auctor vitae

Latin

Etymology

Literally “the originator or cause of life” (“life” understood to mean existence simpliciter in the case of God the Father, and to mean the salvation of eternal life in the case of God the Son).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈau̯k.tor ˈu̯iː.tae̯/, [ˈäu̯kt̪ɔr ˈu̯iːt̪äe̯]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈau̯k.tor ˈvi.te/, [ˈäu̯kt̪or ˈviːt̪e]

Proper noun

auctor vītae m sg (genitive auctōris vītae); third declension

1. (Late Latin, Christianity) an epithet of God and of Jesus: the author of life
   • a. AD 405, Vulgata, Act. 3:15:

     auctorem vero vitae interfecistis quem Deus suscitavit a mortuis cuius nos testes sumus

     but the authour of life you killed, vvhom God hath raiſed from the dead, of vvhich vve are vvitneſſes.

     (Rheims NT [1582], Acts 3:15, p. 297)

Declension

Third-declension noun with an indeclinable portion, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	auctor vītae
Genitive	auctōris vītae
Dative	auctōrī vītae
Accusative	auctōrem vītae
Ablative	auctōre vītae
Vocative	auctor vītae