ductus

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ductus.

Noun

ductus (plural ductus)

1. The number of strokes that make up a written letter, and the direction, sequence and speed in which they are written. (Compare graph; see also aspect.)
2. A subtle reduction of weight towards the middle of the stroke of the letter.
3. (anatomy) A duct, tube or canal in the body.

Derived terms

• ductal

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Latin

Etymology

Perfect passive participle of dūcō (“lead”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈduk.tus/, [ˈd̪ʊkt̪ʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈduk.tus/, [ˈd̪ukt̪us]

Participle

ductus (feminine ducta, neuter ductum); first/second-declension participle

1. led, guided, having been led

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ductus	ducta	ductum		ductī	ductae	ducta
Genitive	ductī	ductae	ductī		ductōrum	ductārum	ductōrum
Dative	ductō		ductō		ductīs
Accusative	ductum	ductam	ductum		ductōs	ductās	ducta
Ablative	ductō	ductā	ductō		ductīs
Vocative	ducte	ducta	ductum		ductī	ductae	ducta

Descendants

• Aromanian: duptu
• Catalan: dut
• French: -duit
• Galician: adoito
• Italian: -dotto
• Spanish: -ducido, ducho

Noun

ductus m (genitive ductūs); fourth declension

1. leadership, leading
2. generalship
3. (Medieval Latin) conveyance (of water); hence, a channel

Declension

Fourth-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ductus	ductūs
Genitive	ductūs	ductuum
Dative	ductuī	ductibus
Accusative	ductum	ductūs
Ablative	ductū	ductibus
Vocative	ductus	ductūs

Derived terms

• ductiō

Descendants

• Albanian: duq
• English: duct, ductus
• Italian: dotto
• Old French: duit

• Portuguese: ducto, duto
• Romanian: duct
• Spanish: ducto

References

• “ductus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ductus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ductus 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)
• ductus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • a conduit; an aqueduct: aquae ductus (plur. aquarum ductus)
    
  • the conversation began in this way: hinc sermo ductus est
    
  • (ambiguous) a thing is taken from life: aliquid e vita ductum est
    
  • (ambiguous) to derive a word from... (used of an etymologist): verbum ductum esse a...putare