Dictionary formlignum, ligni(neuter)
Translation
wood, timber; log, firewood
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | lignum | ligna |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | lignum | ligna |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | lignum | ligna |
| Genitiveof | ligni | lignorum |
| Dativeto, for | ligno | lignis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | ligno | lignis |
Examples
.
They brought wood for the fire.
.
They gathered firewood in the forest.
.
The house was made of wood.
.
The cross was of hard wood.
.
They made the wall with wood and stone.
Lignum, ligni is second declension neuter and means wood as material or as fuel. The plural ligna almost always means firewood specifically, a load of logs rather than an abstract quantity of timber. For the living tree Latin uses arbor, and for a forest silva; confusing lignum with either is the usual beginner's slip, since English "wood" covers all three.
In Christian Latin lignum acquires a heavy second life as the Cross, lignum vitae, "the tree of life", and the wood of the crucifixion, so an ecclesiastical text talking about lignum is often not talking about carpentry. Italian legno and Spanish leno continue it, and English took ligneous and lignite.
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lignum: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "lignum" (wood, timber; log, firewood): 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 8, lesson 3: lignum, insignis, pulcher and 5 more words.