Latin terminology, origins, meanings, translations, usage
Below is a list of Latin terms which (to varying degrees) are still used in English.
Some of this Latin terminology is very common in general speech and written communications; other Latin terms are more rarely used, in specialized situations, notably for example in law, science, and education/academia.
Latin terminology, expressions and phrases feature widely in the English language. The modern meanings and usage, while evolved and adapted, mostly still generally reflect the original literal translations.
Latin is a regarded as a 'dead' language because it is not used as a main language in day-to-day communications and life.
Latin however remains very much alive as a highly significant language, especially in technical references.
Here are just a few examples of Latin terms which are used very widely in English, including some extremely common abbreviations:
- ad hoc
- alias
- bona fide
- e.g. (exempli gratia)
- etc. (et cetera )
- i.e. (id est)
- N.B. (nota bene), and
- P.S. (post script)
There are many more very familiar Latin terms in the listing below, together with the literal/original meanings, and modern usage examples.
For a 'dead' language, the resilience of Latin is extraordinary. Its resilience would be extraordinary were Latin a living language.
Latin is still taught to millions of students around the world, and will continue to be for a very long time to come.
Fundamentally this is because:
- Latin is the (or a) main and most recent root language for many major world languages.
- Also, for centuries, in fact for two millennia, Latin been a main language of scholarship and academia.
More specifically:
- Latin has for many centuries been used widely in law. Law is crucial to governance and leadership, society and civilization, diplomacy and international relations, business, trade, and commerce, finance, the military, and therefore so is Latin.
- Latin has for many centuries been the language of the Christian religion, notably of Roman Catholicism. Christianity became an empire of sorts, which in its own way for centuries effectively ruled most of the world.
- Latin has for many centuries been a crucial language for all of the sciences, therefore Latin has been crucial also to innovation, invention, exploration, transport, discovery, medicine, health, anatomy, every human and animal condition, and life itself.
- Particularly related to the above, Latin terminology remains the underpinning language of living things and the biological taxonomy which organizes our understanding of every living thing on the planet.
- Latin, chiefly via French, had a significant influence in the development of the English language. The conventional English alphabet (along with those of the Romance languages) is known as the Latinate alphabet, because its origins are in ancient Latin. (The 'Romance' languages notably include Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian.)
- Latin phrases and words have entered (directly and unchanged) the English language, and many other languages too - and the words, rules and structures of Latin have determined - and continue to determine - the way that new words are created.
Latin is obviously vital for the operation of many fundamental professions and disciplines, and for the rest of us, Latin remains fascinating and helpful in the understanding of our day-to-day language, especially the Latin expressions and terminology which survive and arise in business, technical definitions, law, education, grammar, and science, etc.
Here is the listing of Latin terms, including some very common popular phrases, and lots of less common specialized, yet fascinating terminology:
List of Latin terms, phrases, and expressions
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Latin terms in the English language - technical, legal, popular, fascinating |
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| Latin term | literal translation | meaning in use |
| abacus | tray/counting table | ancient calculator |
| abdomen | belly/gluttony | belly |
| ab extra / intra | from beyond/inside | (legal terms) 'ab extra' refers to information from external sources (instead of self or mind) - 'ab intra' refers to information from the self or mind |
| ab origine / aborigine | from the first | original inhabitants, from the source, origin, etc - (derivation of the modern word 'aborigine') |
| ab irato | from an angry man | actions/words by an angry person - (a legal term, similar to 'in the heat of the moment') |
| ab ovo | from the egg | from the beginning |
| absente reo (abs. re.) | (with) the defendant being absent | (legal term) - in the absence of the accused |
| a capite ad calcem | from head to heel | thoroughly/completely/from top to bottom - more loosely expressed 'from head to toe' |
| Achilles (Achilles heel) | ancient Greek hero | weakness - (a Greek word used in Latin - the metaphor refers to the legend of the hero Achilles, as a baby held by the heel and dipped into the river Styx by his mother Thetis to make him immortal, leaving his heel vulnerable, such that when shot there by an arrow he died, hence the 'Achilles heel' or simply 'Achilles' is a person's main weakness) |
| acta est fabula | the drama has been acted out | it's all over/it's finished/the end |
| A.D. (anno domini) | in the year of the Lord | denotes that the year is since Christ's birth in the Julian and Gregorian calendars - contrasting with B.C. (Before Christ), which signifies years 'Before Christ', which are counted backwards - there is no zero year |
| ad hoc | to/for this | improvised/devised/applied spontaneously or purely for the purpose ('just for this') |
| a fortiori | with strength | all the more so, with greater reason |
| ad hominem | to the man | personally directed - (as when criticizing someone) |
| ad infinitum | to infinity | endlessly/for ever/without limit |
| ad interim (ad int) | for the meantime | in the interim/meantime/temporary/stand-in/ |
| ad lib (ad libitum) | with freedom | freely, improvised, spontaneously created - now most commonly an instruction or freedom to 'improvise' in performance, communication |
| ad litteram | to the letter | precisely/according to the 'letter of the law' |
| ad nauseam | to (produce) sea-sickness | to the point of causing nausea/unbearably tedious |
| a priori / a posteriori | from what comes before/ after | (these terms mainly refer to philosophical or mathematical assertions) - an 'a priori' fact is self-evident, known without need of direct specific experience/evidence (for example 'snow is cold') - an 'a posteriori' fact is based on observed evidence or experience, etc (for example snow fell in Ireland on [a particular date]) |
| ad referendum (ad ref) | to/for referring | for further consideration (elsewhere) |
| ad rem | to the thing | to the matter in hand/directly relevant |
| adsum | I am here | present (formal answer to a rollcall) |
| aegrotat | he is ill | doctor's note - medical excuse/qualification awarded when exams are missed due to sickness |
| Aesop | writer of fables | (see Aesop's Fables) |
| aetatis (aetat or aet) | aged (number of years) | aged... or 'of the age...' (precedes the age of someone/something) |
| affidavit | he/she has declared under oath | a sworn statement made voluntarily by a person, recorded by a qualified person, usually for legal purposes, such as admission in a court case |
| agenda (agenda sunt or agendum est) | things that must be moved forward | list of items for a meeting, order of discussion, set of aims, motivational factors - agenda now has a wide range of meanings, after initially referring to a meeting schedule |
| Aiax/Ajax | hero of Trojan War | a metaphor for size and stength |
| Albion | Britain | the ancient Greek word for Britain |
| alia iacta est / iacta alia est | the die is cast | the die is cast - beyond the point of possible return, fully committed come what may - see the die is cast and cross the Rubicon in cliches origins - the phrase is attributed to Julius Casear, 49BC, on his invasion of Rome from Gaul - as with many other Latin phrases the 'i' of iacta is alternatively a 'j', so that the word was/is jiacta (although some say Caesar spoke this phrase in Greek anyway..) |
| alias dictus (alias) | at another time called | otherwise known as/also known as/aka |
| alibi | elsewhere | a submission or claim, typically supported by proof/evidence, that an accused person was at a different place from the scene and time of a crime |
| alieni generis | of a different kind | of a different kind/of another type |
| alpha | A (the letter) | denotes the first of something, for example alpha-male (dominant male), or alpha-test (the initial release of technology/software among developers, prior to finalizing specification/features and beta-test, being final testing among users) |
| alma mater | nourishing mother | one's college or university |
| alter ego | other self/other I | secondary personality/other self/trusted friend |
| alumnus | nursling/foster child | graduate or student of educational institution (alumna, alumni, alumnae are respectively female, plural and female plural) |
| a mensa et toro | from table to bed | legal separation (divorce) |
| amicus curiae | friend of court | an objective or neutral advisor in legal process |
| amor | love | love |
| amore carens | love without | loveless |
| amor vincit omnia | love conquers all | love conquers all |
| amor proximi | love one's neighbour | love thy neighbour/love your neighbour (US neighbor) |
| anno Domini | year of our Lord | (AD)/since BC (before Christ) |
| annus horribilis/terribilis/ mirabilis | horrible/terrible/ wonderful year | (different dramatic ways to refer to good/bad years) |
| ante bellum | before war | pre-war (which war depends on context/situation) |
| ante meridiem (a.m.) | before midday | before noon/morning/AM/am |
| apex | summit, crown | peak, top, pinnacle |
| appendix | supplement | supplement (extra document/body of text/information) - separately in anatomy an obsolete sac in humans connecting to large intestine - from appendere, 'hang upon' |
| aqua vitae | water of life | (metaphorical reference to) a local/national/special drink - (used variously to refer to different drinks, typically local or national or particularly enjoyed from the speaker's view, commonly for example: wine, whisky/whiskey, brandy, ale, etc |
| arbiter | judge, witness | judge, controller, arbitrator, umpire |
| ars gratia artis | art for art's sake | art for art's sake - art that is free from non-artistic pressures/aims (e.g., profit, politics, etc) |
| Artium Baccalaureus | Arts Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts/AB/BA/(university degree) |
| Artium Magister | Arts Master | Master of Arts/MA/AM/(higher university degree) |
| aureo hamo piscari | to fish with a golden hook | 'money talks'/money gets results |
| Aurora Borealis | goddess of the northern dawn | the 'Northern Lights' atmospheric display, at certain times in the night sky far north - Aurora is the Roman goddess of the dawn - Borealis meaning northen in Latin is taken from the Greek Boreas, god of the north wind - Aurora Australis is literally 'goddess of the southern dawn', and refers to the 'Southern Lights' (being the equivalent phenomenon in the southern hemisphere) - australis means southern in Latin |
| australis | southern | the origin of the name Australia - from 'terra australis', southern land |
| ave Maria | hail Mary | hail Mary |
| a vinculo matrimonii | (free) from the bond of marriage | complete divorce (sometimes abbreviated to 'a vinculo') |
| beta | B (the letter) | notably 'beta-test', referring to the external release (to users) of machinery/technology/software (of completed specification/features) in the final stage of testing - compared with 'alpha-test' which is controlled release among developers aimed at fixing the features/specification prior to beta release |
| bis in die (b.i.d.) | twice in a day | medical abbreviations - (for example instructions for taking tablets) |
| bona fide | good faith | in good faith/honestly/genuine/real |
| Britannia | Britain | Britain |
| cadit quaestio | the question falls | argument collapses/the central legal argument has collapsed (so move on) |
| caeteris (ceteris paribus) | other things being equal | all things equal/other things being equal |
| campus | plain (grassland) | university and its grounds |
| carpe diem | seize the day | enjoy the opportunity/make the most of the chance - (the full quote is 'carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero' = 'enjoy today, trusting little in tomorrow' - from Horace's Odes) |
| casus foederis | fall (action) (due to) league/alliance | situation causing action under a treaty |
| causa sine qua non | a cause without which not | a necessary condition |
| cave/cave canem | beware/beware of the dog | beware, caution, take care, attention/beware of the dog |
| caveat | let one beware | a stipulation, condition, warning, exclusion, limit, etc - typically in formal contracts, also in verbal agreements |
| caveat emptor | let the buyer beware | buyer beware/responsibility is with buyer |
| caveat venditor | let the seller beware | seller beware/responsibility is with seller |
| cerebrum | brain | front part of brain - considered advanced compared with early human brains and additional to animal brains - hence cerebral refers to intellectual rather than emotional or physical thought/behaviour/effect |
| certiorari | to be made certain | a writ issued by a higher court for documents from a lower court for the purpose of reviewing the lower court process/decision |
| cetara desunt | the rest are missing | parts of the (written/created) work have not been found (despite research) |
| ceteris (caeteris paribus) | all other things being equal | assuming that no external factors alter the central question/point, conditional on there being no effect from variable external elements - (a qualifying statement establishing fixed conditions around a proposition, to enable a firm argument to be made) |
| citius altius fortius | faster higher stronger | motto of the modern Olympic games |
| confer (cf.) | compare | compare (with)/see also (as appears widely in dictionaries, etc) |
| circa (ca. or c.) | around | about/approximately/roughly (referring to a quantity, date, time, etc) |
| codex | treetrunk/wooden block | manuscript/code of laws |
| cogito ergo sum | I think therefore I exist | I think therefore I exist, or I think therefore I am - (originally recorded by French philosopher René Descartes, 1596-1650 - in Discourse on the Method, part IV, 1637-44, written mostly in French but with parts in Latin) |
| coitus interruptus | going together interruption | withdrawal before ejaculation (for contraception or other reason) |
| coitus more ferarum | sex in the way of wild beasts | (medical/humorous reference to) 'doggy style' sexual intercourse - historians assert that the expression in its Latin form was used in ancient Rome |
| compos mentis | of sound mind | in full possession of mental powers, sane (cf. non compos mentis) |
| con (contra) | against | against |
| coniunctis / conjunctis viribus | with united powers | (acting) with united powers (towards a commonly agreed aim) |
| consensus | agreement | agreement (among a number of people) - (note that this word is related to the English word consent, not to census, which misunderstanding often produces the misspelling 'concensus') |
| consensus adacium | agreement of audacious/rash men | a conspiracy |
| consensus facit legem | consent makes law | (a principle that) any agreement between parties may be legally binding provided it does not violate law |
| consensus gentium | agreement wide/general | wide agreement/generally accepted belief or views |
| consensus omnium | agreement of all | agreement of all/general agreement |
| cornu copiae | horn of plenty | cornucopia/abundance (from various Greek legends, most popularly: The baby Zeus, hiding from his baby-eating father Cronus, was suckled as an infant by a goat/nursemaid, Amalthea. Zeus, having the strength of a god, accidentally broke off one of Amalthea's horns, which he then endowed with the power to produce unending nourishment (and anything else desired) for its owner |
| corrigenda | items to be corrected | (draws attention to) corrections required in a manuscript before publishing |
| cui bono/malo? | who will gain/lose? | who stands to benefit/lose (from a particular action/situation)? - expressions in criminal investigation or other speculation - in attempting to reveal motive/responsibility |
| cum grano salis | with a grain of salt | take (a comment) with a grain of salt/add a note of caution to a comment (in Roman times and more recent history too, salt was very valuable and symbolic of something not to regard lightly - Roman soldiers were paid in salt - salarium - hence the expression 'worth his salt' (someone is worthy of his/her wage) |
| (summa/magna) cum laude | with (greatest/great) praise | traditionally highest/2nd, and 3rd grades in a US university degree |
| curriculum vitae | the course of (one's) life | a resume or job/personal history/(commonly abbreviated to CV) |
| cursor | runner, courier | positional marker on an electronic display |
| de bonis asportatis | carrying goods away | old legal term for larceny, which has largely been superseded by the term theft |
| de bono et malo | of good and bad | (of a decision) come what may/for good or bad/'whatever' |
| decimus | a tenth | from which 'decimate' originates - strictly |
| de dicto / de re | of (the) word / of (the) thing | (technical clarification of the nature of a statement so as to differentiate) - the wording of the statement/(as distinct from) the thing that the statement refers to - these are two contrasting terms used in philosophical discussion/works differentiating between the form of the statement and what the statement refers to - (while quite subtle and technical, these two terms are useful in highlighting the difference between the qualities of a statement as distinct from the truth or otherwise of what the statement seeks to convey) - for example many children's statements can be criticized 'de dicto', while being brilliant 'de re' - (note that there are more complex applications of these terms) |
| de die in diem (diem ex die) | from day to day | continuously/day in, day out/without a break |
| de facto | of fact | in reality/in practice (especially contrasted with something which exists in in a lesser way theory or in law, see de jure/iure) |
| dei gratia | by the grace of god | by the grace of god (traditionally implying a divine right, such as a monarch's title/status) |
| de jure (de iure) | according to law | existing legally/legally sanctioned/legally approved |
| delineavit | drawn by | (of a work of art) created by (followed by the artist's name) |
| delerium tremens | trembling delirium | the DTs/bodily shaking caused by nervous disorder from alcohol abuse |
| denarius/denari/denarii | small common Roman silver coin | in English money history 'D' or 'd' for denarius came to denote pence in pre-decimalisation pounds shillings pence (LSD) - (the denari equated loosely to a labourer's daily pay) - the L and S in LSD also originated from ancient Latin, 'libra' and 'solidus nummus' |
| deo volente (d.v.) | god willing | god willing - if possible |
| deus ex machina | god out of a machine | person/thing/event which suddenly unexpectedly resolves a problem - also a contrived resolution of a plot in a dramatic work such as a play or film |
| de nihilo nihil | from nothing comes nothing | nothing comes from nothing/don't expect something to come from nothing |
| de novo | anew | anew, refreshed |
| deperire / depereo | hopelessly in love | (to be) utterly/helplessly/hopelessly in love (with someone/something) |
| divide et impera | divide and rule | divide your opponents to defeat them (a maxim adopted and popularized by Machiavelli) |
| doce ut discas | learn by teaching | teach in order to learn |
| docendo discimus | learning by teaching | we learn something by teaching it to others |
| doctus cum libro | learned with a book | having knowledge without practical experience |
| Domine, dirige nos | Lord, direct us | Lord/God, direct us (God is our guide) - traditional official motto of London |
| Dominus vobsicum/Dominus tecum | God be with you (plural)/God be with you (singular) | God be with you (all)/God be with you (to an individual) - a traditional way to say farewell or goodbye |
| dramatis personae | the persons of the drama | cast of characters (in a play or film, or situation, etc) |
| dum spiro spero | while I breathe, I hope | while there is life in me I can still hope |
| dum tacent clamant | though they are silent they cry aloud | their silence speaks volumes (usually referring to silence being an effective admission or indication of guilt or fault) |
| dum vita est spes est | while there is life there is hope | while there's life there's hope |
| dura mater | tough mother | (medical/biological term for) the outer membrane of the brain and spinal cord - the Latin term is itself derived from an earlier fuller Arabic term, loosely 'thick mother of the brain' |
| ecce homo | behold the man | considered by advocates, and represented by artists, of biblical history, as the words of Pontias Pilate in presenting Jesus Christ to the crowd after flagellation prior to crucifixion |
| ecce signum | behold the sign | look at the proof - examine the evidence - the proof is in front of you, so look at it |
| e contrario | on the contrary | on the contrary - actually, the opposite is true |
| editio cum notis variorum | edition with various notes | a technical academic/scholar term referring to a version of text which contains different interpretations and notes and comments from experts |
| editio princeps | first edition | the first printed edition (of a book especially) |
| e.g. (exempli gratia) | for the sake of example | for example, or for instance |
| emeritus | a soldier who has served his time honourably/honorably and earned his discharge | denoting the title holder (for example a professor) has retired and retains the title (plus the word 'emeritus') as a mark of having served with distinction - the original meaning derives from soldiers in the Roman army, from the verb 'mereri', to earn |
| emerita | (female form of emeritus) | (a relatively modern adaptation of the conventional emeritus male/general form above) |
| e pluribus unum | one out of (from) many | one (big thing) made from many smaller parts - motto of the USA |
| ergo | therefore | therefore - and so it follows that.. (linking a cause or situation with a result or conclusion) |
| errare humanum est | to err is human | people occasionally naturally make mistakes - popularized by Alexander Pope's 'An Essay on Criticism' which stated 'To err is human; to forgive, divine' - this is an acceptance of human weakness |
| et al (et alii/et aliae/et alia) | and others (abbreviation - male/female/neuter full versions) | and other men/women/factors (et al is the abbreviation - et alii is 'and other men'; et aliae is 'and other women'; et alia is 'and other things' - traditionally speech etiquette suggested that "...educated people do not ever actually say 'et al', instead they say 'and others'...") |
| etc (et cetera) | and the rest | and so on - typically replacing potentially additional items in a listing of similar factors |
| et nunc et semper | now and for ever | from now on |
| et seq (et sequentes/sequentia) | and the following... | usually abbreviated 'et seq' - (or seqq, sqq) |
| et tu, Brute | you also, Brutus | realization, acknowledgment, and accusation that an apparent trusted friend or ally is actually an enemy - the expression was popularized by Plutarch's and Shakespeare's telling of the killing of Julius Caesar by conspirators including his previous friend Brutus |
| et ux (et uxor) / et vir | and wife / and husband | (legal terms meaning) and wife / and husband |
| ex animo | from the heart | sincerely |
| ex astris scientia | from the stars, knowledge | 'From the Stars, Knowledge' - a contrived retrospective Latin expression created as the maxim of the Starfleet Academy in the film/TV franchise Star Trek. |
| ex cathedra | from the chair | with authority - refers to statements made by experts, or claimed to be (cathedra referred to a teacher's chair before it more famously meant the Pope's chair) |
| excud (excudit) | he/she who struck this (made by) | made by... a traditional printer's or engraver's term preceding the name of the creator/maker/writer |
| ex dolo malo (ex dolo malo non oritur actio) | an action (in court) does not arise from fraud | a Latin legal term equating to 'fraud' - deriving distortedly from the full original sense that a court action cannot be viable if based on a fraud |
| excelsior | ever upward | ever upward |
| exeat | let him/her go forth | permission to be absent - traditionally an exeat granted permission for a priest to leave a monastery - the term also extended to absence from a university |
| exempli gratia (e.g.) | for the sake of example | for example, or for instance |
| ex facie | from the face | a legal term used typically when referring to an obviously unreliable document - the term in this context equates to 'obviously' or 'needing no further examination' |
| ex gratia | out of goodness | payment or reward given freely without obligation |
| exit | he/she goes out | a single actor leaves the stage |
| ex libris | from the books | from the library of... (owner's name) |
| ex mero motu | out of pure simple impulse | spontaneously - (implication being no external influence) |
| ex nihilo nihil fit | nothing comes from nothing | nought comes from nought - |
| ex parte | from a party | from one side only - only one side is represented at a legal hearing (the other side is absent) |
| ex pede Herculem | from the foot, a Hercules | from a small sample the whole thing can be estimated - an early principle of extrapolation or projection, said to derive from Pythagoras' calculations in estimating the size of Hercules from his foot size, in turn inferred from the scale of the Olympia stadium |
| experto credite | experience gives credibility | trust one who has the experience - from experience a person has credibility |
| ex post facto | from what happens afterwards | knowledge or law after an event applied retrospectively to the event - similar to 'with the benefit of hindsight', or the sense of 'knowing now what we did not know then' |
| exuent / exuent omnes | they go out / they all go out | they leave the stage - stage direction terminology |
| ex ungue leonem | from a claw, the lion | from a small sample the whole thing can be estimated - equating to ex pede Herculem |
| ex uno disce omnes | from one deduce all | from a small sample the whole thing can be estimated - equating to ex pede Herculem |
| facta non verba | actions speak louder than words | actions speak louder than words - judge by deed not what is said |
| fecit (F.) | he/she made (it) | made by... (creator's name) - traditional term used by artists/makers - separately F may stand for 'filius', meaning 'son' |
| felo de se | felon of himself | suicide |
| festina lente | hasten slowly | more haste less speed |
| fiat lux | let there be light | let there be light - (alternatively represented by the rarer Latin 'lux sit') |
| Fidei Defensor (Fid Def or fd) | Defender of the Faith | Title first given to Henry VIII of England by Pope Leo X in 1521. Removed by Rome c.1530 after Henry divorced catholic Catherine of Arragon, and reinistated later in his reign as defender of the protestant faith. The title endures to modern times, shown in official references and on British coins, usually abbreviated FD. |
| fide et amore | by faith and love | by faith and love |
| Fidei Defensor (FD) | Defender of the Faith | traditional additional title of English/British monarchs, given by the Vatican - often abbreviated to FD |
| floruit (fl) | he/she flourished | when a historical character was most productive/active - used in biographical information, especially if birth/death dates are unknown, the 'fl' symbol appears with the year(s) of his/her prominence |
| fons et origo | source and origin | the source and origin (of something) |
| fronti nulla fides | appearance is not reliable | appearances can be deceptive - or 'don't judge a book by its cover' |
| fugit hora | flies the hour | time flies - time passes quickly |
| genius loci | spirit of the place | the atmosphere of somewhere including its influence on visitors |
| gradatim ferociter | by degrees, ferociously | Motto of Jeff Bezos' private spaceflight company Blue Origin, which officially treats "Step by step, ferociously" as the English translation |
| grammatici certant | grammarians dispute (are disputing) | experts are discussing (a case/matter/dispute) - this refers to situations that are subject to official review before a decision or resolution is made |
| gratias tibi ago | thank you | thank you |
| habeas corpus | (you) shall have the (arrested person's) body in court | a legal order for an arrested person to attend court, especially from the accused standpoint, so that unless lawful grounds are offered for detention then the person must be released |
| hic et nunc | here and now | here and now - immediately, forthwith -for example when demanding immediate payment |
| hic jacet / iacet | here lies | here lies (the body of..) - a tombstone term |
| hic situs est | this is the place | this is the place |
| hic sunt dracones / leones | here be dragons/lions | unchartered territory - these are very old references to unchartered territories, used on maps, and since then popularized in dramatic works |
| hoc anno | in this year | in this year |
| hoc loco | in this place | here |
| honoris causa | for the sake of honour/honor | denotes an academic or other qualification given on merit, rather than by official examination |
| hora fugit | the hour flies | time passes quickly - time is pressing |
| hora somni (h.s.) | at the hour of sleep | at bedtime - (medical term) |
| horribile dictu | horrible to say | a warning before telling an awful or upsetting description/report |
| iacta / jacta alea est | the die is cast | the die is cast - the decision/commitment is made and irreversible (see the die is cast in cliches origins) |
| ianuis / januis clausis | with closed doors | behind closed doors (referring to a legal hearing or court or meeting) |
| ibid. (ibidem) | in the same place | in the same source referenced in the previous entry - (an academic referencing mechanism to save space and unnecessary repeating of the same detail when citing sources) |
| id. (idem) | the same | the same author (as previously referenced) - an academic space-saving device used in citing authors |
| (i.e.) id est | that is (to say more clearly...) | in other words, in more detail, or to say more clearly and fully.. (this very common term is often misused in place of 'e.g.' (for example), whereas 'i.e.' means that clarification of a previous point is to follow |
| in medias res | into the middle of things | the way a dramatic work such as a play or story begins |
| INRI (Iesus [Jesus] Nazarenus Rex Iudaeoreum [Juaeoreum]) | Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews | Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews - |
| ignorantia legis neminem excusat | ignorance of the law does not excuse | ignorance of the law is no defence/defense for breaking the law |
| ignorantia non excusat | ignorance does not excuse | ignorance is not an excuse (for wrong-doing) - the implication is that a person's moral code should not have to rely on specific instruction to avoid wrong deeds |
| in absentia | in (one's) absence | denotes action against or award to someone in their absence, for whatever reason - for example criminal convictions and academic awards |
| in aertenum | for ever | for ever, in perpetuity |
| in articulo mortis | in the grasp of death | (a statement made) at the point of death - traditionally statements made 'in articulo mortis' have at times been considered additionally believable because the person had nothing to gain at that stage from lying - alternative to 'in extremis' |
| in camera | in a chamber | in private - typically court/legal proceedings which exclude public and press |
| incipit | here begins | denoting the start of old/ancient texts |
| (bis/ter/quater) in die (b.i.d./t.i.d./q.i.d.) | (twice/three times/four times) in a day | medical abbreviations - (for example instructions for taking tablets) |
| in dubio (in dubio pro reo ) | in doubt, for the accused | the defendant has the benefit of the doubt - innocent until proven guilty |
| in esse | in being | actually existing - contrasting with 'in posse' |
| in extenso | in full | word for word, fully and entirely - referring to a text or paper of some sort, emphasize there has been no edit/removal |
| in extremis | in end | at death - at the point of (a person's) death - alternative to 'in articulo mortis' - mostly significant in assessing reliability of statements made by the deceased in relation to a case |
| in fine (i.f.) | in the end | at the end of (a stated reference or page, etc) |
| in flagrante (in flagrante delicto) | in flaming crime | (caught) in the act (of wrong-doing) - often referring to the discovery of sexual liaisons and adulterous relationships |
| in foro | in forum | in court (legal term) |
| infra | below | (see note) below - directs readers to explanatory detail below the item concerned, often preceded with 'vide' (see) - infra is also a prefix meaning below, under, beneath, 'sub', lower than, etc (infrastructure, infrared, etc) - broadly contrasting with 'ultra' (beyond/to extreme degree) |
| infra dignitatem/infra dig | below dignity | beneath (a person's) dignity or normally expected standards, referring to actions or behaviour/behavior |
| in futuro | in future | in the future |
| in illo ordine (i.o.) | in that order | respectively |
| in limine | on the threshold | about to happen |
| in loco parentis | in place of a parent | guardianship or responsibility for a minor |
| in media res | into the middle of things | introductory statement before telling a story, or a the start of a play |
| in memoriam | in memory | in the memory of - (typically an inscription on a memorial stone or other material) |
| in ovo | in the egg | immature, undeveloped |
| in pectore | in the breast | in secret |
| in perpetuum | for ever | forever |
| in pleno | in full | in full, complete (typically referring to a payment) |
| in posse | potentially | potentially - contrasting with 'in esse' |
| in propria persona | in person | in person, personally |
| in re (re) | in the matter of | regarding - alternatively and more technically in legal matters (the full form 'in re') means that a case is uncontested |
| in saecula saeculorum | for ages of ages | for ever and ever |
| in se | in itself | in itself (an alternative to 'per se' - by itself) |
| in situ | in place | in its natural location (contrasting with 'in vitro' - in glass [a glass test-tube]) |
| instante mense (inst.) | in the present month | (substitute term for whatever the current month is - (for example "...your letter of 5th inst. refers...) - ult = last (month); prox = next (month) |
| in statu quo | in the state in which | (slightly different to 'status quo' - in statu quo refers to a situation at a specified time, relative to a subsequent or prior different situation, rather like saying 'in statu quo [the situation/condition/state] in the 1970s...' or 'in statu quo [the situation/condition/state] before the business was floated...' ) |
| inter alia | among other things | among other things, included in other considerations |
| inter alios | among other people | among other people, included within a wider groups of people |
| inter nos | between us | between us, among ourselves, between ourselves |
| inter pares | between equals | between our peer group (of a discussion or circulated notes) |
| inter se | between themselves | between them, among themselves |
| inter vivos | between the living | (for example referring to transfer of property) between two living people, (as distinct from a transfer following someone's death) |
| in toto | in total | completely, wholly, fully, altogether |
| in vino veritas | in wine the truth | people speak freely when under the influence of alcohol, alcohol/wine loosens the tongue |
| in vitro | in glass | in a test-tube, (developed) in a laboratory or artificial environment - contrasting with 'in situ' |
| in vivo | in life | (developed/experimented) in a living thing/organism - contrasting with 'in vitro' |
| ipsissima verba | the exact words | verbatim - word for word - (referring to quoted remarks) |
| ipso facto | by that fact | as a direct immediate consequence of that fact/act |
| justitia omnibus | justice for all | justice to all, be fair to everyone |
| lapsus linguae | error of tongue | slip of the tongue, verbal mistake |
| lapsus memoriae | error of memory | mistaken memory, faulty recollection, remembered wrong |
| lex loci | law of the place | law of the land, local jurisdiction |
| lex non scripta | law not written | unwritten law, common law |
| lex scripta | law written | formal written statute |
| libra (lb and £) | balance, set of scales, pound | the origin of the £ pound sterling symbol and pound weight (lb) symbol - libra, meaning a set of weighing scales, (which separately became a sign of the Zodiac) meant a pound in weight, and (via late Middle Ages English) a pound in money (weight and money were directly related), being the origin of the traditional pre-decimalisation 'L' denoting the £ pound-sign in LSD (pounds shillings pence) - the S and D symbols were also derived from ancient Latin money terms - 'solidus nummus' and 'denarius' - separately libra means book (hence 'library') |
| licet | it is allowed | it is allowed/permitted/licensed |
| lis sub judice/iudice (sub judice) | lawsuit before the judge | case not yet decided |
| loco citato (loc. cit.) | place cited (work) | in the work/place/source previously referenced - (a referencing note used by scholars/writers/academics, to avoid repeating entire sources) |
| locum tenens (locum) | place holding (person) | deputy, substitute, temporary replacement (for example of a doctor) |
| locus classicus | place classic (work) | authoritative work/source/extract/text, the generally most highly regarded source (a referencing note referring to a work considered highly authoritative) |
| locus delecti | place (of) crime | scene of the crime, crime scene |
| locus in quo | place in which | place in question (where the incident in question happened) |
| loquitur (loq.) | he/she speaks | (script note that) a person speaks - (a dramatic/stage direction) |
| lucri causa | gain cause | for the sake of (monetary) reward/gain/enrichment - in hope of financial reward - 'profit driven' - motivated by money |
| magister artium (M.A.) | master of arts | Master of Arts - university degree - also abbreviated reversed, AM |
| magna cum laude | with great praise | second honors/honours university degree (see cum laude) |
| magnum opus | great work | the/a major work of a creative (writer, composer, etc) |
| major | great | great, significant - major/maior is the Latin comparative of magnus, great |
| mala fide | bad faith | in bad faith - fraudulent - (contrasting with 'bona fide') |
| male captus, bene detentus | wrongly captured, properly detained | (controversial legal principle asserting that) improper arrest should not prevent proper detention and trial - (the principle is not universally enforceable) |
| malesuada fames | persuaded to evil by hunger | crime (that is) produced by hunger - (see Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) |
| malo animo | with evil intent | equating and evolving to the legal phrase 'with malice aforethought' |
| malum in se / malum prohibitum | wrong in itself / wrong according to law | (legal terms differentiating that something is) inherently wrong / wrong in law - (for example an ambulance which jumps a red light en route to an accident is committing an offence which is 'malum prohibitum', but not 'malum in se') |
| mandamus | we command | (a legal writ) instruction from a higher court to a lower court |
| manu propria (m.p.) | (signed) by own hand | (old rare term indicating that a signature was made) by the signatory's own hand - (where a signature is missing, or a printed document contains a copy of a signature) |
| mea culpa | by my fault | I am responsible for the problem - acknowledgment of guilt or blame |
| media | middle (plural) | media now means various things in English, notably the news and information industries ('mass media'), and ways or materials for communicating in the broadest sense - the origin is Latin, from the singular word medium, meaning middle, which caused the word to evolve in English to refer to an agency or means of doing something (the sense of a body or mechanism between two parties, acting as a tool, enabler, conduit, translator, communicator) |
| medicinae doctor (M.D.) | doctor of medicine | designation of a university degree and doctor of medicine, a general practitioner (GP) |
| membrum virile | member male (reproductive organ) | polite term for penis |
| memo (memorandum est) | it must be remembered (that..) | a written/audio or other note - (to self or more commonly others in a work group) - a 'memo' was the pre-internet age standard quick recorded paper communication between work people, typically from a manager to subordinates, or fellow-managers or superior staff - before desktop computers, memos were typically hand-written or dictated by managers and typed and copied using carbon paper (pre-1970s), later photocopiers (pre-1990s), by typists/secretaries - these intensive production methods ensured that old-style paper memos were generated and circulated in relatively tiny volumes compared to the billions of modern emails |
| mens sana in corpore sano | sound mind, sound body | sound in mind and body |
| mirabile dictu/visu | wonderful to relate/see | amazingly (to tell/see) |
| mobile vulgus | movable public | fickle group/people/crowd (referring to the whimsical changing nature and opinions/reactions of the general public or an audience - this is the derivation of the word 'mob') |
| modus operandi | way of working | method or process for a task or activity/service |
| modus vivendi | way of living | arrangement between people of differing needs, notably when living or working together, a compromise enabling cooperation |
| mox nox in rem | soon night (so), to business/work | do it, get it done, act now, 'JFDI' |
| multum in parvo | much in little | many good things in something small - (a general term for something compact or small which has extensive great qualities) |
| M M (mutatis mutandis) | changed as had to be changed | altered accordingly - (for example referring to changes having been made that were required to meet new circumstances or law) |
| nemine contradicente ('nem con') | no one contradicting | unanimously - 'nem con' is a commonly used term in meetings containing votes, where the motion or decision is agreed/passed with no objection (a less common term is 'nemine dissentiente', no one dissenting) |
| ne plus ultra | no more beyond | perfection, (at/to) the limit |
| ne quid mimis | nothing in excess | nothing to excess |
| nihil obstat | nothing is an obstacle | no obstacle, no objection, nothing wrong (so proceed, permit, licence, etc) |
| nil carborundum | This is false Latin, originating in the British army as a comment on authority/commanders, taken to mean 'Don't let the bastards grind you down', however it is not real Latin. The expression is structured on the basis of the famous quote from Horace's 'Odes', I:vii:27 'Nil desperandum Teucro duce' - 'Do not despair with Teucer as your leader' - there are variations of the expression; all are false Latin) | |
| nil per os / non per os (n.p.o.) | nothing by mouth | (medical term) - 'nil by mouth' - no food/drink/anything for this patient to be consumed by mouth |
| nolens volens | unwilling willing | whether willing or not |
| non compos mentis | not of sound mind | not in possession of full mental powers, mentally unstable/unreliable, (less formally) not thinking straight, contrasting logically with 'compos mentis' |
| non liquet | (it is) not proven | legal term meaning that a judgment is not possible due to legal ambiguity or inadequacy - also interpreted to mean 'not clear' and 'not evident' |
| non obstante | notwithstanding | notwithstanding, nevertheless, in spite of |
| non prosequitur | he does not proceed | judgment in favour/favor of a defendant when the plaintiff fails to act within a legal time limit |
| non sequitur | it does not follow | a statement/conclusion which is not actually proven or demonstrated by the preceding evidence/argument/justification - an inadequately supported claim |
| nota bene (N.B.) | note well | note well, take note, attention - (introducing and emphasizing what follows) |
| nudum pactum | a nude pact | invalid agreement - (legal term for a contract made with insufficient financial or other consideration, so making it non-binding and unenforceable) |
| nunc pro tunc | now for then | retrospective, back-dated, retroactive (referring to the effective date or application of an agreement or contract or award, etc) |
| obiter dictum/dicta | incidental remark/remarks | an incidental/aside remark by a judge having no effect on the matter in hand, but which may influence future related issues |
| oculus dexter (O.D.) / oculus sinister (O.S.) | right eye / left eye | abbreviations used by Ophthalmology (medical attention for eyes) |
| olet lucernam | (it) smells of the lamp | a negative assessment of a creative work for having taken too long to produce, or being over-worked (the metaphor referring to working late through the night and 'burning the midnight lamp') |
| omnia vincit amor | love conquers all | love conquers everything |
| onus probandi | the burden of proving | the burden of proof |
| opere citato (op. cit.) | in the work cited | referencing term used where a work has previously been referenced, so avoiding the need for repeating the entire reference source |
| opus magnum | a great work | reverse version of 'magnum opus' |
| pace tua (pace) | by your leave | with respect to (... other[s] with an opinion that the speaker is about to criticize/contradict) - with your permission |
| pari passu | (at) equal pace | referring to two or more tasks conducted in the same timescales |
| pari ratione | for like reason | (and so for) the previous/same reason given... (some sort of action or decision is taken) |
| particeps criminis | partner (in) crime | accomplice (in a criminal act) |
| pass. (passim) | throughout | throughout |
| paucis verbis | (in) few words | briefly |
| pax vobiscum | peace be with you | peace be with you |
| pendente lite | (while the) legal case is pending | the case is undecided (so comment is not possible) |
| per annum | by the year | annually, (rate) for a year |
| per capita | by the head | for each person, individually |
| per centum (percent) | by the hundred | rate for a hundred |
| per contra | for the opposite | on the other hand, conversely, |
| per diem | by each day | daily, day-rate |
| per mensem | by each month | monthly |
| per procurationem (P.P. or per pro) | to take care of | P.P. denotes that a signature in a document, usually at the end of a letter, is that of an assistant or secretary, on behalf of the writer/sender of the letter - (precise position of usage varies, either before the assistant's signature, or before the name of the official signatory/writer) |
| per se | by itself | intrinsically, exclusively, specifically |
| persona grata | person pleasing | welcome guest, approved individual |
| persona non grata | person not pleasing | unwelcome guest, barred/banned individual |
| placet | (it) pleases | yes, approved, agreed |
| plebeius (plebs) | the common people | (insulting term for) the lower classes (implying a lack of taste, intelligence, breeding, refinement, etc) |
| posse comitatus (posse) | power of a county | a posse, group of volunteers - (this is the derivation of the word 'posse' - originally a group of men, over age fifteen, assembled from a county, for a lawful purpose - 'posse' was literally 'be able'; comitatus was county) |
| post cibum (p.c.) | after food | (medical term/instruction) - after eating |
| post hoc, ergo propter hoc | after this, therefore (it is assumed) because of this | (acknowledgment of) the potentially flawed logic in assuming a causal link between a situation/event and one which follows it (usually in the absence of any better information) |
| post meridiem (pm) | after noon | afternoon, evening (see 'ante meridiem', [am]) |
| post mortem | after death | autopsy, examination of corpse to determine case of death |
| post mortem auctoris (p.m.a.) | after the death of the author | legal term typically used in connection with intellectual property rights - (for example copyright generally expires a given period after the creator's death) |
| post script (PS) | after writing | a footnote written after the preceding message but before sending, PS |
| prima facie | at first sight | at first appearing, on initial evidence - (a legal term referring to initial yet potentially or arguably sufficient evidence) |
| pro bono publico (pro bono) | for the public good | for the public good |
| pro forma | for form (formality) | as a matter of formality, a standard document - (originally in law a formal process which did not necessarily serve practical purpose, and this sense evolved top extend to documents, and then to standard documentation) |
| pro parte | in part | (typically referring to) part of (a group) |
| pro rata/rate | by rate | proportionately, in proportion - (in the same ratio, whether less or more) |
| pro se | for oneself | to defend oneself in court without formal legal representation - alternatively 'pro per' |
| pro tempore (pro tem) | (for) temporarily | temporarily, for the while, a temporary situation, replacement, etc |
| punctatim | in points | point by point |
| QED (quod erat demonstrandum) | which was to be demonstrated | proof/evidence has been provided as intended - this is the proof - (traditionally appended to a mathematical solution) |
| quantum | amount | a required or allowed quantity - (for example a debt payable) - also used in various latin phrases to mean 'as much as' - more scientifically quantum in physics means: 'a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents' |
| quid nunc? | what now? | what now? - also the derivation of the traditional English word 'quidnunc', meaning a gossip or overly inquisitive person |
| qui docet discit | who teaches learns | a good way to learn something is to teach it to someone else |
| quid pro quo | something for something (else) | something which is given in return for another thing - (loosely refers to an exchange, a reciprocal arrangement, an agreed deal or swap, in the same spirit as 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' |
| quieta non movere | don't move the settled | leave settled things to be - let sleeping dogs lie |
| qui scribit bis legit | who writes, twice reads | writing something is more memorable than merely reading it - i.e. if you write something you will will remember it better than simply reading it - (a learning/teaching method and maxim) |
| qui tacet consentit | who is silent consents | remaining silent or failing to respond may be taken as agreement - the concept has real practical effect, and also to a degree influence in legal situations too |
| quod erat demonstrandum (QED) | which was to be demonstrated | proof/evidence has been provided as intended - this is the proof - (traditionally appended to a mathematical solution) |
| qoud est (q.e.) | which is | which is |
| quod vide (q.v.) | which see | see (for explanation, clarification, comparison, or interest a relevant cross-referenced point - (most commonly abbreviated, 'q.v.', in scholarly/academic works - the term essentially directs a reader to more detail elsewhere in the same work about the word/phrase given with 'q.v.') |
| quorum | of whom | a specified minimum number of members, directors or delegates, etc., required for an official assembly (such as a parliament or council or board of directors or committee member, etc) to be able to conduct its affairs, for example take votes and make decisions - the term entered English in the 15th/16th century, from the full Latin phrase used at the start of commissions for committee members, "quorum vos ... unum esse volumus," loosely meaning, "of whom we specify that ... be one" |
| rara avis | rare bird | an unusual thing of person - the derivation of the metaphor 'rare bird' - (first recorded and popularized in Latin by Juvenal, in Satires, vi:165 - "rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygno" - "a rare bird in the lands, and very like a black swan") |
| ratum et consummatum | confirmed and completed | (in church law) a consummated marriage - a marriage that has not yet been consummated is merely 'ratum tantum' (confirmed only, and can be dissolved, 'super rato' |
| re | thing | regarding, concerning, relating to... (the term precedes the name of a subject which is to be discussed or described, etc - from the full Latin form 'res', 'thing') |
| rebus sic stantibus | things thus standing | as things/matters stand, in the current situation - (normally a legal statement prefacing the fact or assertion that a point of law remains effective or in force |
| recto / verso | right / left | right/left pages of a book - from the full forms 'recto folio' and 'verso folio' 'on the right leaf' and 'on the left leaf' |
| regnat populus | ruling people | the people rule |
| regina/rex | queen/rex | denoting the queen/king or crown, notably in legal cases equating to the state versus another party, e.g., Regina v. Smith |
| requiescat in pace (R.I.P.) | (may he/she) rest in peace | rest in peace (singular) - the plural (may they rest in peace) is 'requiescant in pace' |
| res ipsa loquitur | the thing itself speaks | self-evidently, obviously, the facts/circumstances speak for themselves - (a legal term referring to self-evident proof of something) |
| salus populi suprema lex esto | the good of the people is the supreme law | people's welfare must come first (in governance and business, etc) - the expression is translated in various similar ways, and used as a maxim/motto by many civil/state/services authorities to mean that the priority of governance is the health/needs of ordinary people ('the greater good') - the expression origin is usually attributed to Roman philosopher and politician Cicero's work De Legibus (bk III: III; viii), as 'Ollis salus populi suprema lex esto'. |
| salvo errore et omissione (s.e.e.o.) | save for error and omission | traditional caveat (as would be inserted by a bookkeeper or auditor) featuring in formal statements of financial accounts |
| scientia est potentia | knowledge is power | knowledge is power |
| scilicet (scire licet) | one is permitted to know | namely, that is to say, i.e. - prefaces an explanation or clarification - scilicet is the Latin abbreviated form of scire licet |
| scripsit/sculpsit | he/she wrote it/carved it | denoting author/sculptor - the term appears after the writer's name on the work |
| semper fidelis/idem | always faithful/the same (thing) | always faithful/always the same or unchanging |
| sensu lato / sensu stricto | meaning wide / tight | in the wide sense / in the strict sense |
| seq. (sequens, sequentes, or sequitur) | the following | the following - to introduce a remark or list, like the words: 'as follows' - the word sequitur has the additional alternative meaning: 'it follows logically', or 'therefore' |
| seriatim | in (a) series | one of a series, part of/in a series - a scholarly or technical academic term referring to a published work which is part of a series |
| sic | thus, so | as used/written originally - denotes that the word or phrase which precedes 'sic' is quoted exactly as originally used/written/spelled by the quoted source - typically used within a quoted passage or extract to indicate that a misspelling or poor grammar or wrong word was in the source material |
| sine die | without a day | until an unspecified time/date/day, no date has been set (for another meeting or resumption) - typically referring to the status of discussions/meetings, that there is no date agreed for further action |
| sine loco (s.l.) / sine anno (s.a.) / sine nomine (s.n.) | without place / date / without a name | without place / date /author or publisher - normally referring to a referenced book or paper for which place / date of publication / author or publisher are unknown - (these terms may becombined with the word 'et', and, for example 'sine loco et anno', without place and date |
| sine mora | without delay | without delay |
| sine prole | without children | childless, no children, or the legal term 'without issue' - often referring to a deceased person who had no offspring |
| sine qua non | without which not | an absolutely necessary requirement or condition, an indispensable factor |
| solidus nummus | (Roman) solid coin | in English money history the S in LSD (pounds shillings pence) derived from the Roman coin 'Solidus' (prior to 1387 in English translations shown as 'Solidy', and also shown more recently in English as 'Solidi' and 'Solidii', being Latin plural versions) - the Solidus was originally an Imperial Roman coin introduced by Constantine (c.274-337AD), so called from the full Latin 'solidus nummus', meaning solid coin - the L and D in LSD also derived from Latin terms 'libra' and 'denarius' |
| socius criminis | partner criminal | partner in crime, accomplice |
| sponte sua/sua sponte | of own accord | self-determining, voluntarily |
| stare decisis | stand by decided things | uphold previous ruling/decision - apply precedent |
| status quo | situation in which | current situation, normality, conditions unchanged |
| status quo ante | situation in which was | situation as was/before (an event) |
| stereo | solid | hi-fi system or reproduced sound of at least two speakers/channels - initially adopted into English referring to a surround-sound effect, evolving to mean two different channels combining to produce a double-sided sound effect |
| stet | let it stand | a proof reading/editing term which instructs the printer or designer to ignore the edit in question - (equating to an instruction to reinstate the original part, i.e., before the edit - for example to reverse the crossing out or alteration of a word) - stet is from the Latin word stare, stand |
