I.brightness, splendor, lustre, sheen.
I. Lit.: “nitor exoriens aurorae,” Lucr. 4, 538: “diurnus,” the daylight, Ov. H. 18, 78: “herbarum viridis,” Lucr. 5, 783: “argenti et auri,” Ov. P. 3, 4, 23: “eboris,” Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 64: “materiae,” of the wood, id. 16, 40, 79, § 215: “speculi,” id. 11, 37, 64, § 170: “gladii,” id. 2, 25, 22, § 89: “nigerrimus gemmae,” id. 37, 10, 69, § 184: “nitorem cutis facit sal,” id. 31, 7, 41, § 84.— Plur.: “nitores splendoresque auri,” Gell. 2, 6, 4.—
B. Transf.
1. Sleekness, plumpness, good looks, beauty: “nitor corporis,” Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 10: “urit me Glycerae nitor,” Hor. C. 1, 19, 5: “Liparei nitor Hebri,” id. ib. 3, 12, 6: “nullus totā nitor in cute,” Juv. 9, 13.—
2. Neatness, elegance, brilliancy of external appearance: “si quem ... aliquid offendit, si purpurae genus, si amicorum catervae, si splendor, si nitor,” Cic. Cael. 31, 77: “habitus,” Juv. 3, 180: “oppidum praecipui nitoris,” Plin. 4, 12, 26, § 85.—
3. In gen., color, Lucr. 2, 819: “ludis et externo tincta nitore caput,” Prop. 2, 14, 26 (3, 11, 2).—
II. Trop., of speech, splendor, elegance, grace of style. —With gen.: “adhibendus erit in eis explicandis quidam orationis nitor,” Cic. Or. 32, 115: “domesticus eloquii,” Ov. P. 2, 2, 51: “nitor et cultus descriptionum,” Tac. Or. 20: “translationum,” Quint. 12, 10, 36.—Absol.: “sublimitas et magnificentia et nitor,” Quint. 8, 3, 3: “eruditione ac nitore praestare,” id. 10, 1, 98: “scripsit non sine cultu ac nitore,” id. 10, 1, 124.—
B. Of character, dignity, excellence: “generis,” Ov. P. 2, 9, 17; splendid liberality, Stat. S. 3, 3, 149.
