Dictionary formfama, famae(feminine)
Translation
report, rumour; reputation, fame
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | fama | famae |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | fama | famae |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | famam | famas |
| Genitiveof | famae | famarum |
| Dativeto, for | famae | famis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | fama | famis |
Examples
.
The report went through the city.
.
He had a good reputation with everyone.
.
The story goes that the king is dead.
.
He preserved his reputation.
celerius .
Nothing is swifter than rumour.
Fama, famae, f., first declension, from fari, "to speak". So it is simply "what is said", and that one idea covers three English words at once: rumour, tradition and reputation. Latin does not distinguish them and you have to pick from context, though the presence of an adjective usually settles it - bona fama is reputation, vana fama is rumour.
The construction to learn is fama est with the accusative and infinitive, "the story goes that", along with its relatives fertur and traditur. Virgil personifies her in Aeneid IV as a winged monster with as many tongues as eyes, which fixed the image for European poetry. Infamia is the loss of a good one, and it was a formal legal disability at Rome, not just a bad mood in the neighbours. English fame, famous, defame and infamous.
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fama: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "fama" (report, rumour; reputation, fame): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 5, lesson 4: fama, sacerdos, donum and 7 more words.