pons asinorum

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /pons a.siˈnoː.rum/, [põːs a.sɪˈnoː.rũ]

Noun

pōns asinōrum m (genitive pontis asinōrum); third declension

1. literally, "the Bridge of Asses": the geometric theorem (Euclid's fifth) that the two angles opposite the equal sides of an isosceles triangle are also equal
2. a difficult early test that must be passed if further progress is to be made

Inflection

Third declension i-stem.

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	pōns asinōrum	pontēs asinōrum
genitive	pontis asinōrum	pontium asinōrum
dative	pontī asinōrum	pontibus asinōrum
accusative	pontem asinōrum	pontēs asinōrum
ablative	ponte asinōrum	pontibus asinōrum
vocative	pōns asinōrum	pontēs asinōrum

Descendants

• Dutch: ezelsbrug, ezelsbruggetje (calque)
• German: Eselsbrücke (calque)