diēs
feminine, masculine
The Latin word for "day" is diēs. Wiktionary also lists lūx.
Meaning: period of 24 hours (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | Note |
|---|---|
| diēs | feminine, masculine |
| lūx | feminine |
diēs refers to a period of 24 hours.
Which one should you use?
While diēs refers to the 24-hour period, the word lūx (meaning "light") is often used metonymically to refer specifically to the daylight hours.
How does it change in a sentence?
diēs is a fifth-declension noun that can be either masculine or feminine. Additionally, the adverb fortoday" is hodiē, which is derived from the concept of "this day"."
Did you know?
- If a Roman official declared a dies non, it meant the day was legally 'non-existent' for business, effectively freezing all court proceedings.
- The distinction between fas and nefas determined which diēs were holy or forbidden, essentially categorizing time itself as 'legal' or 'illegal' in a religious sense.
- The English word 'diary' comes from the Latin 'diarium', which refers to a daily record or a collection of daily expenses.
Examples in context
- alius diēs serēnus vidētur.Looks like another nice day.The sentence is useful for describing a pleasant day using diēs.Tatoeba #3213732 by Andreas, translation #243001 by sundown
- hodiē est prīmus diēs vēris.Today is the first day of spring.The sentence is useful for identifying the first day of spring using diēs.Tatoeba #5199349 by Wezel, translation #3123946 by Hybrid
- hodiē est prīmus diēs autumnī.Today is the first day of fall.The sentence is useful for identifying the first day of fall using diēs.Tatoeba #5199352 by Wezel, translation #3123949 by Hybrid
- Hic est dies, quo virtutem tuam celebramus.This is the day on which we celebrate your virtue.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Quintus and Claudia are planning a trip.
- QuintusCrās diēs optimus ad iter erit.Tomorrow will be the best day for the journey.
- ClaudiaQuid agēmus in eo diē?What will we do on that day?
- QuintusMāne proficīscēmur.We will set out in the morning.
- ClaudiaOptime, diēs festīvus erit.Excellent, it will be a festive day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “day” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
