talentum

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Latin

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Etymology

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From Ancient Greek τάλαντον (tálanton, a weight; talent), from Proto-Indo-European *tl̥h₂ent-, from *telh₂-. In post-Classical Latin, the term was used figuratively to refer to a gift from God in general, influenced by the biblical Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30); the medieval sense “skill, ability” is an extension of this usage.[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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talentum n (genitive talentī); second declension

  1. A Grecian weight, which contained sixty minae or half a hundredweight.
  2. A talent or sum of money; usually the Attic talent (sometimes with magnum).
    Vīgintī talentiīs ūnam ōrātiōnem Īsocratēs vēndidit.
    Isocrates sold one oration for twenty talents.
  3. (Late Latin, figuratively) A gift from God, grace.
  4. (Medieval Latin, New Latin, by extension) A marked natural skill or ability.

Declension

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Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative talentum talenta
Genitive talentī talentōrum
Dative talentō talentīs
Accusative talentum talenta
Ablative talentō talentīs
Vocative talentum talenta

Derived terms

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Descendants

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References

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  1. ^ Hitzl, Konrad (2002) “Talent”, in Brill’s New Pauly: Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World, volume 14, →ISBN, page 121