taeter — Logoi (Latin)

Where it lives

Dirae, Appendix Vergiliana 1 · 15.41/10k
De Rerum Natura 26 · 5.34/10k
In P. Vatinium testem interrogatio 2 · 4.45/10k
Opilius Macrinus 1 · 4.02/10k
Philippicae 21 · 3.99/10k
De Provinciis Consularibus In Senatu 2 · 3.9/10k
Culex, Appendix Vergiliana 1 · 3.83/10k
Peristephanon Liber 6 · 3.42/10k
Psychomachia 2 · 3.33/10k
Mostellaria 3 · 3.12/10k
Pro T. Annio Milone 3 · 2.85/10k
Facta et Dicta Memorabilia 22 · 2.77/10k

Densest 12 of 81 attested works shown, by occurrences per 10,000 attested tokens.

What it meant

taeter — Lewis & Short

taeter (less correctly tēter), tra, trum, adj.perh. from taedet.

I Physically, offensive, foul, noisome, shocking, hideous, loathsome (class.; syn.: foedus, putidus).

A Absol.: taetra et immanis belua, Cic. Tusc. 4, 20, 45: odor ex multitudine cadaverum, Caes. B. C. 3, 49: cadavera, Lucr. 2, 415: aut foedā specie taetri turpesque videntur, id. 2, 421: sapor, id. 6, 22: absinthia, id. 1, 936: ulcera, id. 5, 995; 5, 1126; 4, 172; 6, 976: cruor, Verg. A. 10, 727: spiritus, Hor. C. 3, 11, 19; Luc. 1, 618: loca taetra, inculta, foeda atque formidolosa, Sall. C. 52, 13; cf.: taetris tenebris et caligine, Cic. Agr 2, 17, 44: alter, o dii boni, quam taeter mcedebat, quam truculentus, quam terribilis aspectu! id. Sest. 8, 19; cf.: vultus naturā horridus ac taeter, Suet. Calig. 50; Juv. 10, 191: hanc tam taetram, tam horribilem tamque infestam rei publicae pestem toties jam effugimus, Cic. Cat. 1, 5, 11.— Comp.: aliis aliud retro quoque taetrius esset Naribus, etc., Lucr. 2, 510.— Sup.: taeterrima hiems, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 15, 1.—

B With abl.: foedā specie taetri, Lucr. 2, 421; cf.: mulier taeterrima vultu, Juv. 6, 418.—As subst.: taetrum, i, n., offensiveness: quae profluentia necessario taetri essent aliquid habitura, Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 141.—

II Mentally or morally.

A In gen.

1 Of persons, horrid, hideous, repulsive, shameful, disgraceful, abominable, etc. (syn.: immanis, turpis): taeter et ferus homo, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 13, 2.—Sup.: quid ais tu, hominum omnium taeterrume? Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 65: quamquam es omni diritate atque immanitate taeterrimus, Cic. Vatin. 3, 9: quis taetrior hostis huic civitati, id. Cael. 6, 13: qui in eum fuerat taeterrimus, id. Tusc. 1, 40, 96.—

2 Of things: postquam discordia taetra Belli ferratos postes portasque refregit, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 7, 622 (Ann. v. 270 Vahl.): libido, Hor. S. 1, 2, 33: facinus, Cic. Off. 3, 29, 95: prodigia, Liv. 22, 9.—Comp.: quibus (sc. cupiditatibus) nihil taetrius nec foedius excogitari potest, Cic. Off. 3, 8, 36: nullum vitium taetrius est, quam avaritia, id. ib. 2, 22, 77. —Sup.: taeterrimum bellum, Cic. Fam. 10, 14, 2.—

B Esp., neutr. as adv., horridly, horribly, etc.: taetrum flagrat ... Horror conscius, Prud. Cath. 4, 22.—Hence, adv.: taetrē, foully, shockingly, hideously, Cato ap. Charis. p. 196 P.; Cic. Div. 1, 9.—Sup., Cic. Att. 7, 12, 2.

In the wild

taetra Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 16.8.16
taetros Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 18.4.10
taetras Prudentius, Apotheosis 3.822
taeter Apuleius, Florida 3
taetrum Cicero, Letters to and from Brutus 1.15.5
taetro Lucretius, De Rerum Natura 2.872

6 of 246 attestations shown.

Where it came from

Ernout-Meillet, Dictionnaire etymologique de la langue latine Treated in Ernout-Meillet, Dictionnaire etymologique de la langue latine s.v. taeter (scan p. 697; entry #11590).