rattus

See also: Rattus

Latin

Alternative forms

• ratus

Etymology

Borrowed from a Germanic language, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rattaz (“rat”).

Noun

rattus m (variously declined, genitive rattī or rattūs); second declension, fourth declension

1. (Medieval Latin) rat

Usage notes

In Classical Latin, the word mūs was applied to both mice and rats without distinction.

Declension

Second-declension noun or fourth-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	rattus	rattī rattūs
Genitive	rattī rattūs	rattōrum rattuum
Dative	rattō rattuī	rattīs rattibus
Accusative	rattum	rattōs rattūs
Ablative	rattō rattū	rattīs rattibus
Vocative	ratte rattus	rattī rattūs

Descendants

• Catalan: rata
• Italian: ratto
• Old French: rat, rate
  • Middle French: rat
    • French: rat
• Portuguese: rato
• Spanish: rata, rato, ⇒ ratón
• Translingual: Rattus, Rattus rattus

References

• rattus 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)
  ratus 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)
  [note: du Cange has only second declension forms and no fourth declension form]