vetus

From Proto-Italic *wetos (“year”) (The Latin term for year is annus.), from Proto-Indo-European *wétos (“year”).

Cognates include Sanskrit वत्स (vatsá, “year; calf”), Ancient Greek ἔτος (étos), Albanian vjet, Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌿𐍃 (wiþrus, “one-year-old lamb”), Old Church Slavonic ветъхъ (vetŭxŭ, “old, aged, ancient”), Russian ве́тхий (vétxij, “old, aged”), Lithuanian vẽtušas and Proto-Celtic *wetsi- (Middle Irish feis, Cornish guis, both “sow that has already given birth” < “from last year”), Etruscan 𐌅𐌄𐌕𐌖𐌔 (vetus).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈu̯e.tus/, [ˈu̯ɛt̪ʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈve.tus/, [ˈvɛːt̪us]

Adjective

vetus (genitive veteris, comparative vetustior or veterior, superlative vetustissimus or veterrimus); third-declension one-termination adjective (non-i-stem)

1. old, aged, elderly, ancient [ synonyms, antonyms ▲]

   Synonyms: prīscus, prīstinus, senex, antīquus, longinquus, vetustus

   Antonyms: novus, recēns

2. long-standing
3. former, previous [ quotations ▼]

Declension

Third-declension one-termination adjective (non-i-stem).

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter		Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	vetus			veterēs	vetera
Genitive	veteris			veterum
Dative	veterī			veteribus
Accusative	veterem	vetus		veterēs	vetera
Ablative	vetere			veteribus
Vocative	vetus			veterēs	vetera