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.
I 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.—
II Transf., in gen., a custom , usage , manner , mode , way : ritus, mos vel consuetudo, Fest. p. 273 Müll.; cf. id. p. 289 ib.
a Usually in abl. sing. and with a foll. gen., after the usage , wont , manner , or fashion of any thing.
α 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.—
β With adj.: 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.—
b 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. 2.