ōs
neuter
The Latin word for mouth is ōs.
The term refers to the opening of a creature through which food is ingested.
Meaning: the opening of a creature through which food is ingested (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
ōs is a neuter noun. Its genitive singular form, used to say "of the mouth", is ōris. The nominative plural form, used to say "mouths", is ōra.
Did you know?
- Latin has two different words that are spelled os but pronounced differently. While ōs means 'mouth', os with a short vowel means 'bone'.
- The plural form ōra can refer to 'mouths', but it also means 'shores' or 'borders'. This is because the Romans viewed the coastline as the 'mouth' or edge of the land.
- Latin distinguishes between the 'mouth' (ōs) and the 'face' (facies), but the plural ōra was often used poetically to describe the entire countenance or expression of a person.
Examples in context
- Homo sapiens habet unum os.Homo sapiens has one mouth.
- Doceo discipulum vocem ex ore emittere.I teach the student to produce sound from the mouth.
- Lupus aperit ōs.The wolf opens its mouth.
Example conversation
Lucia is helping Marcus with a medical issue.
- LuciaMarce, aperi ōs tuum.Marcus, open your mouth.
- MarcusEcce, ōs meum apertum est.Look, my mouth is open.
- LuciaNunc video quid dolet.Now I see what hurts.
- MarcusGratias tibi, Lucia.Thank you, Lucia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mouth” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
