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Webster 1913 Edition


Lictor

Lic′tor

(lĭk′tŏr)
,
Noun.
[L.]
(Rom. Antiq.)
An officer who bore an ax and fasces or rods, as ensigns of his office. His duty was to attend the chief magistrates when they appeared in public, to clear the way, and cause due respect to be paid to them, also to apprehend and punish criminals.
Lictors
and rods, the ensigns of their power.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Lictor

LIC'TOR

,
Noun.
[L. lick, to strike.] An officer among the Romans, who bore an ax and fasces or rods, as ensigns of his office. The duty of a lictor was to attend the chief magistrates when they appeared in public, to clear the way and cause due respect to be paid to them. A dictator was attended by twenty four lictors, a consul by twelve, and a master of the horse by six. It was also the duty of lictors to apprehend and punish criminals.

Definition 2024


lictor

lictor

English

Alternative forms

Noun

lictor (plural lictors)

  1. An officer in ancient Rome, attendant on a consul or magistrate, who bore the fasces and was responsible for punishing criminals.
    • 1985, Anthony Burgess, Kingdom of the Wicked:
      ‘Beware the power of the mob, Caesar.’ Then, schooled in needful agility, he ran away before a lictor’s whip could reach him.

Translations


Latin

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈlik.tor/, [ˈlɪk.tɔr]

Noun

lictor m (genitive lictōris); third declension

  1. lictor

Inflection

Third declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative lictor lictōrēs
genitive lictōris lictōrum
dative lictōrī lictōribus
accusative lictōrem lictōrēs
ablative lictōre lictōribus
vocative lictor lictōrēs

Descendants

References