Spiritus Sanctus

See also: spiritus sanctus

Latin

Alternative forms

• spīritus sānctus

Etymology

Calque of Ancient Greek Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον (Pneûma tò Hágion, literally “Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit”), from πνεῦμα (pneûma, “breath, vital force, soul”) + ἅγιος (hágios, “holy”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈspiː.ri.tus ˈsaːnk.tus/, [ˈs̠piːrɪt̪ʊs̠ ˈs̠äːŋkt̪ʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈspi.ri.tus ˈsank.tus/, [ˈspiːrit̪us ˈsäŋkt̪us]

Proper noun

Spīritus Sānctus m sg (genitive Spīritūs Sānctī); fourth declension

1. (Christianity) The Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost

Declension

Fourth-declension noun with a second-declension adjective, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Spīritus Sānctus
Genitive	Spīritūs Sānctī
Dative	Spīrituī Sānctō
Accusative	Spīritum Sānctum
Ablative	Spīritū Sānctō
Vocative	Spīritus Sāncte

Descendants

• → Old English: hālig gāst (calque)
  • Middle English: holigost
    • English: Holy Ghost
  • → Old High German: heilagēr geist (calque)
    • Middle High German: heileger geist
      • German: Heiliger Geist
• → Finnish: Pyhä Henki (calque)