Lewis & Short

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nuntĭus, a, um, adj. [perh. contr. from noventius, from obsol. novēre, to make new; v. novus].

  1. I. That announces, signifies, makes known; announcing, informing (poet.): nuntia fibra deos? Tib. 2, 1, 26: fratre reversuro, nuntia venit avis, Mart. 8, 32, 8: nuntia littera, Ov. H. 6, 9: simulacra In mentes hominum divinae nuntia formae, Lucr. 6, 77; cf. id. 4, 704: habes animi nuntia verba mei, Ov. H. 16, 10: exta venturae nuntia sortis, Tib. 3, 4, 5.
  2. II. Usually as subst.
    1. A. nuntĭum, i, n., an announcement, message, news (rare): ad aures nova nuntia referens, this new message, Cat. 63, 75; cf.: nuntius est qui nuntiat, nuntium, quod nuntiatur, Serv. Verg. A. 11, 896: de caelo nuntium erit, Varr. L. L. 6, 86: tyrannum perturbant nuntia, Sedul. 2, 474.
    2. B. nuntĭus, i, m., a bearer of news, one who brings intelligence, a reporter, messenger, courier (freq. and class.); both of persons and things: Mercurius Jovis qui nuntius perhibetur, Plaut. Stich. 2, 1, 1: ad me rus advenit nuntius, id. Merc. 4, 1, 1: o hominem fortunatum, qui ejusmodi nuntios, seu potius Pegasos habet, Cic. Quint. 25, 80: litteris, nuntiis, cohortationibus omnes excitare. id. Phil. 14, 7, 20: facere aliquem certiorem per nuntium, id. Att. 11, 24, 4: aliquid audire sine capite, sine auctore, rumore nuntio, id. Fam. 12, 10, 1: litteras et nuntios mittere ad aliquem, Caes. B. G. 1, 26: nuntius ibis Pelidae, Verg. A. 2, 547: nuntius adfert rem, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 9, 25: nuntius ales, i. e. Mercurius, Ov. H. 16, 68: Mercurius, nuntius Jovis et deorum, Hor. C. 1, 10, 5: nuntii afferunt Darium premi a Scythis, Nep. Milt. 3, 3.
      Poet., of a woman: huic dea … utinam non hic tibi nuntius essem, Val. Fl. 2, 141.
        1. b. A messenger, the bearer of a written message, = tabellarius (very rare): nuntio ipsius, qui litteras attulerat dici (placuit), Liv. 42, 37, 6.
      1. 2. Abstract.
        1. a. In gen., a message, news, tidings: nuntium exoptabilem nuntiare, Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 67: opta ergo ob istunc nuntium quidvis tibi, id. Merc. 5, 2, 65: inest lepos in nuntio tuo magnus, id. Rud. 2, 3, 22: acerbum nuntium alicui perferre, Cic. Balb. 28, 64: de Q. Fratre nuntii nobis tristes venerunt, id. Att. 3, 17, 1: exoptatum nuntium alicui afferre, id. Rosc. Am. 7, 19: nuntium optatissimum accipere, id. Fam. 2, 19, 1: nuntium perferre, id. Lig. 3, 7: nuntium ferre ad aliquem, Liv. 4, 41: horribilis nuntius affertur, Cat. 84, 10; Verg. A. 8, 582.
        2. b. In partic.
          1. (α) A command, order, injunction: quos senatus ad denuntiandum bellum miserat, nisi legatorum nuntio paruisset, Cic. Fam. 12, 24, 2; Nep. Chabr. 3, 1.
          2. (β) Nuntium uxori remittere or mittere, to send one’s wife a letter of divorce, Cic. de Or. 1, 40, 183; 56, 238; id. Att. 1, 13, 3; Dig. 24, 2, 4; 24, 3, 22.
            Also of a woman who separates from her husband, Cic. Top. 4, 19; App. M. 9, p. 230 med.
            Of the annulling of a betrothment: si invito patrono nuntium sponsa liberta remiserit, Dig. 23, 2, 45.
            Of the rejection of the marriage contract by the parents and guardians: ego adeo jam illi remittam nuntium adfini meo, Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 74: si puellae tutores ad infringenda sponsalia nuntium miserint, Dig. 23, 1, 6.
          3. (γ) Hence, transf.: virtuti nuntium remittere, to renounce, Cic. Fam. 15, 16, 3.
    3. C. nuntĭa, ae, f., a female messenger, she that brings tidings: nuntia fulva Jovis, i. e. the eagle, Poët. ap. Cic. Leg. 1, 1, 2; cf. Liv. 1, 34: historia nuntia vetustatis, Cic. de Or. 2, 9, 36: vox nuntia cladis, Liv. 5, 50: fama nuntia veri, Verg. A. 4, 188; Ov. P. 4, 4, 15: plaga nuntia rerum, Lucr. 4, 704; cf. Val. Fl. 2, 141; B. 1. a. fin. supra.