Dictionary formruina, ruinae(feminine)
Translation
collapse, downfall; ruin, destruction
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | ruina | ruinae |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | ruina | ruinae |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | ruinam | ruinas |
| Genitiveof | ruinae | ruinarum |
| Dativeto, for | ruinae | ruinis |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | ruina | ruinis |
Examples
.
The collapse of the wall was great.
.
After the fall of the city they fled.
.
We saw the ruins of the temple.
.
The ruins of the old house remain.
.
The downfall of the kingdom is to be feared by all.
Ruina, ruinae is first declension feminine, from ruo, "rush, fall headlong". Note the derivation carefully: the primary sense is the act of falling, not the rubble left afterwards. Ruina muri is the wall coming down, an event.
The physical remains sense, the one English took, is normally plural in Latin: ruinae, "ruins". So singular for the collapse, plural for what is left of it, and translating ruina as "a ruin" will usually be wrong. Extended figuratively to any downfall, of a person, a family or a state, and often paired with a genitive of what is destroyed. Related to ruo, ruere, rui, rutum, third conjugation, which stays live in the phrase ruere in arma, and to the adjective ruinosus.
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ruina: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "ruina" (collapse, downfall; ruin, destruction): 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 4, lesson 11: ruina, parens, poena and 11 more words.