oppidum
[ˈɔp.pɪ.dũː]neuter
Town in Latin is oppidum.
oppidum is a town or large settlement.
Meaning: settlement (noun)
Which one should you use?
oppidum is a town, while urbs is a city, often meaning Rome itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
oppidum is neuter. The plural is oppida and the genitive singular is oppidi. The form oppido covers to, for, in or from the town.
Did you know?
- The word oppidum shares a root with the English word 'foot', as it comes from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'a place where one stands'.
- In early Roman history, an oppidum typically referred to a fortified settlement, often built on a hill for defense.
Examples in context
- Manus gladiatorum oppido eruperat.The company of gladiators had made a sally from the town.oppido here means from the town.
- Num Creta oppidum est?Crete isn’t a town, is it?oppidum is used to ask whether Crete is a town.Tatoeba #3576472 by soweli_Elepanto, translation #8800524 by jimkillock
- Num oppidum tibi placet?You don’t like the town?oppidum is the subject of the question about liking the town.Tatoeba #1487273 by alexmarcelo, translation #8790601 by jimkillock
- Urbs Roma est antiquissima.The city of Rome is very ancient.
- In oppido nostro multas tabernas videmus.In our town, we see many shops.
- Municipium nostrum lege nova nuper libertatem consecutum est.Our municipality recently obtained freedom under new law.
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Quintus and Lucia are discussing where to travel.
- QuintusVisne ad magnum oppidum ire?Do you want to go to a large town?
- LuciaIta, oppidum valde amo.Yes, I love the town very much.
- QuintusQuod oppidum eligimus?Which town shall we choose?
- LuciaEligamus oppidum propter flumen.Let us choose the town by the river.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “town” translations and entries oppidum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oppidum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
