inferus

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *enðeros, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥dʰér-o-s, from *h₁n̥dʰér. Cognate with English under, Sanskrit अधर (ádhara). *ð > f is irregular in word-internal position (**inderus would be expected; compare fundus) and is explained either as (Faliscan) dialectal influence or by assuming metanalysis as a compound with in.

Pronunciation

(Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈin.fe.rus/, [ˈĩːfɛrʊs̠]

(Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈin.fe.rus/, [ˈiɱferus]

Adjective

īnferus (feminine īnfera, neuter īnferum, comparative īnferior, superlative īnfimus or īmus); first/second-declension adjective

low
(in the masculine plural) the souls of the dead
(in the neuter plural) the netherworld, the underworld, Hell

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Number	Singular			Plural
Nominative	īnferus	īnfera	īnferum	īnferī	īnferae	īnfera
Genitive	īnferī	īnferae	īnferī	īnferōrum	īnferārum	īnferōrum
Dative	īnferō	īnferae	īnferō	īnferīs
Accusative	īnferum	īnferam	īnferum	īnferōs	īnferās	īnfera
Ablative	īnferō	īnferā	īnferō	īnferīs
Vocative	īnfere	īnfera	īnferum	īnferī	īnferae	īnfera

Derived terms

īnferia
īnferior
īnfernus
īnfrā

Descendants

→ Italian: infero

References

“inferus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“inferus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
inferus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
- (ambiguous) the gods of the upper, lower world: superi; inferi
- (ambiguous) the world below: inferi (Orcus and Tartarus only poetical)
- (ambiguous) to descend to the world below: ad inferos descendere
- (ambiguous) to be in the lower world: apud inferos esse
- (ambiguous) to summon some one from the dead: aliquem ab inferis or a mortuis evocare, excitare (passive ab inferis exsistere)