I.a wood, grove, or thicket of trees sacred to a deity.
I. Lit.: “Silani lucus extra murumst est avius crebro salicto oppletus,” Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 8: “lucus est arborum multitudo cum religione, nemus vero composita multitudo arborum, silva diffusa et inculta,” Serv. Verg. A. 1, 310; cf. id. ib. 1, 441; “11, 316: vos jam, Albani tumuli atque luci, imploro,” Cic. Mil. 31, 85: “lucus frequenti silvā septus,” Liv. 24, 3: “nemora in domibus sacros imitantia lucos,” Tib. 3, 3, 15: “virtutem verba putas et Lucum ligna,” Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 31: “Ennium sicut sacros vetustate lucos adoremus,” Quint. 10, 1, 88: “nemoris sacri lucos tenere,” Sen. Herc. Oet. 956.—
II. Transf.
A. In gen., a wood (poet.): “aut quos Oceano propior gerit India lucos,” Verg. G. 2, 122: “alto in luco,” id. A. 11, 456.—
B. Wood: nec quicquam positum sine luco, auro, ebore, argento, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 179 P.