Mensor latitudinem metitur.

Mensor is the subject, latitudinem is the direct object, and metitur is the verb.

So the sentence works like:

• mensor = the measurer / surveyor
• latitudinem = the width / breadth
• metitur = measures

A natural word-for-word breakdown is:

Mensor latitudinem metitur = The surveyor measures the width.

Because it is in the accusative singular, which is the case typically used for a direct object in Latin.

Here, the thing being measured is the width, so latitudinem is the direct object of metitur.

Its dictionary form is latitudo. The forms go like this:

• nominative singular: latitudo
• accusative singular: latitudinem

So latitudinem means width as the thing directly acted upon.

You know mainly from its case and from the verb ending.

• mensor is nominative singular
• metitur is third person singular

That means the verb is agreeing with a singular subject, and mensor fits that role.

In Latin, the subject is not identified just by position. It is identified mostly by form.

Because metior, metiri is a deponent verb.

A deponent verb:

• has passive-looking forms
• but an active meaning

So although metitur looks like it might mean is measured, it actually means measures.

This is one of the most common things that surprises English speakers learning Latin.

For this verb:

• metior = I measure
• metiris = you measure
• metitur = he/she/it measures

All of those are deponent forms with active meaning.

It is present tense, indicative mood, third person singular.

So it means:

• he measures
• she measures
• it measures

In this sentence, with mensor as the subject, the sense is the surveyor measures.

Metior, metiri, mensus sum is a fourth-conjugation deponent verb.

That is why its present forms look like this:

• metior = I measure
• metiris = you measure
• metitur = he/she/it measures
• metimur = we measure
• metimini = you all measure
• metiuntur = they measure

So metitur fits the normal pattern of a fourth-conjugation deponent verb.

Yes. They come from the same verbal idea of measuring.

• metitur = measures
• mensor = measurer / surveyor

So the sentence uses a noun and a verb from the same root idea. In English, that would be a bit like saying the measurer measures. Latin often does this naturally.

Mensor is a third-declension noun.

Its dictionary form is:

• mensor, mensoris = surveyor / measurer

So mensor here is the nominative singular form.

This is why it does not end in -us like many masculine second-declension nouns.

Yes. Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order because the endings show the grammatical roles.

So all of these could mean basically the same thing:

• Mensor latitudinem metitur
• Latitudinem mensor metitur
• Metitur mensor latitudinem

The difference is usually one of emphasis or style, not basic meaning.

The version you were given is a very straightforward order: subject + object + verb.

Because Classical Latin does not have articles like English the and a/an.

So:

• mensor can mean a surveyor or the surveyor
• latitudinem can mean a width or the width

You decide which is better from the context.

English requires articles, but Latin usually leaves that idea unstated.

They are related, but in this sentence latitudinem means something like width or breadth, not specifically the geographical term latitude.

The Latin noun latitudo can refer to:

• breadth
• width
• extent

So in a basic sentence like this, it is best understood as width.

A common classroom pronunciation would be roughly:

MEN-sor lah-tee-TOO-dee-nem MEH-ti-toor

More specifically:

• mensor = MEN-sor
• latitudinem = lah-tee-TOO-dee-nem
• metitur = MEH-ti-toor

If you are using a restored Classical pronunciation, the exact sounds may vary a little from English habits, but that stress pattern is a good start.