quadrupes

Latin

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!

Alternative forms

• quadripēs

Etymology

quadru- (“four”) +‎ pēs (“foot”)

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈkʷa.dru.peːs/, [ˈkʷäd̪rʊpeːs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈkwa.dru.pes/, [ˈkwäːd̪rupes]

Adjective

quadrupēs (genitive quadrupedis); third-declension one-termination adjective

1. galloping
2. moving on all fours
3. four-legged, quadrupedal

Declension

Third-declension one-termination adjective.

	singular			plural
	masc./fem.	neuter		masc./fem.	neuter
nominative	quadrupēs			quadrupedēs	quadrupedia
genitive	quadrupedis			quadrupedium
dative	quadrupedī			quadrupedibus
accusative	quadrupedem	quadrupēs		quadrupedēs	quadrupedia
ablative	quadrupedī			quadrupedibus
vocative	quadrupēs			quadrupedēs	quadrupedia

Descendants

• → Catalan: quadrúpede (learned)
• → English: quadruped

Noun

quadrupēs m or f or n (genitive quadrupedis); third declension

1. a quadruped
   • 4 CE – c. 70 CE, Columella, De Re Rustica 11.2.14:

     His etiam diebus maturi agni et reliqui fetus pecudum, nec minus maiora quadrupedia charactere signari debent.

     • 1955 translation by E. S. Forster, Edward H. Heffner

       In these days, too, early lambs and the other young of cattle and the larger four-footed beasts also ought to be marked with the branding-iron.

   • 4 CE – c. 70 CE, Columella, De Re Rustica 11.2.33:

     Quin etiam pecus lanatum ceteraque quadripedia tempus idoneum est castrandi.

     • 1955 translation by E. S. Forster, Edward H. Heffner

       It is also a suitable time for castrating woolly cattle and the other four-footed beasts.

Usage notes

• As a noun, it can be masculine, feminine (agreeing with bēstia) or neuter (agreeing with animal).
• The non-neuter declension appears to be non-i-stem, while the neuter declension appears to be pure neuter i-stem; but usage was somewhat fluid.
• It appears to be slightly more likely to have the meaning "beast of burden" when masculine.

Declension

non-neuter: Third-declension noun. singular plural nominative quadrupēs quadrupedēs genitive quadrupedis quadrupedum dative quadrupedī quadrupedibus accusative quadrupedem quadrupedēs ablative quadrupede quadrupedibus vocative quadrupēs quadrupedēs

neuter: Third-declension noun (neuter, “pure” i-stem). singular plural nominative quadrupēs quadrupedia genitive quadrupedis quadrupedium dative quadrupedī quadrupedibus accusative quadrupēs quadrupedia ablative quadrupedī quadrupedibus vocative quadrupēs quadrupedia

References

• “quadrupes”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “quadrupes”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• quadrupes in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “quadrupes”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin