# Latin Terms



## Heather (Aug 3, 2007)

I came across this in a file at work and thought it might be useful to some of us. 

*Colors	* 
alba= white 
caerulea = sky blue 
aurea	=	golden 
niger	=	black 
rosea	=	rosy, pink 
rubra	=	red 
viride	=	green 
virens	=	greenish 
glauca	=	w/bloom or whitish 
chlore	=	green 
melan	=	black 
atropurpureus = blackish purple 
luteum	=	yellow

*Size*
mini	=	small
macro	=	large
mega	=	largest
parvi	=	small
pauci	=	few
lati	=	wide
angusti	=	narrow
tenui	=	thin, weak
grandi	=	large, showy
minor	=	less
major	=	more
hyper	=	above, extreme


*Numbers	* 
uni, uno = one 
mono	=	one 
duo	=	two 
bi-	=	two 
tri, tre	=	three 
tern	=	three 
tetra	=	four 
quatro	=	four 
quinque = five 
sex	=	six 
septa	=	seven 
octo	=	eight 
novem	=	nine 
deca	=	ten 
poly	=	many 
bunda	=	oh so many 
a-	=	without 
oligo-	=	few	

*Habitat* 
sylvatica = woods 
arvensis, -a=	cultivated land
palustris, -a=	of marshes
alpina	=	alpine
montana = mountainous
rivale	=	by streams
virginiensis=	from eastern North America 
pennsylvanica=	Mid-Atlantic
canadensis=	north of NY, Canada
occidentalis=	western
australis = southern
borealis = northern
orientalis = eastern
campestris=	plains/low fields
caroliniana=	from the south
americana=	discovered in America

*Habit (style of growth)*
cernua	=	nodding
repens	=	creeping
procumbens=	reclining
verticillata=	whorled
acaulis	=	stemless
stolonifera=	producing runners


*Shape/Texture* 
glabra, -ous=	smooth, without hairs 
rotundi	=	round 
reni	=	kidney shape 
cordata = heart shape 
linearis	=	long/narrow 
cornuta = horn shaped 
pubescens=	downy 
hirsuta	=	hairy 
sempervirens=	evergreen 
rugosa	=	wrinkled 
maculata	s = potted 
lucide= shiny 
laevis= smooth 
cuneatus = wedge-shaped 
pilosus = hairy 

*General*
folia, -um, -us=	leaf
phylla, -um, -us	=leaf
carpum	=	fruit
flora	=	flower
petala	=	petal, petal-like
radicans	=	rooting
sativus	= cultivated or sown
hetero	=	different/variable
homo	=	similar/alike
sperma, -us=	seed
gymno-	= naked	
novi	=	new 
ped	=	foot	
-oides	=	resembles	
pseudo	=	false	
vernalis	=	spring
aestivale	=	summer
autumnalis=	fall
hyemalis	=	winter
nivalis	=	of the snow
officinalis	=	on official list, for medical use


*Suggested reference:*
Neal, Bill. Gardener’s Latin, Discovering the Origins, Lore & Meanings of Botanical Names. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. 1992.

*Pronunciation:*
It has been said that the secret to pronouncing Latin names is....to do it with authority!
Here are a few basic rules that will help. Maybe the greatest aid is hearing the words.

*Endings:*
words ending in -aceae (typical family ending); a-see-ee
the “ch” in Polystichum; pronounce as a “k” 
the double “cc” as in occidentalis; ox-si-dentalis
the letter “i”’ ee
the letter “g”: hard before a, o, u; soft before e, i, y
*Accents:*
words ending in two syllables bounded by consonants (Camptosorus, Osmunda)have the accent on the next to the last syllable; Camptosorus, Osmundawords ending in two syllables not bounded by consonants (Botrychium, banksiana,Tofieldia) have the third syllable from the end accented: Botrychium, banksiana, Tofieldia.

All vowels in words ending in -ium, -ia, -ii, etc. are usually pronounced individually


----------



## goldenrose (Aug 3, 2007)

Excellent! Very useful!
Too many for my memory, I'll have to copy & paste!


----------



## Heather (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks Ron, 
The first two are actually two columns, combined, so I'll still edit the first message.


----------



## Ron-NY (Aug 3, 2007)

ah, I see what you are saying...LOL, I should have waited for you and copied and pasted.
color one column and size another. I am going to remove my post and wait for your edit


----------



## Heather (Aug 3, 2007)

You get an A+ for effort, Ron.

If people have others to add, please do!


----------



## Mark (Aug 3, 2007)

Nice, Heather.

I'm also fond of the Dictionary of Botanical Epithets. Now I know my _Pinellia pedatisecta_ has something to do with divided feet.


----------



## Rick (Aug 3, 2007)

That is very cool Heather. It expands my comprehension considerably.


----------



## Ron-NY (Aug 3, 2007)

now I have a better copy...thanks Heather!!!

the more common spelling of the latin term for sky blue is : coerulea


----------



## Heather (Aug 3, 2007)

Mark's dictionary is great too. 

I had no idea that pennsylvancium was the mid atlantic - I always figured it meant that it was originally found in or native to Pennsylvania. Same with virginicum (as in Mertensia virginiensis) very interesting!


----------



## bwester (Aug 3, 2007)

Heather said:


> Mark's dictionary is great too.
> 
> I had no idea that pennsylvancium was the mid atlantic - I always figured it meant that it was originally found in or native to Pennsylvania. Same with virginicum (as in Mertensia virginiensis) very interesting!



huh huh huh.... virgin.....
latin kicks ass


----------



## SlipperFan (Aug 3, 2007)

Thanks, Heather. Very useful.


----------



## NYEric (Aug 4, 2007)

As we used to say in latin class, " is ea id"


----------



## DukeBoxer (Aug 11, 2007)

So is besseae pronounced ee-a or ee-aye. I have always thought of it as the first ee-a, but only hear ee-aye.


----------



## rdlsreno (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks for the informations!!

Ramon


----------

