Dictionary formarma, armorum(neuter plural)
Translation
arms; weapons
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | plural |
|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | arma |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | arma |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | arma |
| Genitiveof | armorum |
| Dativeto, for | armis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | armis |
Examples
.
Take up arms.
virumque cano.
I sing of arms and the man.
.
The soldiers were under arms.
, .
He won by arms, not by planning.
.
They laid down their weapons and asked for peace.
Arma, armorum is a PLURAL-ONLY noun of the second declension, neuter: arma, armorum, armis, arma, armis. There is no singular in use, so the dictionary entry is the plural and any translation into "a weapon" has to be done with a different word.
Strictly, arma is defensive and hand-held equipment, the gear a soldier carries on his body: shield, helmet, sword. Missiles thrown at a distance are tela, and the pair arma et tela covers the lot. From there arma widens easily to stand for warfare itself, so ad arma is a call to fight and in armis esse is to be on a war footing.
Two phrases you will meet on sight. In armis, "under arms". And the opening three words of the Aeneid, arma virumque cano, which put the war before the man and told a Roman audience exactly what kind of poem was coming.
The verb armo and the noun armatura are built on it. English took army, armour, armament, armistice, disarm, and alarm, which is the Italian all'arme, "to arms", run together.
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Latin · Free printables
arma: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "arma" (arms; weapons): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
This word is taught in chapter 2, lesson 5: arma, vos, prope and 6 more words.