panis
[ˈpaː.nɪs]masculine
The Latin word for bread is panis, a masculine noun for the baked food made from flour or grain. It is the word used in the Lord's Prayer for daily bread.
panis refers to bread as a food, whether a whole loaf or bread in general.
Meaning: baked dough made from cereals (noun)
Which one should you use?
panis is the food itself. panificium refers to the process of baking or the craft of making bread.
How does it change in a sentence?
panis is a masculine noun. When bread is the direct object of a verb, it becomes panem, as in give us our daily bread.
When do people say it?
English speakers often know Latin bread from the Lord's Prayer, Pānem nostrum quotīdiānum dā nōbīs hodiē.
Did you know?
- The Latin panis is the root of the English word 'companion', which originally described someone you shared 'bread' with.
- The Latin root for bread might actually be linked to the ancient concept of grazing animals, specifically from a word meaning 'to graze' or 'to feed'.
- In Ancient Rome, the phrase 'panem et circenses' or 'bread and circuses' described a government's strategy to keep the public happy through food and entertainment.
Examples in context
- Pānem nostrum quotīdiānum dā nōbīs hodiē.Give us this day our daily bread.Pānem is the direct object form, used in this line of the Lord's Prayer.
- Panis in furno est.The bread is in the oven.Panis is the subject, saying the bread is in the oven.Tatoeba #8520549 by alexmarcelo, translation #1322189 by Eldad
- Hic panis parvus est.This loaf of bread is small.panis is the subject here, and parvus says the loaf is small.Tatoeba #5281505 by alexmarcelo, translation #1771771 by gone2bacolod
- Da mihi panisculum, te rogo!Please give me a little bread!
- Non possum vivere sine pane.I cannot live without bread.
- Bene facis si panem cum aliis divides.You do well if you share bread with others.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Claudia and Lucius are in a kitchen during breakfast.
- ClaudiaUbi est panis?Where is the bread?
- LuciusEcce panis novus.Here is the fresh bread.
- ClaudiaGratias tibi ago.Thank you.
- LuciusLibenter, Claudia.You are welcome, Claudia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bread” translations and entries panis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries panis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
