Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

lūdĭcer or lūdī̆crus (nom. sing. m. is not used), cra, crum, adj. [ludus], that serves for sport, done in sport, sportive: ars, Plaut. Aul. 4, 3, 3: exercitatio, Cic. N. D. 1, 37, 102: sermones, id. Ac. 2, 2, 6: ludicrae artes sunt, quae ad voluptatem oculorum atque aurium tendunt, Sen. Ep. 88, 22: ludicras partes sustinere, to appear on the stage, Suet. Ner. 11: certamen, Vell. 1, 8, 1: tibiae, which were played in the theatre, Plin. 16, 36, 66, § 172: in modum ludicrum, Tac. A. 14. 14: versus et cetera ludicra pono, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 10: quibus (juvenibus) id ludicrum est, Tac. G. 24: solemnibus epulis ludicra, id. A. 1, 50: hac lege excipiuntur qui artem ludicram faciunt, actors, Paul. Sent. 5, 26, 2; so, quae artem ludicram fecerit, Ulp. Fragm. 13, 1 sq.
Hence, lūdī̆-crum, i, n.

    1. 1. A show, public games; a scenic show, stage-play: Olympiorum solemne ludicrum, Liv. 28, 7, 14: Isthmiorum statum ludicrum aderat, id. 33, 32, 1; 34, 41, 1: iisdem fere diebus sollemne erat ludicrum Isthmiorum, Curt. 4, 5, 11: indulserat ei ludicro Augustus, Suet. Aug. 43: coronae ludicro quaesitae, won in the public games, Plin. 21, 3, 5, § 7; cf.: quid maris extremos Arabas ditantis et Indos, Ludicra quid, etc., Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 7 Orell. ad loc.
    2. 2. A sport, toy, means of sport: quos (ramulos) Hamadryades deae ludicrum sibi rosido nutriunt umore, Cat. 61, 24; cf.: urbes duae, quae in proverbii ludicrum vertere, Apina et Trica, sport, Plin. 3, 11, 16, § 104.
      Plur.: et versus et cetera ludicra pono, trifles, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 10; cf. K. and H. ad Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 7.
      Hence, adv.: lūdī̆crē, in sport, playfully (ante- and post-class.): pars ludicre saxa jactant, Enn. ap. Non. 134, 14 (Ann. v. 76 Vahl.): tractare aliquem, App. M. 9, 7; 220, 15.