faenus

Latin

Alternative forms

• fēnus, foenus

Etymology

From earlier fēnus. Possibly, from Proto-Italic *fēnos, from earlier *θēnos, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(i)-n-os, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)-, the same root of faenum, fēlīx, fēmina, fētus, thus lit. "that which is produced". Compare with the Ancient Greek use of τόκος (tókos).

Noun

faenus n (genitive faenoris); third declension

1. interest (on capital); usury
2. gain, profit, advantage
   • Preface to the Book of Joshua, Jerome of Stridon 4th-5th century CE:

     Tandem finita Pentateucho Mosi, velut grandi fenore liberati, ad Iesum filium Nave manum mittimus, [...]

     The Pantateuch of Moses having come to an end, astough freed from a great advantage, we now turn our attention to Jesus (Joshua), son of Nave (Nun), [...]

3. (figurative) banking, moneylending (faenus exerceō: practice banking)

Declension

Third-declension noun (neuter, imparisyllabic non-i-stem).

	singular	plural
nominative	faenus	faenora
genitive	faenoris	faenorum
dative	faenorī	faenoribus
accusative	faenus	faenora
ablative	faenore	faenoribus
vocative	faenus	faenora

Synonyms

• ūsūra

Derived terms

• faenēbris
• faenerō

References

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