English

Proper noun

Silvanus

1. (Roman mythology) A god of forests.
2. (biblical) A companion of Paul, also called Silas.
3. A male given name, more often spelled Sylvanus, but never popular in either form.

Quotations

• 1611, Bible (KJV):: 1 Peter 5: 12:

  By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

Translations

See also

• Selwyn
• Silas

Latin

Etymology

From silva ‎(“forest”) +‎ -ānus ‎(“from, of the”). The name Silas, from the early Christian apostle, was Latinised as Silvānus by Paul. Transliterated into Ancient Greek as Σιλουανός ‎(Silouanós).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /silˈwaː.nus/, [sɪɫˈwaː.nʊs]

Proper noun

Silvānus m ‎(genitive Silvānī); second declension

1. (religion) A deity presiding over woods and all places planted with trees, the god of woods.
2. Silvanus; a Roman cognomen, or surname

Inflection

Second declension.

Related terms

• Silvāna
• Silas
• silva

Descendants

• Macaca sylvanus

See also

• Silas

References

• Silvanus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Silvanus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “Silvanus”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.

Latin

Adjective

silvanus m ‎(feminine silvana, neuter silvanum); first/second declension

1. silvan

Inflection

First/second declension.

References

• SILVANUS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• silvanus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• silvanus in William Smith, editor (1848) A Dictionary of Greek Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray