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vetus

Meaning

(declension-3, one-termination) old, aged, elderly, ancient
(declension-3, one-termination) long-standing
(declension-3, one-termination) former, previous

old aged

Opposite of

novus, recēns

anciens

ancientis

antiquarius

antīquus

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈwɛ.tʊs]

From Proto-Italic *wetos (“year”), from Proto-Indo-European *wétos (“year”). The Latin underwent semantic shift "year" > "having accumulated (many) years" > "aged, old", with the Latin term for year being annus, from a different root. Cognates include Sanskrit वत्स (vatsá, “year; calf”), Ancient Greek ἔτος (étos), Albanian vjet, Gothic 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌿𐍃 (wiþrus, “one-year-old lamb”), Old Church Slavonic ветъхъ (vetŭxŭ, “old, aged, ancient”), Russian ве́тхий (vétxij, “old, aged”), Lithuanian vẽtušas and Proto-Celtic *wetsi- (Middle Irish feis, Cornish guis, both “sow that has already given birth” < “from last year”), Etruscan 𐌅𐌄𐌕𐌖𐌔 (vetus).