caecus

Latin

Alternative forms
  • coecus (misspelling)
  • cēcus (in manuscripts)

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *kaikos (“blind, eyeless”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ikos (“one-eyed”). Cognates include Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍃 (haihs), Old Irish cáech (“one-eyed”), caoch (“blind”).

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈkae̯.kus/, [ˈkäe̯kʊs̠]
  • (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃe.kus/, [ˈt͡ʃɛːkus]
  • Audio (Classical)(file)

Adjective

caecus (feminine caeca, neuter caecum); first/second-declension adjective

  1. Having no light, devoid of light.
  2. (active):
    1. (literally) Not seeing, blind.
    2. (figuratively) Mentally or morally blind; blinded.
    3. (figuratively) Blind, i.e. at random, vague, indiscriminate, aimless.
    4. (transferred sense, botany) Without buds or eyes.
  3. (passive):
    1. (literally) That cannot be seen.
    2. (figuratively) That cannot be known; invisible, concealed, hidden, secret, obscure, dark.
  4. (neutral voice):
    1. (literally) That obstructs the sight; not transparent, opaque.
    2. (figuratively) That obstructs the perception; dark, gloomy, thick, dense, obscure; uncertain, doubtful.

Inflection

First/second-declension adjective.

Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative caecus caeca caecum caecī caecae caeca
Genitive caecī caecae caecī caecōrum caecārum caecōrum
Dative caecō caecō caecīs
Accusative caecum caecam caecum caecōs caecās caeca
Ablative caecō caecā caecō caecīs
Vocative caece caeca caecum caecī caecae caeca

Derived terms

Descendants
Descendants of caecus in other languages
  • Asturian: ciegu
  • → English: caecum
  • Old French: cieu, ciu, cé, ci
  • → French: cæcum
  • Italian: cieco
  • Neapolitan: cecato
  • Northern Italo-Romance:
    • Romagnol: cig (San Marino)
  • Old Occitan:
  • Old Portuguese: cego
  • Romanian: ceață
  • Sardinian:
    • Campidanese: tzegu
    • Logudorese: tzegu
    • Nuorese: tzecu
  • Old Spanish: ciego

References
  • “caecus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • caecus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
  • Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • Fortune makes men shortsighted, infatuates them: fortuna caecos homines efficit, animos occaecat
    • (ambiguous) to have no principles: caeco impetu ferri
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