delendus

Delendus is a Latin term functioning as the masculine nominative singular form of the gerundive derived from the verb delere, meaning “to destroy.” The gerundive is a verb form used as an adjective to express obligation or necessity, and it agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. The basic forms to know are delendus (masculine singular), delenda (feminine singular), and delendum (neuter singular); the following forms appear in full declined paradigms, as with other 2nd-declension gerundives.

In usage, the gerundive denotes something that must be done to or for the noun it modifies. It often appears with forms of esse to express necessity, yielding phrases like delendus est, delenda est, or delendae sunt, depending on the gender and number of the noun. The most famous instance is the phrase Carthago delenda est, traditionally attributed to Cato the Elder, meaning “Carthage must be destroyed.” Beyond periphrastic constructions, the gerundive can also follow a noun in attributive position to mean “to be destroyed” in a more direct sense, for example res delenda est (“the matter must be destroyed” or “the matter to be destroyed”).

Etymologically, delendus combines the verb stem del- with the suffix -endus, forming a standard 2nd-declension gerundive. Its presence is characteristic of Latin grammar as a tool for expressing obligation, rather than a finite verb.

In summary, delendus is the masculine singular form of the Latin gerundive of delere, used to express necessity with nouns and commonly highlighted in classical phrases such as Carthago delenda est.