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.

faenus (less correctly fēn-, not foen-; cf. in the foll.), ŏris, n. [fe-, feo; cf.: faenum, femina, etc.; therefore, lit., what is produced; hence].

  1. I. Prop., the proceeds of capital lent out, interest (cf.: usura, versura): faenerator, sicuti M. Varro in libro tertio de Sermone Latino scripsit, a faenore est nominatus. Faenus autem dictum a fetu, et quasi a fetura quadam pecuniae parientis atque increscentis, Varr. ap. Gell. 16, 12, 7 sq., and ap. Non. 54, 5 sq.; cf.: faenus et faeneratores et lex de credita pecunia fenebris a fetu dicta, quod crediti nummi alios pariant, ut apud Graecos eadem res τόκος dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 86 Müll.: cf.: faenum (so it should read, instead of faenus) appellatur naturalis terrae fetus; ob quam causam et nummorum fetus faenus est vocatum et de ea re leges fenebres, id. p. 94: idem pecunias his faenori dabat, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 70, § 170: pecuniam faenore accipere, id. ib. 2, 3, 72, § 169: Scaptius centesimis, renovato in singulos annos faenore, contentus non fuit, id. Att. 6, 3, 5: faenus ex triente Idib. Quint. factum erat bessibus, id. ib. 4, 15, 7: iniquissimo faenore versuram facere, id. ib. 16, 15, 5: Graeci solvent tolerabili faenore, id. ib. 6, 1, 16: pecuniam occupare grandi faenore, id. Fl. 21, 51: dives positis in faenore nummis, Hor. S. 1, 2, 13; id. A. P. 421: faenore omni solutus, id. Epod. 2, 4.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Capital lent on interest (very rare): argenti faenus creditum, Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 101: faenus et impendium recusare, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 4.
      1. 2. Meton., that lent to the soil, i. e. the seed: quam bona fide terra creditum faenus reddit! Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 155.
    2. B. Gain, profit, advantage: terra, quae nunquam recusat imperium, nec unquam sine usura reddit quod accepit, sed alias minore, plerumque majore cum faenore, Cic. de Sen. 15, 51; cf.: semina, quae magno faenore reddat ager, Tib. 2, 6, 22; and: cum quinquagesimo faenore messes reddit eximia fertilitas soli, Plin. 18, 17, 47, § 162: saepe venit magno faenore tardus amor, Prop. 1, 7, 26; cf.: at mihi, quod vivo detraxerit invida turba, Post obitum duplici faenore reddet Honos, id. 3 (4), 1, 22.