exercitus
masculine
The English word "army" is translated into Latin as exercitus.
exercitus is a masculine noun used to describe a military force concerned mainly with ground operations.
Meaning: military force concerned mainly with ground operations (noun)
Which one should you use?
While exercitus refers to the organized body of troops, the word copia (plural copiae) is often used to refer to the sheer number or abundance of troops available.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate possession, such as "the army of Caesar", use the genitive singular form exercitūs.
Did you know?
- The word exercitus is not a simple noun but a perfect passive participle. It literally describes a force that has been 'exercised' or 'trained'.
- The term exercitus implies a state of readiness. In Roman thought, a group of men was only an exercitus once they had undergone the training implied by the word's participle form.
Examples in context
- Exercitus se recipere debuit.The army had to retreat.This sentence shows how to use exercitus to describe a military retreat.Tatoeba #11467129 by soridsolid, translation #237784 by CK
- Exercitus Gallorum victus est.The army of the Gauls was conquered.This sentence uses exercitus to describe a conquered army.Tatoeba #5089730 by alexmarcelo, translation #5134295 by CarpeLanam
- Tibi exercitus magnus comparandus est.You need to raise a great army.This sentence illustrates the use of exercitus in the context of raising a large force.Tatoeba #13730272 by soridsolid, translation #10364924 by ajje
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucius and Aurelia are discussing the movement of troops near the border.
- AureliaUbi est exercitus?Where is the army?
- LuciusExercitus ad fluvium venit.The army is coming to the river.
- AureliaEstne exercitus periculosus?Is the army dangerous?
- LuciusIta, exercitus magnus est.Yes, the army is large.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “army” translations and entries exercitus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries exercitus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
