lenta	lentum		lentī	lentae	lenta

Derived terms

• lentē
• lentēscō
• lentitūdō
• Lentō
• lentulus

 

Descendants

• Asturian: lentu, llentu
• Catalan: lent, llenta
• French: lent
• Friulian: lent
• Galician: lento
• Italian: lento
• Neapolitan: liento
• Occitan: lent
• Old Spanish: liento
• Romanian: lent
• Portuguese: lento
• Sicilian: lentu
• Spanish: lento

References

• “lentus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “lentus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• lentus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.