cānĭtĭes (cānĭtĭa, Plin. 31, 7, 42, § 91; 11, 37, 64, § 169; cf. Charis. p. 41 P.), em, ē (other cases not in use), f. [canus],
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.