Silvanus

See also: silvanus

English

Etymology

From Latin Silvanus, a Latin cognomen, from silva (“forest”). The name Silas, from the early Christian apostle, was Latinised as Silvanus by Paul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɪlˈveɪnəs/

Proper noun

Silvanus

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

Quotations

• 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC:
  : 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.

Related terms

• Silvia, Sylvia
• Silvius
• sylph
• sylvan
• Sylvester

 

Translations

Roman god of forest

• Italian: Silvano (it)
• Russian: Сильва́н (ru) m (Silʹván) (cognate), Сильва́нус (ru) m (Silʹvánus) (transliteration), Силва́нус (ru) m (Silvánus) (transliteration)

biblical character

• French: Silvain (fr)
• Greek: Σιλουανός (el) m (Silouanós)
• Italian: Silvano (it)
• Occitan: Sauve m

male given name

• French: Sylvain (fr)
• Greek: Σιλουανός (el) m (Silouanós)
• Italian: Silvano (it)
• Occitan: Silvan m

See also

• Selwyn
• Silas

Latin

Alternative forms

• Sylvanus

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): /silˈu̯aː.nus/, [s̠ɪɫ̪ˈu̯äːnʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /silˈva.nus/, [silˈväːnus]

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

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	Silvānus	Silvānī
Genitive	Silvānī	Silvānōrum
Dative	Silvānō	Silvānīs
Accusative	Silvānum	Silvānōs
Ablative	Silvānō	Silvānīs
Vocative	Silvāne	Silvānī

Related terms

• Silvāna
• Silas
• silva

Descendants

• Translingual: 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
• Silvanus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.