LSP - 16 : Looking up Nouns in the dictionary

When we look up a Noun in the dictionary, we must look up the Casus Nominativus form, the form that the Subject is written in. Let’s say, for example, that we are reading this sentence and we don’t know what marītum means.

Alcmēna marītum amat.

We need to look up marītum in the dictionary, but we won’t find it under marītum, because marītum is in Casus Accusativus (as it is the Object). Instead, we have to look up marītus. This will tell us that marītus means husband. Alcmena loves [her] husband.

When you look up marītus in the dictionary, you see something like this:

marītus, marītī m : husband

marītus : Casus Nominativus

marītī : Casus Genitivus (often this will just be written -ī )

m : Gender (masculine)

Now let’s look at a similar sentence. Use the dictionary entry to understand it.

Amphītryōn uxorem amat.

uxor, uxoris f : wife

You may be wondering what the Casus Gentiivus is for. We will return to this shortly.