Subitae

Subitae is a Latin term primarily encountered as the feminine plural nominative form of the adjective subitus, meaning sudden or abrupt. As an agreeing modifier, subitae accompanies feminine plural nouns, for example res subitae, “sudden things.” In standard Latin, the feminine plural nominative form subitae is paired with feminine plural nouns; other forms of the adjective correspond to different gender and number, such as masculine singular subitus, feminine singular subita, neuter singular subitum, masculine plural subiti, feminine plural subitae, and neuter plural subita.

Etymology and meaning: subitae derives from the Latin adjective subitus, itself meaning sudden or coming suddenly. The form subitae signals agreement with feminine plural nouns and is used to describe events, appearances, or qualities that are abrupt or unexpected.

Usage: In classical and medieval Latin texts, subitae may appear in phrases describing abrupt events or sudden characteristics. A common illustrative construction is res subitae, “sudden things.” Because Latin adjectives agree with the nouns they modify, subitae will align with any suitable feminine plural noun.

Related forms and notes: The form is one part of a broader paradigm for the adjective subitus. Familiarity with the full paradigm helps in parsing texts where the ending reflects gender and number. While subitae is mainly a grammatical form, it may also appear in philological discussions about Latin morphology and agreement.

See also: Latin adjectives, Latin grammar, subitus, res subitae.

References: Classical Latin dictionaries and grammars, such as Lewis and Short, provide entries for subitus and its feminine forms, including subitae.