Sunday, May 5, 2024

24.04.24: 3rd declension adjectives [8]: three terminations

“Three terminations” means that the adjective has three separate forms for the masculine, feminine and neuter in the nominative singular.

celer [masculine], celeris [feminine], celer[neuter]: fast, swift

Take a look at the images of the table; the only difference between the 2 termination adjectives discussed in the previous posts is in the nominative singular. After that, the adjective declines in exactly the same way.

I’ve posted two adjectives as examples:

[i] celer, -is, -e: fast; swift

[ii] ācer, ācris, ācre: many meanings including sharp; bitter; severe

It is ‘acer’ that sets the pattern for all of these adjectives because, apart from the nominative masculine singular acer, the /e/ is dropped when the endings are added; celer, celeris, celere doesn’t drop /e/

  • alacer, alacris, alacre: lively; brisk; cheerful; eager
  • celeber, celebris, celebre: crowded; famous
  • palūster, palūstris, palūstre: swampy; marshy
  • puter, putris, putre: rotten; decaying
  • silvester, silvestris, silvestre: wooded
  • volucer, volucris, volucre: winged; able to fly



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