quidam

English

Etymology

From Latin quīdam.

Noun

quidam (plural quidams)

1. A nobody; a person of no importance. [from 16th c.]
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, III.12:

     A quidam gallant determined upon a time to surprise both my house and my selfe.

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French

Noun

quidam m (plural quidams)

1. Used to designate persons whose name are unknown or not mentioned.
2. Person whose identity is not indicated, in a conversation, a writing.
3. Individual.

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Latin

Etymology

From Latin quī (pronoun) + -dam (demonstrative ending).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkʷiː.dam/, [ˈkᶣiː.dã]

Pronoun

quīdam m (feminine quaedam, neuter quiddam)

1. someone, a certain one/thing; something

Usage notes

Do not confuse with quidem.

Declension

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
nominative	quīdam	quaedam	quiddam		quīdam	quaedam
genitive	cuiusdam cujusdam				quōrundam	quārundam	quōrundam
dative	cuidam				quibusdam
accusative	quendam	quandam	quiddam		quōsdam	quāsdam	quaedam
ablative	quōdam	quādam	quōdam		quibusdam

Adjective

quīdam m (feminine quaedam, neuter quoddam)

1. Certain (person or thing), some (person or thing), one [in the sense of "a specific"] (person or thing not previously introduced in the present discourse).

Declension

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
nominative	quīdam	quaedam	quoddam		quīdam	quaedam
genitive	cuiusdam cujusdam				quōrundam	quārundam	quōrundam
dative	cuidam				quibusdam
accusative	quendam	quandam	quoddam		quōsdam	quāsdam	quaedam
ablative	quōdam	quādam	quōdam		quibusdam

See also

• quondam
• quiddam, substantive

References

• quidam in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• quidam in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• quidam in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• quidam in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • I have a few words to say on this: mihi quaedam dicenda sunt de hac re