currus
[ˈkʊr.rʊs]masculine
Chariot in Latin is currus, the standard masculine noun for a war chariot. If unsure, use currus. Wiktionary also lists curriculum and essedum.
Meaning: vehicle used in warfare (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| currus | [ˈkʊr.rʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈkur.rus] (narrow) |
masculine |
| curriculum | [kʊrˈrɪ.kʊ.ɫũː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [kurˈriː.ku.lum] (narrow) |
neuter |
| essedum | [ˈɛs.sɛ.dũː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈɛs.se.dum] (narrow) |
neuter |
| rota | [ˈrɔ.ta] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈrɔː.ta] (narrow) |
feminine, poetic |
| quadrīgae | feminine, plural |
Which one should you use?
essedum often refers to a particular kind of Celtic war chariot. quadrīgae is a plural word for a chariot drawn by four horses. curriculum comes from the verb meaning to run and can relate to a course or track, but it is not the standard word for a physical chariot. In poetry, rota, a wheel, sometimes stands for the chariot itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
rota in the sense of chariot is poetic.
How does it change in a sentence?
As the direct object, currus changes to the accusative currum, as in currum agere, to drive a chariot.
Did you know?
- The word currus is a linguistic relative of the English word 'career', as both trace back to the concept of running or moving quickly.
Examples in context
- currum agereTo drive a chariotcurrum is the accusative form, the object of the verb agere.
- Hic illius arma, / hic currus fuit, hoc regnum dea gentibus esse, / si qua fata sinant, jam tum tenditque fovetque.Here were her arms and her chariot, the goddess, even then, strove and nurtured this place to be a kingdom for the nations, if only the fates allowed.Here currus is the subject, the chariot of the goddess.Tatoeba #6466224 by carlosalberto, translation #6594731 by CarpeLanam
- Et impedivit rotas curruum, ita ut difficile moverentur. Dixerunt ergo Aegyptii: Fugiamus Israelem! Dominus enim pugnat pro eis contra nos.He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, "Let's flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians!"curruum is the genitive plural, the wheels of the chariots and rotas means wheels.Tatoeba #8045127 by carlosalberto, translation #13031725 by rul
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two Romans are discussing military equipment at a camp.
- JuliaUbi est tuus currus, Luci?Where is your chariot, Lucius?
- LuciusCurrus meus prope equos stat.My chariot is standing near the horses.
- JuliaEstne currus paratus ad pugnam?Is the chariot ready for battle?
- LuciusIta, currus mox in proelium ibit.Yes, the chariot will go into the fight soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chariot” translations and entries currus, curriculum, essedum, rota, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries curriculum, currus, essedum, rota, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
