coquus

Coquus is a Latin noun meaning "cook," a person who prepares meals in a kitchen, household, or public establishment. It is masculine and belongs to the second declension. The common forms are: nominative singular coquus; genitive singular coquī; dative singular coquō; accusative singular coquum; ablative singular coquō; nominative plural coquī; genitive plural coquōrum; dative plural coquīs; accusative plural coquōs; ablative plural coquīs.

Etymology and related forms: the word derives from the verb coquere "to cook," with the agent-noun suffix -us to denote a person who performs the action. Related Latin terms include culina (kitchen) and pistor (baker), which describe other roles in food preparation.

Usage in Latin literature: coquus designates a cook or chef and can refer to someone employed in a household, tavern, or larger kitchen operation. In Roman texts, cooks were often slaves or freedpersons, especially in wealthy households, where a dedicated coquus or a staff of culinarii managed meals for the household or guests. The term appears in various genres, including narrative prose and early drama, to identify the person responsible for cooking duties.

See also: culina (kitchen), coquina (diminutive or culinary context), pistor (baker). For linguistic details and attested forms, Latin dictionaries such as Lewis and Short provide entries on coquus and related words.