castus

Latin

Etymology

Verbal adjective from Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- (“to cut”), the same root of careō (“I lack”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkas.tus/, [ˈkas.tʊs]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈkas.tus/

Adjective

castus (feminine casta, neuter castum); first/second declension

1. morally pure, guiltless
2. pure, chaste, free from barbarisms
3. religious, pious

Inflection

First/second declension.

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
nominative	castus	casta	castum		castī	castae	casta
genitive	castī	castae	castī		castōrum	castārum	castōrum
dative	castō		castō		castīs
accusative	castum	castam	castum		castōs	castās	casta
ablative	castō	castā	castō		castīs
vocative	caste	casta	castum		castī	castae	casta

Derived terms

• castīgō
• Castī connūbiī (of chaste wedlock)

Descendants

• English: chaste, caste
• French: chaste, caste
• Italian: casto

• Portuguese: casto, casta
• Romanian: cast
• Spanish: casto, casta

Noun

castus m (genitive castūs); fourth declension

1. (ante-Classical, post-classical) an abstinence from sensual enjoyments on religious grounds

Inflection

Fourth declension.

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	castus	castūs
genitive	castūs	castuum
dative	castuī	castibus
accusative	castum	castūs
ablative	castū	castibus
vocative	castus	castūs

Synonyms

• castimonia

Derived terms

• incestus

References

• castus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• castus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• du Cange, Charles (1883), “castus”, in G. A. Louis Henschel, Pierre Carpentier, Léopold Favre, editors, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (in Latin), Niort: L. Favre
• “castus” in Félix Gaffiot’s Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette (1934)
• De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill