essay word in latin

77 Common Latin Words and Phrases Used in English That You Should Know.

It’s guaranteed that you have or will run into some of these Latin terms in anything including the lightest reading. That’s because they’re everywhere. In newspapers, textbooks, manuals,  et cetera . They are used in,  inter alia , academic writing, text messaging, and, quite extensively, law documents. So, they are,  ipso facto , very important to know.  Ergo , we thought it’s a good idea to combine these common Latin words and phrases in one place and explain what they mean so that when you run into some of them next time, you go like, ha! I have seen this word somewhere and I know what it means. So, let’s get down to it. 

1.  a priori

A belief or conclusion based on assumptions or reasoning of some sort rather than actual experience or empirical evidence. Before actually encountering, experiencing, or observing a fact.

2.  a posteriori.  

A fact, belief, or argument that is based on actual experience, experiment, or observation. After the fact.

3.  ad astra.

To the stars.

4.  ad hoc.

For a particular situation, without planning or consideration of some broader purpose or application.

5.  ad hominem.

Directed to a particular person rather than generally, such as an attack on a person rather than a position they are espousing.

6.  ad infinitum.

Repeat forever.

7.  ad lib

Short for  ad libitum.  As you desire, at one’s pleasure. To speak or perform without preparation.

8.  ad nauseam. 

Repetition that has become annoying or tiresome.

9.  affidavit.

He has sworn. Sworn statement.

10.  alma mater.

Nourishing, kind, bounteous mother. School from which one graduated.

11.  alias.

Also known as. Otherwise known as. Less commonly as the proper meaning of at another time, otherwise.

12.  alibi.  

In another place. Elsewhere. Reason one couldn’t have been in a location where an act was committed.

13.  alter ego.

Other self. Another side of oneself.

14.  A.D.

short for  anno Domini.  In the year of our Lord. Number of years since the birth of Jesus Christ.

15.  a.m.

Short for  ante meridiem.  Before midday (noon.) Morning.

16.  animus . 

Spirit, mind, courage anger. Animosity. Intense opposition and ill will towards something, somebody, or some social group, commonly emotional, passionate, and mean-spirited. Hatred.

17.  ante . 

Before. Earlier. In a Supreme Court opinion,  ante  refers to an earlier page of the same opinion.

18.  ante bellum.

Before the war.

19.  ante mortem.  

Before death. 

20.  bona fide.

Genuine. Real. With no intention to deceive.

21.  c.  /  ca. /   or   cca.

Short for  circa.  Around. About. Approximately. Relative to a certain year.

22.  carpe diem.

Seize the day or moment. Make the best of the present rather than delay or focus on the future.

23.  caveat .

Warning, caution, disclaimer, or stipulation.

24.  cf.

Short for  confer.  Compare to. In reference to, as a comparison.

25.  cogito ergo sum . 

I think, therefore I am — Descartes.

26.  consensus.

Agreement. General or widespread agreement.

27.  corpus.

Body, especially of written or textual matter such as books and papers.

28.  curriculum .

Race. Course of a race. Path of a race. Subjects comprising a course of academic study.

29.  CV  

Short for  curriculum vitae.  The course of one’s life. Resume. List of significant academic and professional accomplishments, achievements, awards, education, and training.

30.  de facto.  

True or matter of fact as it is, regardless of intent, good reason, authority, or official reason for being such.

31.  dictum.

Something said. Noteworthy, authoritative statement or principle. Common wisdom.

32.  doctor.  

Teacher. Learned person. Doctor.

33. ergo. 

34.  et al.  .

Short for  et alia  (neuter plural) or  et alii  (masculine plural) or  et aliae  (feminine plural). And others. And all of the others.

35.  etc.  

Short for  et cetera.

36.  e pluribus unum.  

— Out of many, one — U.S. motto.

37.  ex post.

38.  ex post facto..

After the fact.

39.  e.g.  

Short for e xempli gratia.  For the sake of example. For example.

40.  ibid.  

Short for  ibidem  or  ib idem.  In the same place. For a citation, indicates that it is from the same place as the preceding citation.

41.  id.  

short for  idem.  From the same source. For a citation, indicates that it is from the same source, but not from the same location in that source. In contrast to  ibidem  ( ibid. ) which means the same location or place in the same source as the preceding citation.

42.  i.e.  

Short for  id est.  That is. In other words.

43.  in absentia.  

Conducted in the absence of.

44.  in camera.  

In chambers. In private, commonly for legal proceedings, in the judge’s office (chambers.) before digital photography cameras were little “chambers.”

45.  in situ.  

In position. In place.

46.  in toto.  

As a whole. Entirely. All of it.

47.  incognito.  

Unknown. With one’s identity concealed. This is actually an Italian word, derived from the Latin word  incognitus.

48.  inter alia.  

Among others. Among other things.

49.  innuendo.  

By nodding. Implied. Indirectly implied. Suggested. Oblique allusion.

50.  intra.  

Within. In a Supreme Court opinion, refers to a decision of another court, typically an appeals court.

51.  ipso facto.  

By that very fact or act. Therefore.

51.  lingua franca.  

Common language in a multi-language environment. Technically, it’s Italian.

52.  magnum opus.  

Great work. Greatest work. Masterpiece.

53.  M.O.  

short for  modus operandi.  Mode or method of operation. How you do things.

54.  n.b.  or  N.B.  

short for  nota bene.  Note well. It is worth noting that.

55.  per capita.  

Per person, for each person, of a population. Individually, but not for any particular person.

56.  per cent.  

or  percent  short for  per centum.  For each one hundred.

57.  per se.  

By itself. Intrinsically. Specifically.

58.  p.m. /   PM  

short for  post meridiem.  After midday (noon.) Afternoon.

59.  post.  

After. Later. In a Supreme Court opinion,  post  refers to a later page of the same opinion.

60.  post mortem.  

After death.

61.  prima facie.  

On its face. Accepted on its face. Accepted as true based on initial impression. Accepted as true unless proven false.

62.  PS.  

short for  post scriptum.  Written after. After what has been written. In addition to what has been written. In addition.

63.  quasi.  

As if. As though. Resembling. Similar but not quite exactly the same. Having many but not all the features of.

64.  quid pro quo.  

This for that. An exchange of goods or services. A barter transaction. Any contractual transaction.

65.  sic  

or  [sic].  So, this. The previous word should be taken literally even if it is not correct or appropriate.

66.  stat.  

or  stat  short for  statim.  Immediately. Now. without delay.

67.  status quo.  

The existing state of affairs. As it is. As things are.

68.  stricto sensu

or  sensu stricto.  In a narrow, tight, or strict sense. Strictly speaking.

69.  sui generis.  

Of its own kind. Unique. Outside of existing categories. In law, outside of existing law.

70.  supra.  

Above. From the previous cited source.

71.  tabula rasa.  

Clean slate. Blank slate. Absence of any preconceived notions, ideas, goals, or purpose.

72.  veni, vidi, vici.  

I came, I saw, I conquered.

73.  verbatim.  

The same exact words. Literally.

74.  vs.  

short for  versus.  Against. In opposition to. As opposed to. In contrast to.

75.  veto.  

I forbid. Reject.

76. v ice versa.  

As well as the two immediately preceding subjects of a statement reversed. The same either way. The other way around.

77.  viz.  

short for  videre licet  or  videlicet.  Namely. That is.

You’ve reached the end of the article. Please share it if you think it deserves.

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11 thoughts on “77 common latin words and phrases used in english that you should know.”.

These are just great. Keep going Nerds – you provide a great service. Thank you.

A question: given the presence of Latin in English why is it not considered a member of the Romance languages?

Correction:

This should be “ad nauseam”

OMG — Did you actually misspell “ad nauseam”? lol

Dear Nerds, pleae note the small spelling error: it should read „ad nauseam“. Keep up the good work!

English branched out from Germanic languages picking up structures, phones, and other characteristics of the language group, though most vocabulary came from Latin and other romantic languages, it still is not considered one as changes came after when trades and globalisation happened and not originally from the English language.

You could include “stet”, meaning “let it stand”. It is a term used in editing, and means “disregard the correction that was made previously”.

The list is incomplete. You missed QED. Quod errat demonstrandum. It has been proved/shown;-)

Excellent keep up the good work Nerds

One r Quod erat demonstratum

Best to write AM / PM in capital letters. (‘periods’ are out of fashion) and it’s harder to read. a.m. / p.m. and quicker to type.

Comments are closed.

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25 Latin Phrases Every Student Should Know Posted by Brittany Britanniae on Jun 3, 2015 in Latin Language

These phrases will assist in all student’s ability to write well and impress their instructors. Thus, here is a list of Latin phrases that student should try to use and commit to memory during the summer for their fall terms (if they are not in summer school/session). Latin is more than a dead language; it is access to a better understanding to terms that are used in daily academics.

A generated meme created at Philosoraptor

1. Carpe diem : This well-known phrase comes from a poem by Horace. While there have been arguments about the exact translation, it is most commonly held to mean “seize the day” encouraging individuals to live life to the fullest today without expectation of a tomorrow.

2. Cogito ergo sum : Translated from the Latin, the quote means “I think, therefore I am” and comes from the writing of philosopher Rene Descartes. 6

3. Veni, vidi, vici : These famous words were purported uttered by Roman emperor Julius Caesar after a short war with Pharnaces II of Pontus. Translated, it means “I came, I saw, I conquered” an adage you can hopefully keep in mind come finals time.

4. In vino veritas : If you’re old enough to drink or have been around others who have imbibed, you’re more than likely already familiar with the wisdom behind this quote from Pliny the Elder meaning, “in wine there is the truth.” It is often followed up with “in aqua sanitas” or “in water there is health”– something all college students should remember.

5. E pluribus unum : Simply take a look at American currency to see this Latin phrase in use. It means “out of many, one” and is found on anything bearing the seal of the United States.

6. Et tu, Brute?: These are the famous last words of Julius Caesar after he is murdered by his friend Marcus Brutus in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. They mean “Even you, Brutus?” and are used poetically today to designate any form of the utmost betrayal.

7. Ad infinitum : You might be able to guess what this phrase means simply through its similarity to the word we use in English. It means “to infinity” and can be used to describe something that goes on, seemingly or actually endlessly, as some students might feel about certain classes.

8. De facto : In Latin, de facto means “from the fact” and in use in English it is often used to distinguish was is supposed to be the case from what is actually the reality. For example, legally, employers are not allowed to discriminate in hiring because of age, but many still practice de facto (in reality, in fact) discrimination.

9. In toto : No, this phrase doesn’t mean that the cute little dog from The Wizard of Oz ate something, it means in all or entirely. Think of it as saying “in total” in a really weird voice.

10. Ipso facto : Meaning “by the fact itself” this commonly used and misused term is denotes when something is true by its very nature. For example, if you don’t feed your dog you are ipso facto a bad owner.

11. Tabula rasa : When you were a child, your mind might have been more of a tabula rasa than it is today. This Latin phrase means “clean slate” and denotes something or someone not affected by experiences and impressions.

12. Terra firma : Those who hate to fly or get seriously seasick will be able to put this term to good use. It means firm ground, and you might be thanking your lucky stars to be back on it after a trip through the air or rough waters.

13. Mea culpa : If you want to admit your own guilt or wrongdoing in a situation, use this Latin phrase that translates literally to “my fault.” It’s a bit like a fancier, less outdated way of saying “my bad.”

14. Persona non grata : From the Latin meaning an “unacceptable person” this term designates someone who’s no longer welcome in a social or business situation.

15. In situ : If something happens in situ it happens in place or on site, though the term often designates something that exists in an original or natural state. Like a rare species sighted in situ or an invaluable artifact found on an archeological site.

16. In vitro : Most students will be familiar with this term because of modern fertility treatments, but have you ever considered what the term actually means? In Latin, in vitro means “in glass” and any biological process that occurs in the laboratory rather than in the body or a natural setting can be called in vitro.

17. In vivo : While an experiment taking place in a glass test tube might not cause a stir, many are up in arms about this kind of experimentation. In vivo means “within the living” and the two most common examples of this kind of experimentation are animal testing and clinical trials.

18. Ante bellum : During your history courses, you’re bound to encounter this term. It means in the most basic sense “before the war” and while it can be applied to any 4 war it is most commonly used to refer to the American Civil War and the Antebellum Era the preceded it.

19. Sic : Found in writing, this Latin word most commonly finds a home in brackets (like this: [sic]) when quoting a statement or writing. It indicates that there is a spelling or grammar error (or just something out of the ordinary) in the original quotation and that the publication has only reproduced it faithfully, not made an error of their own.

20. Id est : You’ve likely seen this term in writing before, even if you weren’t aware as it is commonly abbreviated to i.e. In Latin, it means “that is” and is used in English when the speaker or writer wants to give an example or explanation that specifies a statement.

21. Deus ex machina : In direct translation, this term means, “God out of a machine” and it harkens back ancient Greek and Roman plays. When the plot would become too tangled or confusing, the writers would simply bring in God, lowered in via a pulley system (the machine) and he would wrap it all up. Today, it’s still used in literature to describe a plot where an artificial or improbable means of resolving a conflict is used.

22. Exempli gratia : You’ll often see this term abbreviated to e.g. in writing. It means “for the sake of example” and when it see it in a sentence you can expect that is will be followed by some examples.

23. Et cetera : Few out there aren’t familiar with this term but may not know it as well when it’s spelled out like this and not abbreviated as etc. Meaning “and the others” it is used to denote that a list of things could continue ad infinitum (see below for definition) and that for the sake of brevity it’s better to just wrap things up with a simple etc.

24. Ex libris : Back in the days when books were rarer and more expensive commodities than they were today, it was common to mark your books with a label bearing your own name and this phrase which means “from the library of.” While not as common today, some true bibliophiles still use the labels.

25. Ibidem : Another abbreviated term, this word is more commonly seen in research writing in the form of “ibid.” From the Latin for “in the same place” it is found in footnotes and bibliographies to designate that the same source has been cited twice in succession.

26. Et alii: You’re unlikely to encounter this Latin phrase in its unabbreviated form, and will most likely only ever see it as et al when included. This is also a term that is found in footnotes and bibliographies which allows writers to refer to a large 3 number of authors without having to write each name out (for example, you could say that your source is Dr. Henry Jones et al.)

Information courtesy of www.oedb.org

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

About the Author: Brittany Britanniae

Hello There! Please feel free to ask me anything about Latin Grammar, Syntax, or the Ancient World.

Re #10 above – reportedly Art Buchwald had a lapso apso named Ipso Facto.

@Maggie Lhasa* Apso

I would live to learn everything about Latin as a language – I would love to learn all the meaning translation etc

Jose Barba Martin:

Ego re vera aliquem (virum vel mulierem) voluerim cognoscere qui/quae sua vice etiam desideraret Litteras latine mecum exarare et mutuatim dare.

David L. Crockett:

CARPE SCROTUM: ‘Seize the testicles and the man will follow.’ Seriously, I have heard the common greeting among Roman men was to briefly cup each other’s testicles. It emplied both power and trust. Has anyone else heard this? I’ve asked this elsewhere, but I’ll put it out there again: Has anyone heard of a comical poem in Latin, English and a corruption of both, entitled: “Unus Canis et Duo Pouer”? My latin teacher gave her class a copy if this many years ago, but I lost it and can’t find it anywhere on the web. It’s about two boys and their hound dog on a “coon” hunt under a full moon. All I remember is the very beginning…”The nocht was lit by lux of luna, twas a nocht most opportuna for a possum or a coona. Unus cainus et dou pouer, the former, of which, there was none truer…” And the rest I don’t remember. Quite possibly it was never published. Would appreciate any help. My Latin teacher always used the phrase “Ad Infinitum, Ad Nausium”, so I’ll end here. Remember: ID EST QUOD ID EST!

Asinus asinum fricat

Have you ever come across an ancient Greek or Hebrew phrase, “sealed of,” denoting the sealing authority, whose name or mark is represented in the seal itself, for example (and this is hypothetical), “the letter was sealed of Plato,” or “was sealed of Athens?” I suspect that such a phrase would naturally evolve over the thousands of years of the seal’s use, an abbreviated phrase distinguishing between the one who might perform the sealing and the authorizing power that stands behind it.

Were the words, “sealed of,” used anciently in Greek or in Hebrew to denote the particular authority standing behind a given seal?

Thanks for the resource

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21 Latin Phrases Every Writer Should Know

• Persona Non Grata “An unwelcome person” (lately defined, by some, as a literary agent).
• Habeas Corpus “You have the body” (the legal right to appear before a judge).
• Cogito Ergo Sum “I think, therefore I am.” For a writer it would be “Scribo ergo sum.”
• Deus Ex Machina “God from the Machine.” In a novel it basically means the author has written something too convenient to explain events, a plot device to solve the unsolvable problem.
• E Pluribus Unum “Out of many, one.” Would you dare use this phrase to describe a book: “Many words, one book”?
• Carpe Diem “Seize the day,” incorrectly used to describe a particular species of fish. Should not, if swapping the “a” and the “r,” be used to describe the nature of your day.
• Quid Pro Quo “This for that” or, in other words, “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”
• Non Sequitur “It does not follow,” a conclusion that is not connected to the statements leading up to it. For example, “Trees are made of wood. My pencil is made of wood. It’s time to finish typing my book.”
• Ad Hominem “To the man.” During an argument or discussion, one party attacks their opponent’s reputation or expertise, rather than sticking to the issue at hand. A daily practice on social media.
• Alter Ego Literally, “other self.” Incorrectly misspelled and then used to describe certain preachers.
• Soli Deo Gloria “Glory to God alone,” a motto of the Reformation. Johann Sebastian Bach would sign his compositions with the initials S.D.G.
• Caveat Emptor “Let the buyer beware” (before you use the “Buy Now” feature on any online site).
• Pro Bono “Done without charge,” incorrectly used by fans of U2.
• Memento Mori “Remember your mortality” (also the name of an album by the band Flyleaf).
• Caveat Lector “Let the reader beware” (be nice to your reading audience!).
• Sui Generis “Of its own kind” or “unique,” a key principle in copyright or intellectual property law.
• Alma Mater Literally, “Nourishing mother.” More often used when referring to the school you attended. But what if you went to Alma School?
• Veni, vidi, vici “I came, I saw, I conquered,” a message supposedly sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate to describe a battle in 47 BC. For the writer? “Veni, vidi, scripsi” (I came, I saw, I wrote).
• Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam “For the Greater Glory of God.” See 1 Corinthians 10:31. Johann Sebastian Bach also used the initials A.M.D.G.
• Mea Culpa “By my fault,” or, in common language today, “My bad.”
• Per Diem “Per day.” A business may give an employee a set amount of money they can spend each day while taking a trip on behalf of the company. Also known as “I can only afford a bowl of hot water and some ketchup when I travel.”

About Steve Laube

Steve Laube, president and founder of The Steve Laube Agency, a veteran of the bookselling industry with 40 years of experience. View all posts by Steve Laube →

Reader Interactions

February 11, 2022 at 5:55 am

I don’t usually read my emails before I have my quiet time in the morning, but my husband is away and I have to make my own cup of hot tea today. Thanks for the humor to to start the day while I wait on my tea to steep!

February 11, 2022 at 6:48 am

These are so fun, especially with the added levity. You taught me some new ones (and new interpretations of some I already knew). I had heard about Bach signing with S.D.G. but didn’t know about A.M.D.G. Very interesting. Thanks for the nice start to Friday.

February 11, 2022 at 7:00 am

So interesting, Steve! Thank you for sharing!

February 11, 2022 at 8:01 am

This is a keeper. I created a Word document so I can reference these.

February 11, 2022 at 8:10 am

I needed the refresher course, Steve. Thanks!

February 11, 2022 at 8:21 am

I’d never seen “Sui Generis” before. Thanks.

February 11, 2022 at 8:24 am

You hooked me with the picture of the puppy! This was so good and humorous!! A nice read this morning.

February 11, 2022 at 12:14 pm

Felix canis!

February 11, 2022 at 9:15 am

These are great! Can’t believe how often “Ad Hominem” shows up … actually, it’s become the norm for a lawyer defending someone accused of rape. Blah!

February 11, 2022 at 9:22 am

These were terrific! Thanks for posting!

February 11, 2022 at 10:16 am

I took Latin in middle school, and I still love the language. There’s one you left off the list: James Scott Bell’s admonition to be diligent in our work. “Carpe Typem.” (Seize the typewriter.)

February 11, 2022 at 10:17 am

So many of these phrases have become part of our everyday writing life, depending on the type of story you’re writing. Thank you for the list. It’s good to keep in mind what each of them mean so we can use them properly.

February 11, 2022 at 10:41 am

Don’t forget D.V. (Deo volente)!“God willing,” as in, “Everyone in our writing group plans to publish, D.V.”

Or, as my church history prof said, “it’s the Latin equivalent of, ‘Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.’” 🙂

February 11, 2022 at 12:07 pm

As a prior student of Latin, I knew most of these phrases, but I enjoyed reading them with your humorous perspective. Thanks!

February 11, 2022 at 12:09 pm

I forgot one:

Carpe Crustum!

The best way to start a special day… (you have to look it up…)

February 11, 2022 at 5:02 pm

Lol, we do carpe crustum for birthdays, but I always feel sick for the rest of the morning. So I might stick to my boring, usual, morning fare. Thanks for the suggestion anyway! 🙂

February 11, 2022 at 12:19 pm

Steve….you and your excellent crew always amaze me. It’s great hearing from a Literary Agency staffed by people with both feet on the floor. Bill McBride, “The ROOT of all EVIL”

February 11, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Superb information! Thanks! You are more highbrow than I suspected.

February 11, 2022 at 3:03 pm

Thank ouyay orfay ouryay oughtsthay. Iyay amyay ayay uetray intellectualyay .

February 13, 2022 at 5:55 am

In my case, the phrase is, “Mea maxima culpa” (“my most grievous fault”). BTW, “Memento Mori” is also the name of the gift shop next to The Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World.

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1590s, "trial, attempt, endeavor," also "short, discursive literary composition" (first attested in writings of Francis Bacon, probably in imitation of Montaigne), from French essai "trial, attempt, essay" (in Old French from 12c.), from Late Latin exagium "a weighing, a weight," from Latin exigere "drive out; require, exact; examine, try, test," from ex "out" (see ex- ) + agere "to set in motion, drive" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move") apparently meaning here "to weigh." The suggestion is of unpolished writing. Compare assay , also examine .

"to put to proof, test the mettle of," late 15c., from French essaier , from essai "trial, attempt" (see essay (n.)). This sense has mostly gone with the divergent spelling assay . Meaning "to attempt" is from 1640s. Related: Essayed ; essaying .

Entries linking to essay

c. 1300, "to try, endeavor, strive; test the quality of," from Anglo-French assaier , from assai (n.), from Old French assai , variant of essai "trial" (see essay (n.)). Related: Assayed ; assaying .

c. 1300, "put (someone) to question in regard to knowledge, competence, or skill, inquire into qualifications or capabilities;" mid-14c., "inspect or survey (something) carefully, scrutinize, view or observe in all aspects with the purpose of forming a correct opinion or judgment," from Old French examiner "interrogate, question, torture," from Latin examinare "to test or try; consider, ponder," literally "to weigh," from examen "a means of weighing or testing," probably ultimately from exigere "demand, require, enforce," literally "to drive or force out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex- ) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward; to do, perform" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move"). Legal sense of "question or hear (a witness in court)" is from early 15c. Related: Examined ; examining .

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Brett & Kate McKay • May 10, 2019 • Last updated: October 1, 2023

Latin Words and Phrases Every Man Should Know

What do great men like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt all have in common?

They all were proficient in Latin.

From the Middle Ages until about the middle of the 20th century, Latin was a central part of a man’s schooling in the West. Along with logic and rhetoric, grammar (as Latin was then known) was included as part of the Trivium – the foundation of a medieval liberal arts education. From Latin, all scholarship flowed and it was truly the gateway to the life of the mind, as the bulk of scientific, religious, legal, and philosophical literature was written in the language until about the 16 th century. To immerse oneself in classical and humanistic studies, Latin was a must.

Grammar schools in Europe and especially England during this time were Latin schools, and the first secondary school established in America by the Puritans was a Latin school as well. But beginning in the 14 th century, writers started to use the vernacular in their works, which slowly chipped away at Latin’s central importance in education. This trend for English-language learning accelerated in the 19 th century; schools shifted from turning out future clergymen to graduating businessmen who would take their place in an industrializing economy. An emphasis on the liberal arts slowly gave way to what was considered a more practical education in reading, writing , and arithmetic.

While Latin had been dying a slow death for hundreds of years, it still had a strong presence in schools until the middle of the 20 th century. Beginning in the 1960s, college students demanded that the curriculum be more open, inclusive, and less Euro-centric. Among their suggested changes was eliminating Latin as a required course for all students. To quell student protests, universities began to slowly phase out the Latin requirement, and because colleges stopped requiring Latin, many high schools in America stopped offering Latin classes, too.  Around the same time, the Catholic Church revised its liturgy and permitted priests to lead Mass in vernacular languages instead of Latin, thus eliminating one of the public’s last ties to the ancient language.

While it’s no longer a requirement for a man to know Latin to get ahead in life, it’s still a great subject to study. I had to take classes in Latin as part of my “Letters” major at the University of Oklahoma, and I really enjoyed it. Even if you’re well out of school yourself, there are a myriad of reasons why you should still consider obtaining at least a rudimentary knowledge of the language:

Knowing Latin can improve your English vocabulary.  While English is a Germanic language, Latin has strongly influenced it. Most of our prefixes and some of the roots of common English words derive from Latin. By some estimates, 30% of English words derive from the ancient language. By knowing the meaning of these Latin words, if you chance to come across a word you’ve never seen before, you can make an educated guess at what it means. In fact, studies have found that high school students who studied Latin scored a mean of 647 on the SAT verbal exam, compared with the national average of 505.

Knowing Latin can improve your foreign language vocabulary.   Much of the commonly spoken Romanic languages like Spanish, French, and Italian derived from Vulgar Latin. You’ll be surprised by the number of Romanic words that are pretty much the same as their Latin counterparts.

Many legal terms are in Latin. Nolo contendere. Mens rea. Caveat emptor. Do you know what those mean? They’re actually common legal terms. While strides have been made to translate legal writing into plain English, you’ll still see old Latin phrases thrown into legal contracts every now and then. To be an educated citizen and consumer, you need to know what these terms mean. If you plan on going to law school, I highly recommend boning up on Latin. You’ll run into it all the time, particularly when reading older case law.

Knowing Latin can give you more insight to history and literature.   Latin was the  lingua franca  of the West for over a thousand years. Consequently, much of our history, science, and great literature was first recorded in Latin. Reading these classics in the original language can give you insights you otherwise may have missed by consuming it in English.

Moreover, modern writers (and by modern I mean beginning in the 17th century) often pepper their work with Latin words and phrases without offering a translation because they (reasonably) expect the reader to be familiar with it. This is true of great books from even just a few decades ago (seems much less common these days – which isn’t a hopeful commentary on the direction of the public’s literacy I would think). Not having a rudimentary knowledge of Latin will cause you to miss out on fully understanding what the writer meant to convey.

Below we’ve put together a list of Latin words and phrases to help pique your interest in learning this classical language. This list isn’t exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination. We’ve included some of the most common Latin words and phrases that you still see today, which are helpful to know in boosting your all-around cultural literacy . We’ve also included some particularly virile sayings, aphorisms , and mottos that can inspire greatness or remind us of important truths. Perhaps you’ll find a Latin phrase that you can adopt as your personal motto. Semper Virilis!

• a posteriori — from the latter; knowledge or justification is dependent on experience or empirical evidence
• a priori — from what comes before; knowledge or justification is independent of experience
• acta non verba — deeds, not words
• ad hoc — to this — improvised or made up
• ad hominem — to the man; below-the-belt personal attack rather than a reasoned argument
• ad honorem — for honor
• ad infinitum — to infinity
• ad nauseam — used to describe an argument that has been taking place to the point of nausea
• ad victoriam — to victory; more commonly translated into “for victory,” this was a battle cry of the Romans
• alea iacta est — the die has been cast
• alias — at another time; an assumed name or pseudonym
• alibi — elsewhere
• alma mater — nourishing mother; used to denote one’s college/university
• amor patriae — love of one’s country
• amor vincit omnia — love conquers all
• annuit cœptis –He (God) nods at things being begun; or “he approves our undertakings,” motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the United States one-dollar bill
• ante bellum — before the war; commonly used in the Southern United States as antebellum to refer to the period preceding the American Civil War
• ante meridiem — before noon; A.M., used in timekeeping
• aqua vitae — water of life; used to refer to various native distilled beverages, such as whisky (uisge beatha) in Scotland and Ireland, gin in Holland, and brandy (eau de vie) in France
• arte et marte — by skill and valour
• astra inclinant, sed non obligant — the stars incline us, they do not bind us; refers to the strength of free will over astrological determinism
• audemus jura nostra defendere — we dare to defend our rights; state motto of Alabama
• audere est facere — to dare is to do
• audio — I hear
• aurea mediocritas — golden mean; refers to the ethical goal of reaching a virtuous middle ground between two sinful extremes
• auribus teneo lupum — I hold a wolf by the ears; a common ancient proverb; indicates that one is in a dangerous situation where both holding on and letting go could be deadly; a modern version is, “to have a tiger by the tail”
• aut cum scuto aut in scuto — either with shield or on shield; do or die, “no retreat”; said by Spartan mothers to their sons as they departed for battle
• aut neca aut necare — either kill or be killed
• aut viam inveniam aut faciam — I will either find a way or make one; said by Hannibal, the great ancient military commander
• barba non facit philosophum — a beard doesn’t make one a philosopher
• bellum omnium contra omnes — war of all against all
• bis dat qui cito dat — he gives twice, who gives promptly; a gift given without hesitation is as good as two gifts
• bona fide — good faith
• bono malum superate — overcome evil with good
• carpe diem — seize the day
• caveat emptor — let the buyer beware; the purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need
• circa — around, or approximately
• citius altius forties — faster, higher, stronger; modern Olympics motto
• cogito ergo sum — “I think therefore I am”; famous quote by Rene Descartes
• contemptus mundi/saeculi — scorn for the world/times; despising the secular world, the monk or philosopher’s rejection of a mundane life and worldly values
• corpus christi — body of Christ
• corruptissima re publica plurimae leges — when the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous; said by Tacitus
• creatio ex nihilo — creation out of nothing; a concept about creation, often used in a theological or philosophical context
• cura te ipsum — take care of your own self; an exhortation to physicians, or experts in general, to deal with their own problems before addressing those of others
• curriculum vitae — the course of one’s life; in business, a lengthened resume
• de facto — from the fact; distinguishing what’s supposed to be from what is reality
• deo volente — God willing
• deus ex machina — God out of a machine; a term meaning a conflict is resolved in improbable or implausible ways
• dictum factum — what is said is done
• disce quasi semper victurus vive quasi cras moriturus — learn as if you’re always going to live; live as if tomorrow you’re going to die
• discendo discimus — while teaching we learn
• docendo disco, scribendo cogito — I learn by teaching, think by writing
• ductus exemplo — leadership by example
• ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt — the fates lead the willing and drag the unwilling; attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca
• dulce bellum inexpertis — war is sweet to the inexperienced
• dulce et decorum est pro patria mori — it is sweet and fitting to die for your country
• dulcius ex asperis — sweeter after difficulties
• e pluribus unum — out of many, one; on the U.S. seal, and was once the country’s de facto motto
• emeritus — veteran; retired from office
• ergo — therefore
• et alii — and others; abbreviated et al.
• et cetera — and the others
• et tu, Brute? — last words of Caesar after being murdered by friend Brutus in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar , used today to convey utter betrayal
• ex animo — from the heart; thus, “sincerely”
• ex libris — from the library of; to mark books from a library
• ex nihilo — out of nothing
• ex post facto — from a thing done afterward; said of a law with retroactive effect
• faber est suae quisque fortunae — every man is the artisan of his own fortune; quote by Appius Claudius Caecus
• fac fortia et patere — do brave deeds and endure
• fac simile — make alike; origin of the word “fax”
• flectere si nequeo superos, acheronta movebo — if I cannot move heaven I will raise hell; from Virgil’s Aeneid
• fortes fortuna adiuvat — fortune favors the bold
• fortis in arduis — strong in difficulties
• gloria in excelsis Deo — glory to God in the highest
• habeas corpus — you should have the body; a legal term from the 14th century or earlier; commonly used as the general term for a prisoner’s right to challenge the legality of their detention
• habemus papam — we have a pope; used after a Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope
• historia vitae magistra — history, the teacher of life; from Cicero; also “history is the mistress of life”
• hoc est bellum — this is war
• homo unius libri (timeo) — (I fear) a man of one book; attributed to Thomas Aquinas
• honor virtutis praemium — esteem is the reward of virtue
• hostis humani generis — enemy of the human race; Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general
• humilitas occidit superbiam — humility conquers pride
• igne natura renovatur integra — through fire, nature is reborn whole
• ignis aurum probat — fire tests gold; a phrase referring to the refining of character through difficult circumstances
• in absentia — in the absence
• in aqua sanitas — in water there is health
• in flagrante delicto — in flaming crime; caught red-handed, or in the act
• in memoriam — into the memory; more commonly “in memory of”
• in omnia paratus — ready for anything
• in situ — in position; something that exists in an original or natural state
• in toto — in all or entirely
• in umbra, igitur, pugnabimus — then we will fight in the shade; made famous by Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae and by the movie 300
• in utero — in the womb
• in vitro — in glass; biological process that occurs in the lab
• incepto ne desistam — may I not shrink from my purpose
• intelligenti pauca — few words suffice for he who understands
• invicta — unconquered
• invictus maneo — I remain unvanquished
• ipso facto — by the fact itself; something is true by its very nature
• labor omnia vincit — hard work conquers all
• laborare pugnare parati sumus — to work, (or) to fight ; we are ready
• labore et honore — by labor and honor
• leges sine moribus vanae — laws without morals [are] vain
• lex parsimoniae — law of succinctness; also known as Occam’s Razor; the simplest explanation is usually the correct one
• lex talionis — the law of retaliation
• magna cum laude — with great praise
• magna est vis consuetudinis — great is the power of habit
• magnum opus — great work; said of someone’s masterpiece
• mala fide — in bad faith; said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud or mislead someone; opposite of bona fide
• malum in se — wrong in itself; a legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong
• malum prohibitum — wrong due to being prohibited; a legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is against the law
• mea culpa — my fault
• meliora — better things; carrying the connotation of “always better”
• memento mori — remember that [you will] die; was whispered by a servant into the ear of a victorious Roman general to check his pride as he paraded through cheering crowds after a victory; a genre of art meant to remind the viewer of the reality of his death
• memento vivere — remember to live
• memores acti prudentes future — mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be
• modus operandi — method of operating; abbreviated M.O.
• montani semper liberi — mountaineers [are] always free; state motto of West Virginia
• morior invictus — death before defeat
• morituri te salutant — those who are about to die salute you; popularized as a standard salute from gladiators to the emperor, but only recorded once in Roman history
• morte magis metuenda senectus — old age should rather be feared than death
• mulgere hircum — to milk a male goat; to attempt the impossible
• multa paucis — say much in few words
• nanos gigantum humeris insidentes — dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants; commonly known by the letters of Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”
• nec aspera terrent — they don’t terrify the rough ones; frightened by no difficulties; less literally “difficulties be damned”
• nec temere nec timide — neither reckless nor timid
• nil volentibus arduum — nothing [is] arduous for the willing
• nolo contendere — I do not wish to contend; that is, “no contest”; a plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn’t admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime
• non ducor, duco — I am not led; I lead
• non loqui sed facere — not talk but action
• non progredi est regredi — to not go forward is to go backward
• non scholae, sed vitae discimus — we learn not for school, but for life; from Seneca
• non sequitur — it does not follow; in general, a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent); often used in humor
• non sum qualis eram — I am not such as I was; or “I am not the kind of person I once was”
• nosce te ipsum — know thyself; from Cicero
• novus ordo seclorum — new order of the ages; from Virgil; motto on the Great Seal of the United States
• nulla tenaci invia est via — for the tenacious, no road is impassable
• obliti privatorum, publica curate — forget private affairs, take care of public ones; Roman political saying which reminds that common good should be given priority over private matters for any person having a responsibility in the State
• panem et circenses — bread and circuses; originally described all that was needed for emperors to placate the Roman mob; today used to describe any entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters
• para bellum — prepare for war; if you want peace, prepare for war; if a country is ready for war, its enemies are less likely to attack
• parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus — when you are steeped in little things, you shall safely attempt great things; sometimes translated as, “once you have accomplished small things, you may attempt great ones safely”
• pater familias — father of the family ; the eldest male in a family
• pecunia, si uti scis, ancilla est; si nescis, domina — if you know how to use money , money is your slave; if you don’t, money is your master
• per angusta ad augusta — through difficulties to greatness
• per annum — by the year
• per capita — by the person
• per diem — by the day
• per se — through itself
• persona non grata — person not pleasing; an unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person
• pollice verso — with a turned thumb; used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator
• post meridiem — after noon; P.M.; used in timekeeping
• post mortem — after death
• postscriptum — thing having been written afterward; in writing, abbreviated P.S.
• praemonitus praemunitus — forewarned is forearmed
• praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes — lead in order to serve, not in order to rule
• primus inter pares — first among equals; a title of the Roman Emperors
• pro bono — for the good; in business, refers to services rendered at no charge
• pro rata — for the rate
• quam bene vivas referre (or refert), non quam diu — it is how well you live that matters, not how long; from Seneca
• quasi — as if; as though
• qui totum vult totum perdit — he who wants everything loses everything; attributed to Seneca
• quid agis — what’s going on; what’s up, what’s happening, etc.
• quid pro quo — this for that; an exchange of value
• quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur — whatever has been said in Latin seems deep; or “anything said in Latin sounds profound”; a recent ironic Latin phrase to poke fun at people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more important or “educated”
• quis custodiet ipsos custodes? — who will guard the guards themselves?; commonly associated with Plato
• quorum — of whom; the number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make any given meeting constitutional
• requiescat in pace — let him rest in peace; abbreviated R.I.P.
• rigor mortis — stiffness of death
• scientia ac labore — knowledge through hard work
• scientia ipsa potentia est — knowledge itself is power
• semper anticus — always forward
• semper fidelis — always faithful; U.S. Marines motto
• semper fortis — always brave
• semper paratus — always prepared
• semper virilis — always virile
• si vales, valeo — when you are strong, I am strong
• si vis pacem, para bellum — if you want peace, prepare for war
• sic parvis magna — greatness from small beginnings — motto of Sir Frances Drake
• sic semper tyrannis — thus always to tyrants; attributed to Brutus at the time of Julius Caesar’s assassination, and to John Wilkes Booth at the time of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination; whether it was actually said at either of these events is disputed
• sic vita est — thus is life; the ancient version of “it is what it is”
• sola fide — by faith alone
• sola nobilitat virtus — virtue alone ennobles
• solvitur ambulando — it is solved by walking
• spes bona — good hope
• statim (stat) — immediately; medical shorthand
• status quo — the situation in which; current condition
• subpoena — under penalty
• sum quod eris — I am what you will be; a gravestone inscription to remind the reader of the inevitability of death
• summa cum laude — with highest praise
• summum bonum — the supreme good
• suum cuique — to each his own
• tabula rasa — scraped tablet; “blank slate”; John Locke used the term to describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any knowledge
• tempora heroic — Heroic Age
• tempus edax rerum — time, devourer of all things
• tempus fugit — time flees; commonly mistranslated “time flies”
• terra firma — firm ground
• terra incognita — unknown land; used on old maps to show unexplored areas
• vae victis — woe to the conquered
• vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas — vanity of vanities; everything [is] vanity; from the Bible (Ecclesiastes 1)
• veni vidi vici — I came, I saw, I conquered; famously said by Julius Caesar
• verbatim — repeat exactly
• veritas et aequitas — truth and equity
• versus — against
• veto — I forbid
• vice versa — to change or turn around
• vincit qui patitur — he conquers who endures
• vincit qui se vincit — he conquers who conquers himself
• vir prudens non contra ventum mingit — [a] wise man does not urinate [up] against the wind
• virile agitur — the manly thing is being done
• viriliter agite — act in a manly way
• viriliter agite estote fortes — quit ye like men, be strong
• virtus tentamine gaudet — strength rejoices in the challenge
• virtute et armis — by virtue and arms; or “by manhood and weapons”; state motto of Mississippi
• vive memor leti — live remembering death
• vivere est vincere — to live is to conquer; Captain John Smith’s personal motto
• vivere militare est — to live is to fight
• vox populi — voice of the people

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Daily Writing Tips

Latin words and expressions: all you need to know.

Even though Latin is considered a dead language (no country officially speaks it), its influence upon other languages makes it still important. Latin words and expressions are present in virtually all the languages around the world, as well as on different scientific and academic fields.

Below you will find a list with the most used and important Latin words and expressions, enjoy!

Common Latin Words

alibi: elsewhere alter: another bellum: war bonus: good borealis: northern corpus: body derma: skin dies: day domus: home/house ego: I/me erectus: upright gens: family homo: human malus: bad magnus: great nemo: nobody omnis: everything pax: peace primus: first qui: who rex: king sapiens: wise terra: earth tempus: time virtus: virtue vivo: live vox: voice

Latin/Greek Numeral Prefixes

semi: half uni: one duo, bi: two tri, tris: three quadri, tetra: four penta: five hexa: six hepta: seven octo: eight ennea: nine deca: ten

Other Latin/Greek Prefixes

ad: towards ambi: both endo: within extra: in addition to exo: outside hyper: over hypo: under infra: below inter: between intro: within iso: equal liber: free macro: large micro: small mono: single multi: many omni: all proto: first poli: many tele: distant trans: across

General Latin Expressions

a priori : from the former . If you think something a priori, you are conceiving it before seeing the facts. Presupposing.

ad hoc : to this . Ad hoc refers to something that was creating for a specific purpose or situation. An ad hoc political committee, for instance, is formed for one specific case.

ad infinitum : to infinity . Something that goes ad infinitum keeps going forever. You could say that your wife hassles you ad infinitum, for example.

ad valorem : to the value . This expressed is used when something is related to the value of an object or transaction, like an ad valorem tax which is proportional to the value of the product.

ceteris paribus : other things being equal . This expressions if often used in economics where, in order to impact of something on the economy (e.g., inflation or unemployment), you need to hold other variables fixed.

de facto : common in practice , but not established by law. For example, English is the de facto official language of the United States.

honoris causa : for the sake of the honour : This is an honorary degree where an academic institution grants a doctorate to someone without the formal requirements (exams and the like). Usually the person receiving the degree has connections with the University or has made important achievements in a certain field.

in toto : entirely .

mutatis mutandis : with necessary changes . This expression is used to express agreement to something that, however, still need to be changed or amended.

per se : by itself . If something exists per se, for instance, it exists by itself, regardless of external factors.

sic : thus . Sic is usually used in newspapers or other publications (placed within square brackets [ sic ]) to indicate that the spelling error or unusual phrase on a quotation was reproduced as it was in the source, and therefore it is not an editorial error.

vice versa : the other way around . If you write “John loves Mary, and vice versa,” it means that Mary also loves John.

Q.E.D. (Quod erat demonstrandum) : which was to be demonstrated . This Latin abbreviation is often used at the end of mathematical theorems in order to demonstrate that proof is complete.

Legal Latin Expressions

bona fide : good faith . In contract law, for instance, parties must always act in good faith if they are to respect the obligations.

de jure : by law . Some states are currently working on legislation that would make English the de jure official language of the United States.

dictum (plural dicta) : a statement that forms part of the judgment of a court.

obiter dicta : a judge’s opinion offered in the course of a judgment but having no legal force.

ex parte : from, by, or for one party in a dispute . An ex parte decision is one decided by a judge without requiring all of the parties to the controversy to be present.

habeas corpus : (we command that) you bring forth the body . In this case, the “body” (corpus) refers to a living person who is being held in prison. The phrase has nothing to do with producing the corpse of an allegedly-murdered person. ipso facto : by the fact itself . Parents who have deliberately mistreated their child are ipso facto unfit custodians.

mens rea : guilty mind . The U.S. legal system requires that when a crime is committed, the perpetrator must have the intention to commit the crime. For example, a driver who strikes and kills a pedestrian because of faulty brakes is guilty of manslaughter, but not of murder. There was no intent to kill so the mind was not guilty. On the other hand, the wife who repeatedly runs over her husband with her SUV is guilty of murder because of her mens rea.

pro bono : (the original phrase is pro bono publico) for the public good . Sometimes high-priced lawyers come forward to defend suspects who would otherwise have to take their chances with someone from the Public Defender’s office. They work on the case pro bono, i.e., they don’t charge a fee.

prima facie : by first instance – this refers cases with sufficient evidence to warrant going forward with an arraignment.

quid pro quo : something for something . For example, the ADAs (assistant district attorneys) make deals with criminals, giving them shorter sentences in exchange for information that will enable them to convict other criminals. Another example of quid pro quo might occur between two lawyers, each of whom gives up some advantage to gain another.

Famous Latin Phrases

divide et impera : Divide and reign . It was a theory proposed by Niccolò Machiavelli and used previously by the Roman Senate to dominate the Mediterranean.

alea jacta est : the die is cast : This famous phrase was said by Julius Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon. Caesar was violating a law of the Roman Empire, hence why he was playing with luck. veni vidi vici : I came, I saw, I conquered . Another phrase said by Julius Caesar, this time upon the victory over Pharnaces, king of Pontus.

cogito ergo sum : I think, therefore I am . This phrase was originally said in French by René Descartes, and it represents a corner-stone of the Western philosophy. The Latin translation is more widely used, though.

carpe diem : seize the day . This phrase comes from a poem by Horace. The phrase was made famous when it was used on the movie Dead Poets Society .

deus ex machina : God out of a machine . In ancient Greece when a plot was complicated or tangled, the play writers would just insert a God in the final act in order to solve all the problems. Usually a crane machine was used to drop the actor on stage, hence the name.

homo homini lupus : man is a wolf to men . This phrase was originally said by Plauto, but other philosophers also used it, including Bacon and Hobbes. The meaning is quite straight forward.

This article was written collaboratively by Daniel and Maeve. If you think there is Latin word or expression missing just let us know and we will update it.

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125 thoughts on “Latin Words and Expressions: All You Need to Know”

Matt, yeah there is no reason to know all that by heart. It is a good idea to get familiarized though, since these words or expressions might appear on different contexts.

Expressions like de facto or per se are used routinely on newspapers and other media.

This is a nice concise list of latin phrases you’ll likely to come across. I agree there are only a few you will encounter on a routine basis.

If you Google for “Latin Phrases” you can find web sites that list literally thousands of phrases which is probably way over the top for daily use. But nonetheless can be interesting to read.

Daniel, great listl – bookmarked!

Although I’m not 100% sure that Vatican City is considered a country, its official language is Latin.

Luciano, the Vatican has no official language. I know that most documents use Latin there, but this is not specified by the constitution.

One Latin expression that seems to be missing is inter alia. Often used in legal writing to replace among others or amongst others. A good follow tip would be when do you italics for Latin expressions

A very in-depth post, but I think you should mention that you don’t actually need to know all those phrases to be competent at English. People may think we all walk about using all those phrases, which is not true.

congrats. on your site i think it very informative and pro bono it is in toto sapiens but could you possibly include the phrase used by queen elizabeth some years ago now which you can follow this link to many thank eric let me know

I was just wondering if anyone could give me a proper translation and spelling of

“in the name of the father and of the son and the holy spirit amen”

I need it for a tattoo design but I cant find it anywhere other then what has been told to me verbally so the spelling and translation might be off

verbally sounds like “et nomine fili et patre espiritu ascanti”

The two often used abbreviations e.g. and i.e. are missing, although there is a reference to another article specifically about those.

And a correction: most of the numerical prefixes are not Latin at all. “Tetra”, “penta”, “hexa”, “ennea” are Greek exclusively; the others are of Greek origin although they are borrowed by Latin as well.

Nick: This phrase reads in Latin: “In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.” (Taken from the web, so no guarantees on the correctness, although it looks about right to me.)

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So be it.

Not to pick nits but your numbers are greek.

Found a good site phrontistery dot info slash numbers dot html

And an even better one for the greek exo

wordinfo dot info

Michel, just fixed it. I made it Latin/Greek prefixes.

Dave, the masculine singular form was used for the sake of simplicity. I don’t think that an average English speaker would need to know all the forms or conjugations. Same applies for giving just the most used meaning, and not all possible meanings.

I added a Latin/Greek prefixes to the header. It is more accurate indeed.

Thanks for the heads up!

Another good Latin phrase is “silent enim leges inter arma”, “in times of war, the laws fall silent”. The maxim was rephrased as “inter arma enim silent leges” and was used after September 11 by the US media to whip up the population into supporting GWB’s warmongering.

The phrase was first used in Cicero’s Pro Milone ( .

It’s a good list, though you only give masculine singular forms for adjectives and there are a few words where you’ve only given one meaning out of many, and most of the prefixes are from Greek, not Latin (endo, exo, hyper, hypo, macro, micro, mono, proto, poli (should be poly) and tele).

And you spelled ‘hourse’ [sic] wrong next to “domus”.

Nice list though 🙂

Actually the medical field still uses the Latin roots in medical terminology. The Pope is also trying to get the Catholic Mass reverted back to Latin. So for those needing even a small refresher on Latin this is a good starting point.

“sic fide crustilum” – “thats the way the cookie crumbles” the baldchemist. my translation of modern idiom.

Et Tu Brute?

Good list. You might want to add “res ipsa loquitur” (the thing speaks for itself — to the legal list.

And, BTW, Plato is misspelled in the last entry

Chris, it was not Plato who said that, but Plauto 🙂 .

I am thankful, just about every day, for the ONE year I took Latin in High School.

I took it initially to help me in a Scientific field, but it helps in every day life – so much so that I actually bought an old Latin text book on eBay last year.

Who else do you know that can conjegate the verb ‘to go’ in Latin???

In pari delicto yes knowing these is not guilt and not knowing is equally not guilt. Interesting post and it gave me a chance to recall a lot of latin terms that were forced upon while learning law and particularly edictum. uberima fedi is the warning for those who use these terms out of context or just to add glitter

I’ve always wanted to take Latin. It seemed like a fun language and I could make fun of my bro-in-law’s girlfriend and she wouldn’t know what was what. xD

HOW ARE YOU

Jenny: it’s not fun, it’s FUNctional. Very useful to have a root in Latin/Ancient Greek for learning new languages down the line.

As for insulting people in Latin, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. There are only so many insults until you run out of useful vocabulary. That and the fact that nobody can understand you, and when you point out that you were speaking Latin, nobody cares, unless they want you to re-enact that bit from Monty Python (‘romanes eunt domus, people called Romans they go the house?’).

Still, don’t want to put you off learning it – some of the best stories that have ever been told were originally told in Latin (Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Virgil’s Aeneid etc.), some of the wittiest things ever written too (Martial’s Epigrams, Juvenal’s Satires, anything by Ovid), the framework of the language helps your brain work in a logical and analytical way, and knowledge of Latin helps you with any other languages you want to learn (even non-inflected tongues, it still helps with your grammar basis).

However, it most certainly isn’t *fun* until you gain fluency (which takes a long time due to the amount of grammatical constructions and vocabulary (including ‘hapax legomenon’s – words that only occur once in surviving works); and making fun of people in Latin is really not going to gain you any cool points.

Also, in-depth study of classical languages often makes your written prose sound like somebody double or triple your age.

I’m 24.

“Quod era demonstrandum” – should be Quod eraT demonstrandum, I think. Nice list, though.

post hoc ergo propter hoc a fortiori in medio stat virtus in media res ad interim ab ovo usque ad mala

and fix homo homini lupus (not hominis..)

How about “Obesa cantavit” —the Fat Lady has sung?…or “Oscula terga mea”—Press your lips to my nether regions…or something like that 🙂

Isn’t it

Homo homini lupus est ?

( I think in this sense it’s a bit like English, needs a meaningless verb)

Great article!

I am so glad that I was able to study Latin in High School. In the early 1960’s Latin was still a compulsory course, though the year after I started high school it was removed from the curriculum, in itself, a word of interesting Latin origin.

Latin has a certain authority that other languages lack, especially in its written form.

The powerful WW1 poem by Wilfred Owen entitled “Dulce et Decorum Est” would not have the same impact were the title written in any other language.

The title and the Latin exhortation of the final two lines are drawn from a poem of Horace (Odes iii 2.13):

“Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori: mors et fugacem persequitur virum nec parcit inbellis iuventae poplitibus timidove tergo.”

“How sweet and fitting it is to die for your native land: Death pursues the man who flees, spares not the hamstrings or cowardly backs Of battle-shy youths.”

Indeed, Owen’s brilliant play on words and horrific imagery showed exactly how ‘unsweet’ it really is to die in combat for one’s native land.

i want to say: Who cares?/a quien le importa

I thought quis curat/capit/attendet is that right?

I really nejoyed this article. However I am reminded of the Latin lesson scene in Monty Python’s Life of Brian though:

CENTURION: What’s this, then? ‘Romanes Eunt Domus’? ‘People called Romanes they go the house’?

BRIAN: It– it says, ‘Romans, go home’.

CENTURION: No, it doesn’t. What’s Latin for ‘Roman’? Come on! (grabs brian’s ear)

BRIAN: Aah!

CENTURION: Come on!

BRIAN: ‘R– Romanus’?

CENTURION: Goes like…?

BRIAN: ‘Annus’?

CENTURION: Vocative plural of ‘annus’ is…?

BRIAN: (in pain) Eh. ‘Anni’?

CENTURION: (correcting gaffiti) ‘Romani’.

And so on…. Great stuff. i recommend it if you’ve not seen it.

thanks for that post though. i will check back if i come across some Latin i don’t understand (never took it high school)

cheers Jason

hi, does anybody know how to say “the received knowledge” in latin? Especially with regards to school of thoughts….i.e. “Columbus broke with the received knowledge that the world was flat and sailed across….”

How about KLATUU NIKTO BARUNDA? 🙂

I meant KLATUU BARADA NIKTO.

However, it might be Hebrew because I got it from a Hollywood movie.

“Columbus broke with the received knowledge that the world was flat and sailed across….” Well, I don’t remember enough Latin to respond to Cecilia, but I do know that Columbus was not ignorant of the spherical world. What he reckoned wrong was the circumference of said globe, and those who opposed his voyage did so because his math was incorrect in determining the distance to the East.

There were a number of errors in this article, such as the mis-spelling of Descartes, philosophers, contact law instead of contract law and several grammatical mistakes. I do suggest it is re-read and corrections made. So much for promoting excellence in English spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Fixed the two typos you found Pat, thanks.

I’m going mad trying to find the proper idiomatic translations of two Latin phrases (rather than word for word). Could anyone help?

Dolce cose a vedere, e dolci inganni –

Sempre il mal non vien per nuocere –

Many thanks,

Rob Tootell

foreign languages are actually interesting. But to be master in those languages need to work hard.Latin is the one which we used to learn since our school days. I think some important words are useful for us which are common for all.If we go for vast then it will be difficult for the readers to understand. Thank you

I suggest “caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware). “Caveat” is used as “warning”.

Rob Tootell,

> Dolce cose a vedere, e dolci inganni – > Sempre il mal non vien per nuocere –

Rather a feeling – or attempt at interpretation – than an actual understanding:

“Some things are sweet to see, even being an illusion – Bad things don’t always harm you”

I enjoy your Latin expressions. Latin is currently a dead language except for the die hard in the Vatican and a minority of scholars that still use it. I am afraid that Latin might not be suitable for the translation of modern concepts such as: motorcycle, jet propulsion,radar,electro magnetic pulse, to name a few.

I want entire abbriviated list for the english languege of daily [common] routing life.

Can somebody explain the expression “Ingnis Sanctum”? Thanks to all!

Can somebody explain me the mean of “Ignis Sanctum”? Many thanks to all! Bye

Where can i find the latin word for went?

I’m going mad trying to find the proper idiomatic translations of two Latin phrases (rather than word for word). Could anyone help?

You’ll go mad…because they’re not Latin. They look like Italian (though the second looks like it has some French mixed in with it; I don’t think “il mal non vien” is Italian)

I am afraid that Latin might not be suitable for the translation of modern concepts such as: motorcycle, jet propulsion,radar,electro magnetic pulse, to name a few.

Where do you think the words “motor”, “pro-pulsion”, and “pulse” come from? And “cycle”, “electro-” and “magnetic” are from Greek. That only leaves “jet” and “radar”; I don’t know where the former comes from, and the latter is an abbreviation (“RAdio Detection And Ranging”…which is mostly Latinate, too!)

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Translation of "essay" into Latin

thesis, progymnasma, meditatio are the top translations of "essay" into Latin. Sample translated sentence: He delivered lectures and wrote essays in a simple language, along with the statistics from original and authentic sources and documents, so that common man can also understand. ↔ Postea et alios doctores acquisivit; ipse libere fontes scriptos, originales et conversos, cognoscebat.

A written composition of moderate length exploring a particular issue or subject. [..]

English-Latin dictionary

Progymnasma.

written composition

Less frequent translations

• Progymnasma
• temptamentum

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"Essay" in English - Latin dictionary

Currently we have no translations for Essay in the dictionary, maybe you can add one? Make sure to check automatic translation, translation memory or indirect translations.

Phrases similar to "essay" with translations into Latin

• Essay, Orne Essay
• essay to treat inchoo
• Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality Drei Abhandlungen zur Sexualtheorie
• proof essay temptamentum

Translations of "essay" into Latin in sentences, translation memory