oratorum

Oratorum is the genitive plural form of the Latin noun orator, meaning “of the orators” or “of the speakers.” In classical Latin, it appears in phrases indicating possession or association and is a standard element of the language’s noun declension patterns.

Morphology and forms: orator is a third-declension noun. Singular: nom orator, gen oratoris. Plural: nom oratores, gen oratorum. The genitive plural oratorum translates as “of the orators.” This form is used to express ownership, attribution, or association in noun phrases.

Usage: As a genitive plural, oratorum marks possession in noun phrases such as orationes oratorum clarorum, meaning “the speeches of the famous orators.” It also appears in inscriptions and literary passages to attribute ideas, actions, or characteristics to speakers or their works. The construction is a common means of linking nouns in Latin and is distinct from the nominative or other cases.

Example: Orationes oratorum clarorum saepe laudantur. Translation: The speeches of the famous orators are often praised. This illustrates how oratorum functions to specify a relationship between orators and their orations, a typical use in both prose and poetry.

See also: Latin grammar, noun declensions, genitive case, orator.

Oratorum thus serves as a standard grammatical form in Latin, essential for expressing possession and association related to speakers and their utterances.