nitor

Latin

Etymology 1

From Proto-Indo-European *kneygʷʰ- (“to bend, to droop”). Cognate with nicō, connīveō, nictō, Proto-Germanic *hnīwaną.

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈniː.tɔr]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈniː.t̪or]

Verb

nītor (present infinitive nītī, perfect active nīsus sum or nīxus sum); third conjugation, deponent

to bear or rest upon something, lean on; to be supported by; to be based on
- Cicero, De Officiis I, 122:
  Quorum consilio atque auctoritate nitatur
  [so as to] be supported by their advise and their reputation
to press forward, advance
to mount, climb, ascend; fly
to strain in giving birth; bring forth
(figuratively) to strive, struggle, exert oneself, make an effort, labor, endeavor
Synonyms: lūctor, certō, cōnītor, cōnor, temptō, ēlabōrō, appetō, īnsequor, affectō, tendō, quaerō, studeō, contendō, pugnō, molior, perīclitor, ēnītor, adnītor, labōrō, spectō
- c. 42 BCE, Sallust, Bellum Catilinae:
  Omnīs hominēs quī sēsē student praestāre cēterīs animālibus summā ope nītī decet nē vītam silentiō trānseant veluti pecora
  It is suitable for all who wish to be better than animals to struggle with their best effort in order not to go through life in silence like cattle.
(figuratively) to try to prove, contend in argument, argue
(figuratively) to rest, rely, depend upon
- c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 1.13:
  Se ita a patribus maioribusque suis didicisse, ut magis virtute quam dolo contenderent aut insidiis niterentur
  The Helvetii had learned from their fathers and ancestors to fight their battles with great virtue, not deception or by relying on trickery

Conjugation

Conjugation of nītor (third conjugation, deponent)

indicative		singular				plural
indicative		first	second		third	first	second		third
active	present	nītor	nīteris, nītere		nītitur	nītimur	nītiminī		nītuntur
	imperfect	nītēbar	nītēbāris, nītēbāre		nītēbātur	nītēbāmur	nītēbāminī		nītēbantur
	future	nītar	nītēris, nītēre		nītētur	nītēmur	nītēminī		nītentur
	perfect	nīsus or nīxus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	nīsus or nīxus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	nīsus or nīxus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular				plural
subjunctive		first	second		third	first	second		third
active	present	nītar	nītāris, nītāre		nītātur	nītāmur	nītāminī		nītantur
	imperfect	nīterer	nīterēris, nīterēre		nīterētur	nīterēmur	nīterēminī		nīterentur
	perfect	nīsus or nīxus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	nīsus or nīxus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular				plural
imperative		first	second		third	first	second		third
active	present	—	nītere		—	—	nītiminī		—
active	future	—	nītitor		nītitor	—	—		nītuntor
non-finite forms		infinitive				participle
non-finite forms		active		passive		active		passive
present		nītī		—		nītēns		—
future		nīsūrum esse, nīxūrum esse		—		nīsūrus, nīxūrus		nītendus, nītundus
perfect		nīsum esse, nīxum esse		—		nīsus, nīxus		—
future perfect		nīsum fore, nīxum fore		—		—		—
perfect potential		nīsūrum fuisse, nīxūrum fuisse		—		—		—
verbal nouns		gerund					supine
		genitive	dative		accusative	ablative	accusative		ablative
		nītendī	nītendō		nītendum	nītendō	nīsum, nīxum		nīsū, nīxū

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From niteō (“I shine”) +‎ -or.

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈnɪ.tɔr]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈniː.t̪or]

Noun

nitor m (genitive nitōris); third declension

brightness, splendor, lustre, sheen
sleekness, good looks, beauty, glamour
neatness, smartness, elegance, brilliancy
(of speech) splendor, elegance, polish, grace
(of character) dignity, excellence

Declension

Third-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	nitor	nitōrēs
genitive	nitōris	nitōrum
dative	nitōrī	nitōribus
accusative	nitōrem	nitōrēs
ablative	nitōre	nitōribus
vocative	nitor	nitōrēs

Related terms

References

“nitor”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“nitor”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
nitor in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
- it is a matter of conjecture, supposition: aliquid coniectura nititur, continetur (Div. 1. 14. 24)
- to cherish a hope: spe duci, niti, teneri