altum

Altum is a Latin term that can function as an adjective meaning “high” or “deep” and, when used as a neuter substantive, “the deep” or “the sea.” It is the neuter singular form of altus, a second-declension adjective. In Latin, altum is typically used to describe physical height or depth and appears in poetic and prose contexts where breadth, grandeur, or danger is emphasized. As a noun, it often denotes the depths of water or space in a broad, sometimes metaphorical sense.

Common expressions include in altum, meaning into the depths or toward the open sea, and mare altum, meaning the deep sea. In literature, altum serves as a versatile image for vastness, mystery, or sublimity, and it may appear in both literal and figurative senses.

Historically, altum appears across classical Latin texts, spanning epic, lyric, and rhetorical writing. Its usage continued into medieval and Renaissance Latin, reflecting a retained association with magnitude and the natural world. In modern times, Altum also appears as a proper name in geographic, corporate, or brand contexts, drawing on its classical connotations of breadth and depth.

Pronunciation is roughly al-tum, with the stress typically on the first syllable in classical Latin. Altum illustrates how Latin adjectives of magnitude contribute to imagery and how the neuter form can function as a substantive in a range of textual styles.