1. nĕpos, ōtis, m. and f. (v. infra) [Sanscr. nap-tar, descendant; Gr. ἀνεψιός, nephew; cf. νέποδες; cf. neptis, Germ. Neffe], a grandson, son’s or daughter’s son: primo gradu sunt supra pater, mater; infra filius, filia. Secundo gradu sunt supra avus, avia; infra nepos, neptis, Dig. 38, 10, 1; cf.: nepos quoque dupliciter intellegitur, ex filio vel filia natus, ib. 38, 10, 10, § 13; Cic. Deiot. 1, 2: Metellum multi filii, filiae, nepotes, neptes in rogum imposuerunt. id. Tusc. 1, 35, 85: Q. Pompeii ex filiā nepos, id. Brut. 76, 263: M. Catonis censorii ex filio nepos, Gell. 13, 20 (19), 3; Dig. 44, 4, 18: sororis nepos, Tac. A. 4, 44.
- 2. For neptis, a granddaughter (ante- and post-class.): Ilia dia nepos, Enn. ap. Charis. p. 70 P. (Ann. v. 56 Vahl.); Inscr. Grut. 477, 5; ib. 678, 11.
- B. Transf.
- 1. A brother’s or sister’s son, a nephew (post-Aug.): tres instituit heredes sororum nepotes, Suet. Caes. 83; Hier. Ep. 60, n. 9; Eutr. 7, 1.
- 2. In gen., a descendant (poet.): filius an aliquis magnā de stirpe nepotum? Verg. A. 6, 864: in nepotum Perniciem, Hor. C. 2, 13, 3: Caesar, ab Aeneā qui tibi fratre nepos (to Cupid), Ov. P. 3, 3, 62: magnanimos Remi nepotes, Cat. 58, 5; Luc. 7, 207: haec tetigit tuos urtica nepotes, Juv. 2, 128.
- 3. A favorite: omnes profecto mulieres te amant … Py. … nepos sum Veneris, Plaut. Mil. 4, 6, 50.
- 4. Of animals (post-Aug.), Col. 6, 37, 4; 7, 2, 5.
- 5. Of plants, a sucker, Col. 4, 10, 2; 4, 6, 5.
- C. Fig., a spendthrift, prodigal (syn.: ganeo, asotus): quis ganeo, quis nepos, quis adulter? Cic. Cat. 2, 4, 7: in populi Romani patrimonio nepos, id. Agr. 1, 1, 2: profusus nepos, id. Quint. 12, 40: quantum simplex hilarisque nepoti Discrepet, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 193; 1, 15, 36.