(adjective) : rītus, ūs (
* Gen. rituis, Varr. ap. Non. 494, 30; abl. rite nefasto, Stat. Th. 11, 285; v. rite), m. etym. unknown, orig. belonging to relig. lang.
* Lit., the form and manner of religious observances; a religious usage or ceremony, a rite (cf. caerimonia): Graeco ritu sacra non Romano facere,Varr. L. L. 7, § 88 Müll.: sacra diis aliis Albano ritu, Graeco Herculi facit,Liv. 1, 7: quo haec privatim et publice modo rituque flant, discunto ignari a publicis sacerdotibus,Cic. Leg. 2, 8, 20; cf.: morem ritusque sacrorum Adiciam,Verg. A. 12, 836: de more rituque priscae religionis,Suet. Tit. 5: ex patriis ritibus optuma colunto,Cic. Leg. 2, 9, 21; 2, 16, 40: tempestates, quae populi Romani ritibus consecratae sunt,id. N. D. 3, 20, 51: regina dei (sc. Bacchi) Ritibus instruitur,Ov. M. 6, 591: sacrificos docuit ritus,id. ib. 15, 483: profanos ritus exuere,Tac. A. 2, 85 fin.: lustrari magico ritu,Ov. M. 10, 398.
* Transf., in gen., a custom, usage, manner, mode, way: ritus, mos vel consuetudo,Fest. p. 273 Müll.; cf. id. p. 289 ib.
* Usually in abl. sing. and with a foll. gen., after the usage, wont, manner, or fashion of any thing.
* With gen.: more ferarum Quadrupedumque ritu,Lucr. 4, 1265: qui pecudum ritu ad voluptatem omnia referunt,Cic. Lael. 9, 32: pecudum, ferarumque,Liv. 3, 47; 5, 44; Quint. 8, 3, 81; Ov. M. 6, 717; 15, 222: latronum vivere,Cic. Phil. 2, 25, 62: juvenum,Hor. A. P. 62: Lucili,id. S. 2, 1, 29: Herculis (petiisse laurum),id. C. 3, 14, 1; cf. Dianae (cincta, etc.),Ov. M. 1, 695; 9, 89; 10, 536: fluminis,Hor. C. 3, 29, 34: tempestatis,id. S. 2, 3, 268: non hominis sed accipitris,Just. 27, 2, 8: volucri ritu flammarum,Lucr. 1, 1102.
* With : haec mulier cantherino ritu astans somniat,Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 46: ritu barbarico esse,id. Cas. 3, 6, 19: res quaeque suo ritu procedit,Lucr. 5, 923: novo Sublime moliar atrium,Hor. C. 3, 1, 46: aleatorio,Gell. 18, 13, 6; cf.: rancida quo perolent projecta cadavera ritu,in the way that, such as,Lucr. 6, 1157.
* In other cases (mostly poet. and post-Aug.), habit, custom, usage: cognosse Sabinae Gentis ritus,Ov. M. 15, 5: referre Cyclopum,id. ib. 15, 93: humanos,id. ib. 9, 500: in alienos ritus mores legesque verti,Liv. 24, 3, 12: ritus dissimiles habuere duo examina apium,Plin. 11, 10, 10, § 23: moresque tractamus innumeros,id. 7, 1, 1, § 6: externas caerimonias, Aegyptios Judiacosque ritus compescuit,Suet. Tib. 36; Sil. 15, 40: de ritu nuptiarum,Dig. 23, tit. 23.