aurifex

Latin

Etymology

From aurum (“gold”) + facio (“I do, make”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /ˈaʊ.ri.feks/

Noun

aurifex (genitive aurificis); m, third declension

1. A worker in gold, goldsmith.
   • 77-79 AD — Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 18.23

     acus vocatur cum per se pisitur spica tantum aurificum ad usus

     When the beard is ground by itself, without the grain, the result is known as acus, but it is only used by goldsmiths.

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	aurifex	aurificēs
genitive	aurificis	aurificum
dative	aurificī	aurificibus
accusative	aurificem	aurificēs
ablative	aurifice	aurificibus
vocative	aurifex	aurificēs

Synonyms

• (goldsmith): aurārius

Derived terms

• aurificīna
• aurificium

Related terms

aurāria aurārius aurāta aurātilis aurātūra aurātus aureātus Aurēlia Aurēlius

aureolus aurēscō aureus auricoctor auricolor auricomāns auricomus aurifer

aurifluus aurifodīna aurifrigium aurigāns aurigena auriger aurilegulus auripigmentum

aurō aurōsus aurūgineus aurūginō aurūginōsus aurūgō aurulentus aurum

Descendants

• Catalan: orífex
• English: aurifex
• Italian: orefice
• Portuguese: ourives
• Spanish: orebce, oribe, orífice