talentum

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek τᾰ́λᾰντον (tắlănton, a weight; talent), from Proto-Indo-European *tl̥h₂ent-, from *telh₂-. In post-Classical Latin, the term was used figuratively to refer to a gift from God in general, influenced by the biblical Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30); the medieval sense “skill, ability” is an extension of this usage.[1]

Pronunciation

Noun

talentum n (genitive talentī); second declension

  1. talent (a Greek weight, which contained sixty minae or half a hundredweight)
  2. talent (a sum of money); usually the Attic talent [(sometimes) with magnum]
    Vīgintī talentīs ūnam ōrātiōnem Īsocratēs vēndidit.
    Isocrates sold one oration for twenty talents.
  3. (Late Latin, figuratively) a gift from God; grace
  4. (Medieval Latin, New Latin) talent (a marked natural skill or ability)

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

singular plural
nominative talentum talenta
genitive talentī talentōrum
dative talentō talentīs
accusative talentum talenta
ablative talentō talentīs
vocative talentum talenta

Derived terms

  • talentārius

Descendants

References

  1. ^ Hitzl, Konrad (2002), “Talent”, in Brill’s New Pauly: Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World, volume 14, →ISBN, page 121

Old English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtɑ.len.tum/

Noun

talentum

  1. dative plural of talente