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. laetus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. root prī-, to cheer; prētis, joy, love; cf. Gr. πραΰς, πρᾷος; Germ. Friede, Freude; cf. also Latin gentile name, Plaetorius], joyful, cheerful, glad, gay, joyous, rejoicing, pleased, delighted, full of joy.

  1. I. Lit., constr. absol., with de, the gen., the inf., or acc. and inf.
          1. (α) Absol.: laeti atque erecti, Cic. Font. 11, 33: alacres laetique, id. Sest. 1, 1: vultus, id. Att. 8, 9, 2: dies laetissimi, id. Lael. 3, 12.
            In neutr. plur. as subst.: litterae tuae partim laeta partim tristia continent, Plin. Ep. 5, 9, 1.
          2. (β) With de: laetus est de amica, Ter. Ad. 2, 2, 45.
          3. (γ) With gen.: laetus animi et ingenii, Vell. 2, 93, 1; Tac. A. 2, 26: laborum, Verg. A. 11, 73: irae, Sil. 17, 308.
          4. (δ) With inf.: laetus uterque Spectari superis, Sil. 9, 453.
            (ε) With acc. and inf.: laetus sum, fratri obtigisse quod volt, Ter. Phorm. 5, 4, 1: laeta est abs te (donum) datum esse, id. Eun. 3, 1, 2.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Doing a thing with joy, cheerful, ready, willing: senatus supplementum etiam laetus decreverat, Sall. J. 84, 3: descendere regno, Stat. Th. 2, 396: fatebere laetus nec surdum esse, etc., Juv. 13, 248.
    2. B. Delighting or taking pleasure in a thing; with abl. or inf.
          1. (α) With abl.: et laetum equino sanguine Concanum, Hor. C. 3, 4, 34: laetus stridore catenae, Juv. 14, 23: plantaribus horti, id. 13, 123.
          2. (β) With inf.: et ferro vivere laetum Vulgus, Sil. 9, 223.
    3. C. Pleased, satisfied with any thing; delighting in; with abl.: classis Romana haudquaquam laeta praedā rediit, Liv. 27, 31: contentus modicis, meoque laetus, Mart. 4, 77, 2.
      With gen.: laeta laborum, Verg. A. 11, 73: laetissimus viae, indulging to the full, Sil. 17, 308.
    4. D. Pleasing, pleasant, grateful: omnia erant facta hoc biduo laetiora, Cic. Att. 7, 26, 1: laetique nuntii vulgabantur, Tac. A. 1, 5: vitium laetissimi fructus, Cic. N. D. 2, 62, 156: virtus haud laeta tyranno, Val. Fl. 1, 30: militibus id nomen, Tac. H. 4, 68.
    5. E. Favorable, propitious, prosperous: venti, Val. Fl. 4, 31: sors, id. 4, 540: bellum, Sil. 10, 552; Plaut. Am. prol. 2: saecula, Verg. A. 1, 605: exta, Suet. Caes. 77: cujus (proelii) initium ambiguum, finis laetior, Tac. A. 12, 40.
  3. F. Fortunate, auspicious, lucky: prodigium, Plin. 11, 37, 77, § 197: augurium, Tac. H. 1, 62: laeta et congruentia exta, id. ib. 2, 4: omina, Petr. 122.
  4. G. Joyous in appearance, delightful, pleasing, beautiful: vite quid potest esse cum fructu laetius, tum aspectu pulchrius? Cic. de Sen. 15, 53: segetes, Verg. G. 1, 1: lupae fulvo nutricis tegmine, id. A. 1, 275: ferarum exuviis, Ov. M. 1, 475: indoles, Quint. 2, 4, 4: colles frondibus laeti, Curt. 5, 4, 9.
      1. 2. In partic., in econom. lang., fertile, rich, of soil: ager, Varr. R. R. 1, 23: laeta Clitumni pascua, Juv. 12, 13.
        Of cattle, fat: glande sues laeti redeunt, Verg. G. 2, 520.
      2. 3. Abundant, copious: laeta magis pressis manabunt flumina mammis, Verg. G. 3, 310; 3, 494: lucus laetissimus umbrae, id. A. 1, 441.
        Of style, etc., rich, copious, agreeable: nitidum quoddam genus est verborum et laetum, Cic. de Or. 1, 18, 81.
        Of the author: (Homerus) laetus ac pressus, Quint. 10, 1, 46.
  5. H. Pleasant, agreeable: dicendi genus tenue laetioribus numeris corrumpere, Quint. 9, 4, 17.
    In neutr. sing., adverbially: laetumque rubet, with joy, with pleasure, Stat. Ach. 1, 323.
    Hence, adv.: laetē, joyfully, gladly, cheerfully.
      1. 1. Lit. (class.): auctorem senatus exstinctum laete atque insolenter tulit, Cic. Phil. 9, 3, 7: laete an severe dicere, Quint. 8, 3, 40.
        Comp., Vell. 2, 45, 3: neque refert cujusquam Punicas Romanasve acies laetius extuleris, more eagerly, Tac. A. 4, 33: aliquid ausi laetius aut licentius, Quint. 2, 4, 14.
        Sup.: laetissime gaudere, Gell. 3, 15, 2.
      2. 2. Transf., fruitfully, abundantly, luxuriantly: seges laete virens, Plin. 33, 5, 27, § 89.
        Comp.: truncus laetius frondet, more fruitfully, more luxuriantly, Col. 5, 9, 10; cf. Plin. 16, 31, 56, § 130.
      3. 3. Lightly, not severely, without seriousness: si quis putet nos laetius fecisse quam orationis severitas exigat, Plin. Ep. 2, 5, 6.

2. laetus, i, m., in late Lat., a foreign bondman who received a piece of land to cultivate, for which he paid tribute to his master, a serf, Amm. 20, 8, 13; Eum. Pan. 21, 1.
Hence,

  1. A. laeta, ōrum, n., the land so cultivated, Cod. Th. 7, 20, 10.
  2. B. laetĭcus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to a laetus: laeticae terrae, Cod. Th. 13, 11, 9.