Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

1. blatta, ae, f., an insect that shuns the light; of several kinds, the cockroach, chafer, moth, etc., Plin. 29, 6, 39, § 139; 11, 28, 34, § 99: lucifuga, Verg. G. 4, 243 (per noctem vagans, Serv.); cf. Col. 9, 7, 5; Pall. 1, 37, 4; Hor. S. 2, 3, 119; Mart. 14, 37; cf. Voss, Verg. l. l.
On account of its mean appearance: amore cecidi tamquam blatta in pelvim, Laber. ap. Non. p. 543, 27.

2. blatta, ae, f.: blatta θρόμβος αἵματος,

  1. I. a clot of blood, Gloss.
    Hence,
  2. II. (Access. form blattea, Ven. Carm. 2, 3, 19.) Purple (similar in color to flowing blood; cf. Salmas. Vop. Aur. 46, and Plin. 9, 38, 62, § 135; late Lat.): purpura, quae blatta, vel oxyblatta, vel hyacinthina dicitur, Cod. Th. 4, 40, 1: serica, ib. 10, 20, 18: blattam Tyrus defert, Sid. Carm. 5, 48; Lampr. Elag. 33; Cassiod. Var. Ep. 1, 2.