anceps

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin anceps (literally “double-headed”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈænsɛps/

Noun

anceps (plural ancipites)

1. (poetry, Greek and Latin meter) A syllable that can be either short or long.

Derived terms

• acardiacus anceps
• acardius anceps

 

Anagrams

• Capens, NEACPs, n space, n-space, pances, pecans

Latin

Etymology

From ambo (“both”) ‎ -ceps (“headed”), from caput (“head”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈan.keps/, [ˈäŋkɛps̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈan.t͡ʃeps/, [ˈän̠ʲt͡ʃeps]

Adjective

anceps (genitive ancipitis); third-declension one-termination adjective

1. double-headed, having two heads

   Synonym: biceps

2. (of mountains) having two summits or peaks
3. facing in two directions
   • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 5.1.9:

     Romanis etsi quietae res ex Etruria nuntiabantur, tamen quia omnibus conciliis eam rem 9agitari adferebatur, ita muniebant ut ancipitia munimenta essent: alia in urbem et contra oppidanorum eruptiones versa, aliis frons in Etruriam spectans, auxiliis si qua forte inde venirent obstruebatur.

     • 1924 translation by B. O. Foster

       Although the Romans got word that things were quiet in Etruria, still, because they heard that this question came up at all their meetings, they so constructed their works as to have a double fortification, one facing Veii, to oppose the sallies of the townsfolk, the other confronting Etruria, to shut off any assistance that might come from thence.

4. coming from two directions
   • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 30.33.3:

     Vias patentes inter manipulos ante-signanorum velitibus—ea tunc levis armatura erat—complevit, dato praecepto ut ad impetum elephantorum aut post directos refugerent ordines aut in dextram laevamque discursu applicantes se antesignanis3 viam qua inruerent in ancipitia tela beluis darent.

     • 1949 translation by Frank Gardner Moore

       The open passages between the maniples of the front line troops Scipio filled with velites, the light-armed of that day, under orders that, upon the charge of the elephants, they should either flee behind the ranks in the line, or else dashing to right and left and closing up to the maniples in the van, should give the beasts an opening through which they might rush among missiles hurled from both sides.

5. (of swords) double-edged
6. divided into two parts
7. wavering, doubtful, uncertain, dubious, shady

   Synonyms: incertus, suspensus, vagus, dubius

   Antonyms: certus, prōmptus, indubius, fixus

8. dangerous, hazardous

   Synonyms: perīculōsus, īnfēnsus, dubius, capitālis

Declension

Third-declension one-termination adjective.

	singular			plural
	masc./fem.	neuter		masc./fem.	neuter
nominative	anceps			ancipitēs	ancipitia
genitive	ancipitis			ancipitium
dative	ancipitī			ancipitibus
accusative	ancipitem	anceps		ancipitēs	ancipitia
ablative	ancipitī			ancipitibus
vocative	anceps			ancipitēs	ancipitia

Descendants

• English: syllaba anceps
• Portuguese: ancípite
• Italian: ancipite

References

• “anceps”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “anceps”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• anceps 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)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934) “anceps”, in Dictionnaire illustré latin-français [Illustrated Latin-French Dictionary] (in French), Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • the changes and chances of this life: ancipites et varii casus
    
  • the issue of the battle is undecided: proelium anceps est
    
  • the issue of the battle is undecided: ancipiti Marte pugnatur
    
  • the issue of the day was for a long time uncertain: diu anceps stetit pugna
    

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin anceps.

Noun

anceps n (uncountable)

1. anceps

Declension

declension of anceps (singular only)

	singular
n gender	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) anceps	ancepsul
genitive/dative	(unui) anceps	ancepsului
vocative	ancepsule