udus
[ˈuː.dʊs]
The English word "wet" can be translated into Latin in several ways, most commonly as udus. Wiktionary also lists umidus and madidus.
Meaning: of an object: covered with or impregnated with liquid (adj)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| udus | [ˈuː.dʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈuː.dus] (narrow) |
| umidus | [ˈuː.mɪ.dʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈuː.mi.dus] (narrow) |
| madidus | [ˈma.dɪ.dʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈmaː.di.dus] (narrow) |
| ūvidus |
These adjectives describe an object that is covered with or impregnated with liquid.
Which one should you use?
The different forms of the word convey different levels or qualities of wetness. umidus is the most common, neutral term for something that is wet or moist. madidus implies a higher degree of wetness, such as being dripping, soaked or saturated. ūvidus often carries a connotation of being clammy, damp or unpleasantly moist (like sweat or dew).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the adjective umidus, you must ensure it agrees in gender with the noun it modifies. For feminine singular nouns, use umida and for neuter singular nouns, use umidum.
Did you know?
- The word umidus is the direct ancestor of the English word 'humid', though 'humid' focuses on the air while umidus could describe any object.
- Both umidus and madidus share a distant genetic connection to the same Proto-Indo-European root, *dʰeh₁-der.
Examples in context
- Campus est udusThe field is wet.
- Diu pluit, viae omnes madidae suntIt's been raining for a long time, all the roads are wet.
- Hodie est dies humidus, imbres magni suntToday is a humid day, there are heavy rains.
- Post pluviam, vestes totae madidae suntAfter the rain, all the clothes are wet.
Example conversation
Marcus and Julia are walking in the rain.
- MarcusIulia, vestis tua uda est.Julia, your dress is wet.
- JuliaIta, Marce, pluit valde.Yes, Marcus, it is raining hard.
- MarcusHabesne pannum siccum ad faciem tergendam?Do you have a dry cloth to wipe your face?
- JuliaNon habeo, sed domum curram.I do not have one, but I will run home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wet” translations and entries udus, umidus, madidus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries madidus, udus, umidus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
