porcus
[ˈpɔr.kʊs]masculine
The English word pig is translated into Latin as porcus. Wiktionary also lists sūs.
Meaning: mammal of family Suidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| porcus | [ˈpɔr.kʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈpɔr.kus] (narrow) |
masculine |
| sūs | common gender |
Both Latin terms refer to the mammal of the family Suidae.
Which one should you use?
porcus is a masculine noun used specifically for a male pig or to refer to the species in a general sense. In contrast, sūs is a common-gender noun, which means it can be used to refer to both male and female pigs.
Did you know?
- In Roman culture, the pig was often associated with the goddess Ceres and was used in specific sacrificial rituals to ensure agricultural fertility.
- The word porcus eventually evolved into the French word 'porc' and the English word 'pork'.
- The Proto-Indo-European root of porcus specifically emphasized the 'young' aspect of the animal, suggesting the word originally focused on piglets.
Examples in context
- Non porcus, simius est.It's not a pig, it's a monkey.This sentence is useful for distinguishing a pig from a monkey using porcus.Tatoeba #1386168 by alexmarcelo, translation #59088 by Eldad
- Porcus (Scrofa) cum Porcellis habent Setas, at non Cornua, sed etiam Ungulas bisulcas ut illa.The pig, the sow and the piglets have bristles, but not horns, but also cloven feet, as others do.This sentence provides a description of the physical characteristics of a pig using porcus.Tatoeba #7355896 by jimkillock, translation #7355975 by jimkillock
- Porcus in horto est.A pig is in the garden.
Example conversation
Claudia and Marcus are visiting a farm.
- ClaudiaVide, Marce! Hic porcus dormit.Look, Marcus! This pig is sleeping.
- MarcusIta, Claudia. Porcus est validus.Yes, Claudia. The pig is strong.
- ClaudiaUbi est cibus pro porco?Where is the food for the pig?
- MarcusCibus in illa arca est.The food is in that chest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pig” translations and entries porcus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries porcus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
