[ˈẽː.sɪs], [ˈɛn.sis]
OrigoPerhaps from Proto-Italic *ensis (“sword”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ensi- (“sword, large knife”) However, according to De Vaan, all alleged Indo-European cognates are uncertain: Ancient Greek ἄορ (áor, “(hanger for a) sword”), Sanskrit असि (así, “sword”), Palaic 𒄩𒅆𒄿𒊏 (ḫa-ši-i-ra /hasīra/, “dagger”). Regardless, the EIEC—which reconstructs the PIE form as *h_(2/3)ṇsis—still argues that the form likely date back to Proto-Indo-European.
- declension-3, poeticsword, brand
“[…] sīc fātus deinde comantem / Androgeī galeam clipeīque īnsigne decōrum / induitur, laterīque Argīuum accommodat ēnsem.” — 2007 translation by Frederick Ahl
[…] This said, he donned Androgeos' helmet, / Crested with plumes, then he strapped on his shield, quite superbly emblazoned, / Fitted an Argive sword at his hip, rea
“At nōn Actoridēn Erytum, cui lāta bipennis / tēlum erat, hāmātō Perseus petit ēnse […]” — Yet does not Perseus attack Erytus, son of Actor, for whom a broad double-sided battle-axe was his weapon, with his hooked sword […]
“Ōrīōn. Hunc ā zōnā et reliquō corpore aequinoctiālis circulus dīuidit, cum Taurō dēcertantem collocātum, dextrā manū clāuam tenentem et incīnctum ēnse spectantem ad occāsum, et occidentem exortā Scorp” — Orion. His belt and the rest of his body are separated [from the upper part of him] by the equator. He is placed as though in confrontation with the Bull, holding a club in his right hand, and with a
- declension-3, figurativelywar
“lātēque vagātur ēnsis” — and far and wide the sword wanders
- declension-3, figurativelydefender
“Mārcellō Rōmānōrum ēnsī” — to Marcellus, the Romans’ sword
- declension-3, figurativelyroyal sway
- declension-3, metonymicallythe constellation Orion
Formaeēnsis(canonical, masculine) · ēnsis(genitive) · ēnsis(nominative, singular) · ēnsēs(nominative, plural) · ēnsis(genitive, singular) · ēnsium(genitive, plural) · ēnsī(dative, singular) · ēnsibus(dative, plural) · ēnsem(accusative, singular) · ēnsēs(accusative, plural) · ēnsīs(accusative, plural) · ēnse(ablative, singular) · ēnsibus(ablative, plural) · ēnsis(singular, vocative) · ēnsēs(plural, vocative)
Fons: Vicitionarium