I.a gray or grayish-white color, hoariness (poet. or in post-Aug. prose): “lupi,” Ov. M. 1, 238; “folia lanatiore canitie,” Plin. 21, 20, 84, § 147; 37, 11, 73, § 191: “sparsa marmoris,” id. 36, 7, 11, § 55.—Esp. freq. of the hair, Ov. M. 10, 425; 7, 289; Plin. 11, 37, 64, § 169; cf. id. 11, 37, 47, § 131.—Hence,
II. Transf.
A. (Abstr. pro concr.) Gray hair: “canitiem terră atque infuso pulvere foedans,” Cat. 64, 224; imitated by Ov. M. 8, 528; cf. also Verg. A. 12, 611: “canitiem multo deformat pulvere,” id. ib. 10, 844; 6, 300; Ov. M. 13, 492; Luc. 8, 57: “femina canitiem Germanis inficit herbis,” Ov. A. A. 3, 163.—
B. (Effect. pro causa.) A hoary age, old age (cf.: “canitiem sibi et longos promiserat annos,” Verg. A. 10, 549: “donec virenti canities abest Morosa,” Hor. C. 1, 9, 17; 2, 11, 8.
