Versipellis, & hoc versipelle. Plaut.That chaungeth his skinne often: a craftie fellow: a wilie fore.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
versĭpellis (vorsĭp-), e, adj. [vertopellis, that changes its skin; hence, in gen.], that changes its shape or form, that alters its appearance, that transforms himself or itself.I.Lit.A. In gen.: eccum Juppiter In Amphitruonis vertit sese imaginem ... Ita versipellem se facit, quando lubet, Plaut. Am. prol. 123: capillus fit, i. e.
turns gray
, id. Pers. 2, 2, 48 (v. s. v. versicapillus).—B. In partic., subst.: ver-sĭpellis, is, m., acc. to the superstitious belief of the ancients, one who can change himself into a wolf, a man-wolf, were-wolf, Plin. 8, 22, 34, 80; Petr. 62 fin.; App. M. 2, p. 124, 21.—II.Trop., skilled in dissimulation, sly, cunning, crafty, subtle (anteand post-class.): vorsipellem esse hominem convenit, pectus cui sapit: bonus sit bonis, malus sit malis, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 12 Ritschl: quicum versipellis fio, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 38, 7: hortamen, Prud. Cath. 9, 91. —Comp., Porc. Latro ap. Cat. 9.