Chapter 265 Allen and Greenough's Latin Grammar Dickinson College Christopher Francese

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 Syntactic Compounds

New stems are formed by Composition in three ways:—

The second part is simply added to the first:— su-ove-taurīlia ( sūs , ovis , taurus ), the sacrifice of a swine, a sheep, and a bull (cf. § 255 . a ). septen-decim ( septem , decem ), seventeen. The first part modifies the second as an adjective or adverb ( Determinative Compounds ):— lāti-fundium ( lātus , fundus ), a large landed estate. omni-potēns ( omnis , potēns ), omnipotent. The first part has the force of a case, and the second a verbal force ( Objective Compounds ):— agri-cola ( ager , field , † cola akin to colō , cultivate ), a farmer. armi-ger ( arma , arms , † ger akin to gerō , carry ), armor-bearer. corni-cen ( cornū , horn , † cen akin to canō , sing ), horn-blower. carni-fex ( carō , flesh , † fex akin to faciō , make ), executioner.

Compounds of the above kinds, in which the last word is a noun, may become adjectives, meaning possessed of the quality denoted:— āli-pēs ( āla , wing , pēs , foot ), wing-footed. māgn-animus ( māgnus , great , animus , soul ), great-souled. an-ceps ( amb- , at both ends , caput , head ), double. Many compounds of the above classes appear only in the form of some further derivative, the proper compound not being found in Latin.

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