vampyrus
masculine
The English word 'vampire' can be translated into Latin using vampyrus. Wiktionary also lists sanguisūga and striga.
Meaning: mythological creature (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vampyrus | masculine | |
| sanguisūga | masculine | |
| striga | [ˈstriː.ɡa] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈstrɪ.ɡa] (Classical Latin, narrow) |
feminine |
Which one should you use?
The term vampyrus is a masculine noun. If you are referring to a female creature, you might use striga, which is a feminine noun. For a very specific type of female creature known in ancient Roman folklore for preying on children and young men, the formal term Lamia is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The nouns vampyrus and sanguisūga are masculine, while striga is feminine.
Did you know?
- While vampyrus is used in modern Latin, the word did not exist in the Classical Latin spoken by Julius Caesar.
- The Latin striga is typologically compared to the Russian word kargá and the Turkish word karga, both of which refer to crows.
- The term sanguisūga literally translates to 'blood-sucker', describing the creature's diet rather than its name.
Examples in context
- Thomas vampyrus est.Tom is a vampire.This sentence shows how to use vampyrus to identify someone as a vampire.Tatoeba #12796061 by rul, translation #1541497 by Spamster
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aurelia and Gaius are discussing a scary story.
- AureliaEstne vampyrus in hoc libro?Is there a vampire in this book?
- GaiusIta, vampyrus sanguinem bibit.Yes, the vampire drinks blood.
- AureliaHoc est valde terribile.That is very terrible.
- GaiusSed fabula est pulchra.But the story is beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vampire” translations and entries striga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries striga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
