Lewis & Short

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nŏverca, ae, f. [for noverica, qs. νεαρική, the new one], a step-mother, step-dame.

  1. I. Lit., Afran. ap. Non. 393, 26: uxor generi, noverca filii, filiae paelex, Cic. Clu. 70, 199: cum is (Hippolytus) patri suspectus esset de novercā, id. Off. 3, 25, 94: saeviores tragicis novercas, Quint. 2, 10, 5 Spald.: injusta, Verg. E. 3, 33: saeva, id. G. 2, 128: scelerata, Ov. F. 3, 853: lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercae, id. M. 1, 147; Gai. Inst. 1, 63; 3, 14; Juv. 6, 403.
    Prov.: apud novercain queri, i. e. in vain, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 80.
    1. B. Trop.: rerum ipsa natura in eo … non parens sed noverca fuerit, si, etc., Quint. 12, 1, 2: quorum noverca est Italia, i. e. who are not natives of Italy, Vell. 2, 4, 4; so, viles operae, quorum est mea Roma noverca, Petr. poët. Sat. 122, 166.
  2. II. Transf.: nŏvercae, ārum, f.
      1. 1. Ditches which drain off the waler imperfectly and slowly, Agrim. ap. Goes. 119; 142; 143 al.
      2. 2. A rough piece of land (so called in allusion to the iniquitas novercae), Hyg. Mun. Castr. § 57 Lange.