ludus

English

Etymology

From Latin ludus.

Noun

ludus (plural ludi)

1. (historical, Ancient Rome) A school, in particular:
   1. A gladiatorial training school.
      • 2016 November 6, Ann Gallagher, The Left Hand of Calvus: M/M Trans Historical Romantic Suspence, GallagherWitt, →ISBN:

        " […] and I'd just as soon not set foot in another ludus." "I've had my fill of ludi, believe me," he mutters. "But I've falsified a life before. I can do it again." Then he smiles. "I hear Rome is lovely." I wrinkle my nose . " I'd rather live in Pompeii's sewer […]"

   2. A private school for teaching children reading, writing, arithmetic, and sometimes Greek.
      • 1994 December 14, Gerald L. Gutek, A History of the Western Educational Experience: Second Edition, Waveland Press, →ISBN, page 63:

        […] the routine of the Roman ludus emphasized strenuous discipline and corporal punishment. An institution for developing the skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic, the ludus was attended by children from the ages of seven through twelve.

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Verb

ludus

1. conditional of ludi

Latin

lūdus

Alternative forms

• loidos, loedos (Epigraphic Latin)

Etymology

By surface analysis, deverbal from lūdō (“to play”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈluː.dus/, [ˈɫ̪uːd̪ʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈlu.dus/, [ˈluːd̪us]

Noun

lūdus m (genitive lūdī); second declension

1. a school, especially a primary school

   Near-synonym: schola

2. game, sport, play

   Synonyms: lūsus, iocus

3. (in the plural) public spectacle, games, stage plays/productions
4. fun

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	lūdus	lūdī
Genitive	lūdī	lūdōrum
Dative	lūdō	lūdīs
Accusative	lūdum	lūdōs
Ablative	lūdō	lūdīs
Vocative	lūde	lūdī

Hyponyms

• lūdus litterārius (“primary school, elementary school”)

Derived terms

• lūdībrium
• lūdicer
• lūdiō
• lūdius

Further reading

• “ludus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ludus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ludus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• ludus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to give funeral games in honour of a person: ludos funebres alicui dare
    
  • an elementary school: ludus (discendi or litterarum)
    
  • the piece; the play: fabula, ludus scaenicus
    
  • to institute games: ludos apparare
    
  • to give public games in honour of Jupiter: ludos facere, edere (Iovi)
    
  • to revive public games: ludos instaurare
    
  • a school for gladiators: ludus gladiatorius
    
  • crowded games: celebritas ludorum
    
  • sumptuous public games: magnificentia ludorum
    
  • (ambiguous) performances in the circus; theatrical perfomances: ludi circenses, scaenici
    
  • (ambiguous) sumptuous public games: ludi apparatissimi
    
  • (ambiguous) the Olympian, Pythian games: ludi Olympia (not ludi Olympici), Pythia
    
  • (ambiguous) gymnastic contests: ludi gymnici