Agnus Dei
See also: agnus dei
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”).
Pronunciation
Noun
Agnus Dei (plural Agnus Deis or Agnus Dei)
- (Western Christianity) A liturgical chant recited as part of the Mass, beginning with those words, or the music to which it is set. [from 10th c.]
- (Roman Catholicism) A small model or a picture of a lamb with a cross.
- (Roman Catholicism) A bar of wax imprinted with a similar shape and blessed by the Pope. [from 16th c.]
- 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 194:
- Matilda continued her incantations; at intervals she took various items from the basket, the nature and name of most of which were unknown to the friar: but among the few which he distinguished, he particularly observed three human fingers, and an agnus dei, which she broke in pieces.
- 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, p. 28:
- The most common of these amulets was the agnus dei, a small wax cake, originally made out of paschal candles and blessed by the Pope, bearing the image of the lamb and flag.
- 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 194:
- (heraldry) A heraldic representation of a lamb with a cross and flag (usually white with a red cross), shown on a coat of arms.
Translations
part of the Mass; music to which it is set
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model or picture of a lamb with a cross
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See also
Anagrams
Latin
Etymology
Calque of Ancient Greek Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ (Amnòs toû Theoû). The name refers to Jesus' role as a sacrificial lamb that is (voluntarily) slaughtered on the Cross.
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /ˈaɡ.nus ˈde.iː/, [ˈäŋnʊs̠ ˈd̪eiː]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈaɲ.ɲus ˈde.i/, [ˈäɲːus ˈd̪ɛːi]
Noun
Agnus Deī m sg (genitive Agnī Deī); second declension (Christianity, Ecclesiastical Latin)
- Literally, "Lamb of God", a title applied by Christians to Jesus, whose death they equate with the offering of such animals for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem by those who have sinned, as described in the Hebrew scriptures.
- Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi...
- Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world...
- Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi...
- prayer in the Mass, and musical composition of that prayer, which begins with the words "Agnus Dei...."
Declension
Second-declension noun with an indeclinable portion, singular only.
Case | Singular |
---|---|
Nominative | Agnus Deī |
Genitive | Agnī Deī |
Dative | Agnō Deī |
Accusative | Agnum Deī |
Ablative | Agnō Deī |
Vocative | Agne Deī |
Note: The vocative is normally Agnus Dei.
Descendants
- English: Agnus Dei
- Portuguese: Agnus Dei, agnus dei, Cordeiro de Deus (calque)
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English multiword terms
- en:Christianity
- en:Roman Catholicism
- en:Heraldic charges
- Latin terms calqued from Ancient Greek
- Latin terms derived from Ancient Greek
- Latin terms with IPA pronunciation
- Latin lemmas
- Latin proper nouns
- Latin second declension nouns
- Latin masculine nouns in the second declension
- Latin multiword terms
- Latin masculine nouns
- la:Christianity
- Ecclesiastical Latin
- la:Sheep