Sanctae

Sanctae is a Latin word form derived from sanctus, meaning holy or sacred. In Latin grammar, sanctae can function as two distinct forms: the feminine genitive singular of sancta and the feminine nominative plural of sancta. Because sancta follows the first/second declension patterns, its endings reflect gender, number, and case: sancta (feminine nominative singular), sanctae (feminine genitive singular and feminine nominative plural).

Usage in Latin texts is largely ecclesiastical or liturgical. In genitive phrases, sanctae accompanies a feminine noun in the genitive to express “of the holy,” as in a phrase meaning “of the holy Church.” In contexts with a feminine plural subject, sanctae may appear as the feminine nominative plural form. The exact meaning of sanctae depends on the grammatical role it plays in a sentence.

In modern scholarship and translations, sanctae is encountered most often in discussions of Latin grammar and in the study of religious Latin, where it helps convey holiness in relation to feminine nouns such as ecclesia or sanctae Mariae, among others. The form also connects to cognate words in Romance languages, such as Spanish santa, Italian santa, and French sainte, all of which trace back to the same Latin root.

See also: sanctus, sacer, sanctitas. References include standard Latin grammar resources and ecclesiastical Latin dictionaries for examples of usage in liturgical texts.