quidam

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin quīdam.

Noun[edit]

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.

French[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ki.dam/
  • Audio
    		(file)

Noun[edit]

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.

Latin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From quī +‎ -dam (demonstrative ending).

Pronunciation[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

quīdam (feminine quaedam, neuter quiddam); relative/interrogative pronoun (with m → n in compounds) with an indeclinable portion

  1. someone, a certain one/thing; something

Usage notes[edit]

Not to be confused with quidem.

Declension[edit]

Relative/interrogative pronoun (with m → n in compounds) with an indeclinable portion.

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[edit]

quīdam (feminine quaedam, neuter quoddam); relative/interrogative pronoun (with m → n in compounds) with an indeclinable portion

  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[edit]

Relative/interrogative pronoun (with m → n in compounds) with an indeclinable portion.

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[edit]

Latin correlatives (edit)
type interrogative indefinite (medial)
demonstrative		 proximal
demonstrative		 distal
demonstrative		 relative indefinite
relative		 identity other
basic quis, quī quis, quī, quīdam, aliquis, aliquī, quisque, quisquam, aliquisquam, quispiam, ūllus is, iste, istic hic ille, illic quī quisquis, quīcumque ipse, īdem alter, alius
dual uter alteruter, uterque uter utercumque
number quot aliquot tot quot quotquot, quotcumque totidem
order quotus totus quotus quotuscumque
quantity quam aliquam tam quam †quamquam †tamen, †tandem
size quantus aliquantus tantus quantus quantuscumque tantusdem
quality quālis aliquālis tālis quālis quālis, quāliscumque
manner ut, quī, quō modō, quōmodo, quemadmodum utique, quī, quōdam modō, aliquō modō ita, sic, eō/istō modō hōc modō illō modō ut, quī, quō modō, quōmodo, quemadmodum utut, utcumque, quōmodocumque item, itidem aliter, aliōquī, alterō/aliō modō
method,
path,
place 		quā aliquā, quāque eā, istāc hāc illāc quā quāquā, quācumque eādem aliā
place ubi alicubi, ubique, usquam, uspiam ibi, istic hīc illīc ubi ubiubi, ubicumque ibidem alibī, aliās
source unde alicunde inde, istinc hinc illinc unde undecumque indidem aliunde
destination quō, quōrsum aliquō, quōquam, quōpiam, °aliquōvorsum eō, istūc, °istōrsum hūc, °hōrsum illūc, °illōrsum quō quōquō, quōcumque eōdem aliō, aliorsum
time quandō quondam, aliquandō, quandōque, umquam tum, tunc num, nunc ōlim cum, quandō cumque, quandōcumque, quandōque simul aliās
exact time quota hora ea/ista hora hac hora illa hora quota hora quotacumque hora eadem hora altera/alia hora
repetition quotiēns aliquotiēns totiēns quotiēns quotiēnscumque
multiplication quotuplex totuplex quotuplex
† Turned conjunction with original meaning somewhat dissimulated
° Rare

References[edit]

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