alacer

Latin

Etymology

Uncertain origin, but possibly from a Proto-Indo-European root shared with Germanic *aljaną (“vigor, strength”), see English ellen.

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈa.la.ker/, [ˈäɫ̪äkɛr]
  • (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈa.la.t͡ʃer/, [ˈäːlät͡ʃer]

Adjective

alacer (feminine alacris, neuter alacre, comparative alacrior); third-declension three-termination adjective

  1. lively, brisk, quick, eager, active, peppy, excited
    Synonyms: strēnuus, impiger, vīvus, ācer, fortis
    Antonym: sēgnis
  2. glad, happy, cheerful
    Synonyms: libēns, laetus, vīvus, felix, hilaris, hilarus
    Antonyms: trīstis, infelix, maestus, miser, aeger

Usage notes

The superlative form alacerrimus is very rare in old and classical Latin.

Declension

Third-declension three-termination adjective.

Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative alacer alacris alacre alacrēs alacria
Genitive alacris alacrium
Dative alacrī alacribus
Accusative alacrem alacre alacrēs alacria
Ablative alacrī alacribus
Vocative alacer alacris alacre alacrēs alacria

Derived terms

Descendants
  • Gallo-Italic
    • Ligurian: alêgro
    • Lombard: allégher, alégher
    • Piedmontese: alégher
  • Italo-Dalmatian
  • Old French: halaigre
  • Old Occitan:
    • Catalan: alegre
    • Occitan: alègre
  • Rhaeto-Romance
  • Sardinian: allegru
    Campidanese: allirgu
    Logudorese: allegru
  • Venetian: aliegro, ałégro, ałłégro
  • West Iberian
  • → Basque: alaikiro
  • → Portuguese: álacre

References
  • “alacer”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “alacer”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • alacer in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
  • Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • to show a brisk and cheerful spirit: alacri et erecto animo esse
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