Potitius
Latin
Etymology
Multiple theories relating to the standing of the Potitii in the cult of Hercules:
- Denis van Berchem suggests an archaic form of potītus, past participle of potior (“take possession”), indicating that they were slaves of the god on the model of Eastern temple practice.
- Jérôme Carcopino derives the term from Ancient Greek ποτίζω (potízō, “water, nourish”), in the sense of officiating at sacred meals.
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /poˈtiː.ti.us/, [pɔˈt̪iːt̪iʊs̠]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /poˈtit.t͡si.us/, [poˈt̪it̪ː͡s̪ius]
Proper noun
Potītius m sg (genitive Potītiī or Potītī); second declension
- a Roman nomen gentile, gens or "family name"
Declension
Second-declension noun, singular only.
| Case | Singular |
|---|---|
| Nominative | Potītius |
| Genitive | Potītiī Potītī1 |
| Dative | Potītiō |
| Accusative | Potītium |
| Ablative | Potītiō |
| Vocative | Potītī |
1Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).
Derived terms
- Potītia
Adjective
Potītius (feminine Potītia, neuter Potītium); first/second-declension adjective
- of or pertaining to the gens Potitia.
Declension
First/second-declension adjective.
| Number | Singular | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case / Gender | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
| Nominative | Potītius | Potītia | Potītium | Potītiī | Potītiae | Potītia | |
| Genitive | Potītiī | Potītiae | Potītiī | Potītiōrum | Potītiārum | Potītiōrum | |
| Dative | Potītiō | Potītiō | Potītiīs | ||||
| Accusative | Potītium | Potītiam | Potītium | Potītiōs | Potītiās | Potītia | |
| Ablative | Potītiō | Potītiā | Potītiō | Potītiīs | |||
| Vocative | Potītie | Potītia | Potītium | Potītiī | Potītiae | Potītia | |
References
- “Potitius”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- Potitius in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette