Grates!

Latin Learning Latin
1

I just stumbled across something unexpected in my Latin dictionary. The entry is:

grates> , f. pl. > thanks> ; grates agere, > to express thanks> ; ~ habere, > to feel gratitude> .

Now, for as long as I can remember, I’ve used the phrase gratias tibi ago to thank someone. Looking below at “gratias,” I see that the same expressions with “agere” and “habere” are used with “gratias” and “grates” alike, meaning essentially the same thing, it would appear.

I was just surprised to see yet another wonderful variant of the Latin. Has anyone else come across this before? Ought one to be preferred over the other?

2

It is quite surprising I suppose. grates tends to be a more high-flown form so finds especial favour with thanks rendered to the gods and figures of sway; accordingly it is a favourite with the silver style of Tacitus. gratiam or gratias is of course far more general.

~D