utrum

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈu.trum/, [ˈʊt̪rʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈu.trum/, [ˈuːt̪rum]

Etymology 1

Adverbial accusative of uter, used as a conjunction.

Conjunction

utrum

1. whether
   • 1485, Thomas Aquinas, “Part III, Question 42”, in Summa Theologiae‎^[1]:

     Quarto, utrum solum debuerit docere verbo, vel etiam scripto.

     4. Whether He should have preached by word only, or also by writing.

Usage notes

• Used with an (“or”) in the construction utrum...an (“whether...or”):

  Nescio quid intersit, utrum nunc veniam, an ad decem annos.

  I know not what matter it is, whether I come now or after ten years.

• Used with an (“or”) to introduce double direct questions, without translating utrum explicitly:

  Utrum tu pro ancilla me habes an pro filia?

  Do you regard me as your slave or as your daughter?

• Used with necne in the construction utrum...necne (“whether...or not'”).

  Tune scis utrum Vergilius praeclarissimus poeta Romanus sit necne?

  Do you know whether or not Vergilius was the most famous Roman poet?

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective

utrum

1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular of uter

References

• “utrum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “utrum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) to offer a person the alternative of... or..: optionem alicui dare, utrum...an
    
  • (ambiguous) it is a debated point whether... or..: in contentione ponitur, utrum...an
    

Swedish

Noun

utrum n

1. (grammar) common gender
2. (grammar) A word of common gender.

Declension

No inflected forms.

Synonyms

• n-genus

Antonyms

• t-genus
• neutrum