cuprum

Latin

Etymology

A borrowing from Ancient Greek Κύπρος (Kúpros, “Cyprus”), from the large reserves of the metal found on the island.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈku.prum/, [ˈkʊprʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈku.prum/, [ˈkuːprum]

Noun

cuprum n (genitive cuprī); second declension

1. copper (the metal)

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	cuprum	cupra
Genitive	cuprī	cuprōrum
Dative	cuprō	cuprīs
Accusative	cuprum	cupra
Ablative	cuprō	cuprīs
Vocative	cuprum	cupra

Synonyms

• aerāmen

Descendants

• Asturian: cobre
• Catalan: coure
• Basque: kobre
• Bourguignon: cueuvre, cuvre
• English: copper, cupric
• French: cuivre
• Galician: cobre

• German: Kupfer
• Italian: cuprico
• Occitan: coire
• Portuguese: cobre
• Romanian: cupru
• Spanish: cobre

References

• “cuprum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• cuprum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• cuprum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.