senectus

See also: Senectus

Latin

Etymology 1

From senex (“old”) +‎ -tus (adjective-forming suffix).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [sɛˈnɛk.tʊs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [seˈnɛk.tus]

Adjective

senectus (feminine senecta, neuter senectum); first/second-declension adjective

1. aged, very old

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

	singular				plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	senectus	senecta	senectum		senectī	senectae	senecta
genitive	senectī	senectae	senectī		senectōrum	senectārum	senectōrum
dative	senectō	senectae	senectō		senectīs
accusative	senectum	senectam	senectum		senectōs	senectās	senecta
ablative	senectō	senectā	senectō		senectīs
vocative	senecte	senecta	senectum		senectī	senectae	senecta

Derived terms

• senecta
• Senectus (“the name of the Roman God of old age”)

Etymology 2

From senex (“old”) +‎ -tūs (abstract noun-forming suffix).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [sɛˈnɛk.tuːs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [seˈnɛk.tus]

Noun

senectūs f (genitive senectūtis); third declension

1. old age, senility

   Synonym: senecta

   Antonyms: iuventās, iuventa, iuventūs

   • 161 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Phormio 575:

     Senectūs ipsa morbus est.

     Old age itself is a disease.

   • 1781, C. W. Kindleben, Gaudeamus igitur:

     Post molestam senectutem

     "After a troubling old age"

Declension

Third-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	senectūs	senectūtēs
genitive	senectūtis	senectūtum
dative	senectūtī	senectūtibus
accusative	senectūtem	senectūtēs
ablative	senectūte	senectūtibus
vocative	senectūs	senectūtēs

Descendants

• Italian: senettù, senettute
• Spanish: senectud

References

• “senectus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “senectus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "senectus", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “senectus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to be worn out by old age: senectute, senio confectum esse
    
  • to live to a very great age: ad summam senectutem pervenire
    
  • old age creeps on us insensibly: senectus nobis obrēpit