Lemma 1hŏmō

nounmasculine

man, human being, person, fellow; [novus homo => nouveau riche]

Morphology1 analysis

genitive singularhomin + is · regular

Lewis & Short

key · homoFull entry

hŏmo, ĭnis, comm. [root in humus, Gr.; cf. Germ. -gam in Bräutigam; O. H. Germ. gomo; Goth. guma; Old Engl. goom; Engl. groom; cf. also Gr.; Hebr. Adam]

I.init., and nēmo, from nĕ-hĕmo: homōnem, Enn. ap. P. = Ann. v. 141 Vahl., a human being, man.

II.Lit.

A.In gen.; sq.; § 5 sq.: decem hominibus vitam eripis, indictā causā, Cato ap. (24), 12: dum quidem unus homo Romanus toga superescit, Enn. ap. Müll. (Ann. v. 486 Vahl.); unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem, id. ap. (Ann. v. 313 ib.): navus repertus homo Graio patre Graius homo rex, id. ap. Müll. (Ann. v. 183 ib.); quid est, quod homo masculus lubentius videre debeat bella uxore? Varr. ap.; et saep. (more freq., genus humanum; humanus and genus); is dictus popularibus olim, Qui tum vivebant homines, Enn. ap. (Ann. v. 308 Vahl.): et saep.: divumque hominumque pater, Enn. ap. Müll. (Ann. v. 566 Vahl.); but homo, sing., is used of the human race, mankind (= homines, genus humanum), when it has no predicate joined with it — In apposition; homines feminae (opp. mares homines), Aug. Civ. Dei, 3, 3.

2.Prov.

a.Quot homines, tot sententiae, many men, many minds, i. e. every one has his own opinion.

b.Ut homo est, ita morem geras, (but in spurious, v. Ritschl ad h. l.).

c.Homines, dum docent, discunt.

d.Aiunt homines plus in alieno negotio videre quam in suo, the lookers-on see farther in the game than the players.

e.Homo nulli coloris, neither fish nor flesh.

f.Homo sum; humani nihil a me alienum puto.

g.Lupus homo homini, non homo, quom qualis sit non novit.

B.In partic.

1.Pregn., in a good or a bad sense.

a.In a good sense (cf. vir), a man, as a reasonable or moral being: cum Socrates Alcibiadi persuasisset, eum nihil hominis esse, that he was nothing of a man (i. e. in no respect such as a man should be).

b.In a bad sense, a man, as a weak, mortal being, subject to error, of low condition (rare) — In fem.: quae si hoc tempore non diem suum obiisset, paucis post annis tamen ei moriendum fuit, quoniam homo nata fuerat, Sulp. ap. — Also of servants (as distinguished from a free Roman): homo P. Quinti, Quintus's man, i. e. his slave, servant.

2.In opp. to a woman, a man (anteand post-class., and very rare).

3.In milit. lang., homines, opp. to cavalry, foot-soldiers, infantry; vir.

4.Homo novus, v. novus.

5.Bodies, corpses.

6.Particular phrases.

a.Paucorum hominum esse, to have but few intimates, be choice in one's company: (Maecenas) paucorum hominum et mentis bene sanae. — Hence, comically, of the favorite but rare fish, acipenser: Scipio vide, quid agas: acipenser iste paucorum hominum est, Cic. Fragm. ap. (see the anecdote in connection).

b.Inter homines esse (agere).

(a).To be among the living, to be alive, to live (very rare)

(b).To see the world, be among men.

III.Transf., esp. in familiar lang., the man, the fellow, instead of the pron. he, his, him: Halm.

B.Hic homo, this man, = I, myself (ante-class. and poet.): (cf. hic, G.).