[ˈmɛ.tʊs], [ˈmɛː.tus]
OriginOf unknown origin. Klingenschmitt connects the word to Old Irish moth m (“astonishment”), which is semantically attractive; however, he does not explain the phonetic mechanisms by which the two words could be related.
- declension-4, masculinefear, dread, anxiety, apprehension
“Magnō mē metū līberābis, dum modo inter mē atque tē mūrus intersit.
You will free me from a great fear, provided only that a wall lies between you and me.
(Magnō … metū: ablative of separation.)”
“carminibus metus omnis obest; perditus ēnsem” — Every fear is harmful to [writing] verses; I have already been destroyed, and now I suspect a sword will be stuck in my throat.
(Even though the poet had been sentenced to live in exile he still feare
- declension-4, masculineawe, reverence
Formsmetūs(genitive) · metus(nominative, singular) · metūs(nominative, plural) · metūs(genitive, singular) · metuum(genitive, plural) · metuī(dative, singular) · metibus(dative, plural) · metum(accusative, singular) · metūs(accusative, plural) · metū(ablative, singular) · metibus(ablative, plural) · metus(singular, vocative) · metūs(plural, vocative)
Source: Wiktionary