cyathus

English

Etymology

From Latin cyathus, from Ancient Greek κύαθος (kúathos, “ladle”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of kyathos.

Noun

cyathus (plural cyathuses or cyathi)

1. (historical) A Roman unit of liquid measure reckoned as the volume of 1⅔ Roman ounce of wine and equivalent to about 45 mL although differing slightly over time.
2. Synonym of ladle, especially (historical) a small one used for serving wine in ancient Greece and Rome.
3. (historical) Synonym of kyathos (“an ancient ladle and serving beaker”).

Synonyms

• (unit of measure): Roman cup, cup, cupful (Roman contexts)

Coordinate terms

• (unit of measure): lingula (¼ cyathus), acetabulum (1½ cyathi), quartarius (3 cyathi), hemina (6 cyathi), sextarius (12 cyathi), congius (72 cyathi) urna (288 cyathi), amphora (576 cyathi), culeus (11520 cyathi)

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κύαθος (kúathos, “ladle”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈky.a.tʰus/, [ˈkyät̪ʰʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃi.a.tus/, [ˈt͡ʃiːät̪us]

Noun

cyathus m (genitive cyathī); second declension

1. (historical) cyathus, Roman cup, a Roman unit of liquid measure equivalent to about 45 mL
   • 8 CE, Ovid, Fasti 3.531–532:

     sōle tamen vīnōque calent annōsque precantur,
     quot sūmant cyathōs, ad numerumque bibunt.

     With sun and wine they are warmed, however; and they pray for as many years
     as the cupfuls they take, and count as they drink.
     (The ancient Romans celebrated the festival of Anna Perenna on the Ides of March.)

2. ladle, especially (historical) a small wine ladle in Roman contexts
3. kyathos, a small wine ladle and serving beaker in ancient Greece and Rome

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	cyathus	cyathī
Genitive	cyathī	cyathōrum
Dative	cyathō	cyathīs
Accusative	cyathum	cyathōs
Ablative	cyathō	cyathīs
Vocative	cyathe	cyathī

Coordinate terms

• (wine ladle): poculum
• (unit of measure): lingula (¼ cyathus), acetabulum (1½ cyathi), quartarius (3 cyathi), hemina (6 cyathi), sextarius (12 cyathi), congius (72 cyathi) urna (288 cyathi), amphora (576 cyathi), culeus (11520 cyathi)

Descendants

• English: cyathus

See also

• cheme, mystrum

References

• “cyathus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “cyathus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• cyathus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “cyathus”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia‎^[1]
• “cyathus”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “cyathus”, in William Smith, editor (1848), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray
• “cyathus”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
• “cyathus”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin