Natus

Natus is a Latin word that serves as a past participle of nasci, meaning “born.” It also functions as an adjective meaning “born” or “native to.” The masculine singular form is natus, the feminine form nata, and the neuter form natum. As a participle, it is declined like other perfect passive participles in Latin.

In classical Latin, natus is used to indicate birth or origin. It can occur with forms of esse to express a completed birth, as in “natus est” meaning “he was born.” It is also used attributively, where it agrees with the noun it modifies: for example, in phrases such as “natus Romā” or “natus in Italia,” to denote someone born in Rome or born in Italy. Place of birth is typically indicated by a proper noun in the locative or by an ablative/locative construction.

In biographical and genealogical Latin, natus frequently appears to specify birth origins. The term is common in saints’ lives, historical notes, and scholarly writings that describe a person’s birthplace or native origin. Its usage extends to ecclesiastical and medieval Latin, where birth and origin details are often foregrounded in narratives and genealogies.

Because natus is a standard Latin participle, it is widely encountered in Latin grammars, dictionaries, and scholarly texts as an example of the perfect passive participle and its adjectival use. Its forms and constructions illustrate common ways Latin marks birth, origin, and native affiliation in narrative and descriptive writing.