frons

English

Grasshopper-head: a:antenna; b:ocelli; c:vertex; d:compound eye; e:occiput; f:gena; g:pleurostoma; h:mandible; i:labial palp; j:maxillary palps; k:maxilla; l:labrum; m:clypeus; n:frons

Etymology

Latin frons (“front”).

Noun

frons

1. (anatomy) In vertebrates, especially mammals, the forehead; the part of the cranium between the orbits and the vertex.
2. (entomology) The front part of the epicranium or head capsule of many insects; generally speaking the frons is the area below or between the antennae and above the clypeus. Generally it lies between the genal or "cheek" areas on either side of the head.

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.

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Latin

Etymology 1

Frons (forehead) virī.

From Proto-Indo-European *bʰron-t- (compare Irish braine 'prow, edge', Old Norse brandr 'sword blade'), from *bʰren- 'project'. See below.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /froːns/

Noun

frōns (genitive frontis); f, third declension

1. forehead
2. brow, countenance (as an indicator of feelings)
3. front, facade
4. cover (of a book or scroll)
5. circumference (of a wheel)
6. (figuratively) outside, exterior, appearance

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	frōns	frontēs
genitive	frontis	frontium
dative	frontī	frontibus
accusative	frontem	frontēs 1
ablative	fronte	frontibus
vocative	frōns	frontēs

¹ May also be frontīs.

Derived terms

frontālia frontālis frontātī

frontō frontōsus

Descendants

Aromanian: frãmti Catalan: front English: front French: front Galician: fronte

Italian: fronte Old Portuguese: fronte Portuguese: frente, fronte Romanian: frunte Russian: фронт Sicilian: frunti Spanish: frente

Etymology 2

frons (leafy branch)

From *bʰron-d- (compare Old English brant 'steep', Latvian bruôds 'roof ridge'), from *bʰren- 'project'.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /frons/

Noun

frons (genitive frondis); f, third declension

1. leaves, foliage, a leafy branch
2. (poetic) a garland of leaves

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	frons	frondēs
genitive	frondis	frondium
dative	frondī	frondibus
accusative	frondem	frondēs 1
ablative	fronde	frondibus
vocative	frons	frondēs

¹ May also be frondīs.

Derived terms

frondārius frondātiō frondātor frondeō

frondeus frondifer frondōsus

Related terms

• frondēscō

Descendants

English: frond French: fronde Italian: fronda

Portuguese: fronde Romanian: frunză Spanish: fronda