| sub judice/sub iudice | under a judge | under consideration by a judge/court (and therefore not to be discussed or published - this refers to a legal case or facts within a case, and seeks to avoid any influence or prejudice on the process |
| sub nomine | under the name (of) | refers to the name of the person/party taking action - 'in the name of' |
| sub poena | under penalty | a writ requiring a person to appear in court - originally fully under penalty of a fine/imprisonment/etc., so that the potential punishment would appear after the words sub poena, which is nowadays usually rendered as a single word, subpoena |
| sub rosa | under the rose | in secret, behind closed doors, privately - (referring to proceedings of some sort - the legal term is an old metaphor based on the rose being once a symbol of secrecy) |
| sub verbo (s.v.) | under the word | under the word/heading, a referencing term directing the reader to information contained beneath the word entry or heading in question elsewhere in the publication, for example as in a dictionary - used as 's.v. [word/heading]' = see the information under [word/heading]' |
| sui generis | of its own kind | unique, in a class/classification of its own, utterly distinctive and original |
| sui juris/iuris | of his/her own volition | able to take responsibility - equating to asserting that a person was legally responsible for his/her action |
| summa | summary | traditional term for the summary of a subject in a printed/text work |
| summa cum laude | with highest distinction/praise | highest distinction (referring to a university degree qualification award) - see 'cum laude' and 'magna cum laude', respectively the 3rd and 2nd highest grades |
| suo jure/iure | in (one's/its) own right | independently, in one's/its own right |
| suo moto/tempore | by own motion/in own time | spontaneously/in one's or its own time |
| supra/vide supra | above/see above | see above - scholarly technical term simply directing the reader to the text above |
| terra firma | firm land | solid earth, dry land (as different to the sea or waters or air) - typically referring to being safely or surely on land, for example 'back on terra firma' (after a plane or sea journey, or parachute leap) |
| usus est magister optimus | practice is the best teacher | practice makes perfect |
| ultra vires | beyond the powers | beyond (one's/its) legal powers - typically legally referring to a court or official body which acts outside of its limits/authority |
| ut infra/supra | as below/above | as below/above - citing/referencing terms |
| varia lectio/lectiones | variant reading/readings | an alternative way(s) of reading/interpreting a document or work |
| variorum | of various people | denoting comments/interpretations by various people, or denoting a publication which contains different interpretations/readings of the original work - consequently a variorum or variorum edition refers to a publication which provides variant readings/interpretations of, and comments by different scholars on, a work of some sort |
| veni, vidi, vici | I came, I saw, I conquered | victory was easy - a confident claim of a supposedly simple speedy triumph, attributed to Julius Caesar telling of his defeating Pharnaces, King of Pontus, 47BC (not his invasion of Britain as some believe) - according to Seutonius this motto was carried ahead of Caesar's advancing forces in subsequent campaigns, mainly to emphasize the speed of victory - in modern renderings the claim may also imply nonchalance, casualness, ease, arrogance, etc |
| verbi gratia (v.gr. or VG) | for the sake of a word | for example |
| versus (vs., V) | against | against, between - usually when matching or comparing two competing things, enemies, arguments, etc |
| veto | I forbid | to disallow or prevent something - (or noun form) the act of forbidding something or refusing permission |
| via | a way | by way of, a way, a path/road, passing through, connecting |
| via media | middle way | the middle path - (compromise, moderation) |
| vice versa | in-turned position | conversely, the other way around, reversed, exchanged |
| victor ludorum/victrix ludorum | winner of the games | male/female sport champion - the term is also used as a name of a trophy awarded to a winner or an event |
| vide | see | see.. (something/somewhere) - used in referencing and elsewhere |
| videlicet (viz.) | permitted to see | namely, to wit |
| vis inertiae | power of inaction | power of inertia - a much under-rated strategic concept by which the impulse to react to provocation/threat is resisted - and instead a positive decision is made to take no action - which can produce surprisingly better results than reacting aggressively and quickly without much thought for the consequences - the notion of 'vis inertiae' recognizes the fact that often provocative/threatening situations tend to subside or implode, as history commonly tells |
| viva voce | with living voice | orally - typically refers to an oral/spoken examination |
| vixit | he/she lived... | he/she lived (for a number of years) - common gravestone term |
| vox pop (vox populi) | voice of the people | comments from the general public, public opinion - 'vox pops' is now a common media term referring to impromptu interviews with members of the public |
| ultra | beyond | to extreme degree - broadly contrasting with 'infra', below/lower than |
Contact us if you can suggest an additional phrase/expression for the above collection.
Interesting Latin place names
Several ancient Latin placenames survive into modern times with similar or related meanings. Here are some examples, together with other Latin names that are interesting in their own right, if not surviving at all.
| Latin | place |
| Anglia | England |
| Aquae Sullis | Bath |
| Batavi | Holland |
| Cambria | Wales |
| Etruria | Tuscany |
| Gallia | France/Gaul |
| Hafnia | Copenhagen |
| Helvetia | Switzerland |
| Hibernia | Ireland |
| Hierosolyma | Jerusalem |
| Jersey | Caesaria |
| Byzantium | Istanbul |
| Libya | NW Africa |
| Lusitania | Portugal |
| Magnus Portus | Portsmouth |
| Mauretania | Morocco/Algeria |
| Caledonia | Scotland |
| Seres | China |
| Vectis | Isle of Wight |
Latin numbers in English words
Latin numbers feature originally in many English words. Here are the main examples. The key elements are those which most commonly arise in English words. These meanings are helpful for understanding unfamiliar words which contain these elements. (Note that the months of the year were named when the calendar contained only ten months.)
| # | cardinal | ordinal | English | key element |
| 1 | unus | primus | one | un/prim |
| 2 | duo | secundus/alter | two | duo/alter |
| 3 | tres | tertius | three | tre/tert |
| 4 | quattor | quartus | four | quat/quart |
| 5 | quinque | quintus | five | quin |
| 6 | sex | sextus | six | sex |
| 7 | septem | septimus | seven | sept |
| 8 | octo | octavus | eight | oct |
| 9 | novem | nonus | nine | nov/non |
| 10 | decem | decimus | ten | dec |
| 100 | centum | centesimus | hundred | cent |
| 1000 | mille | millesimus | thousand | mille |
Roman Latin numerals
Roman numerals used symbols from the Latin alphabet, and are still used today in traditional/official/dramatic works, and on clocks and watches. There are differing and unproven views as to the original shapes and evolution of these symbols. The simplest theories are that the symbols represented hand signals (Alfred Hooper, 1945, whereby 1-4 = fingers; V = thumb, plus fingers; X = two crossed thumbs) or separately they are notches or cuts in tally sticks (surviving traditionally in parts of Europe today), so that 1-4 = single cuts; 5 = double cut; 10 = cross-cut. Beyond these propositions other concepts are too complex to summarise here. The C and M symbols were likely later influenced by the Latin word equivalents, centum and mille. The numbering system operates according essentially to the basic rules that:
- letters may be repeated up to three times (which represents three times the number); the exception is that IIII is valid as 4, although IV is far more usual
- symbols right are added; left are subtracted; only single figures may be subtracted - for example 79 = LXXIX
- the subtracted figure must be no less that one tenth of the larger figure - for example IX = 9, but IC is not a valid expression of 99 (instead properly 99 is XCIX) - another way to understand this rule is that left-positioned/subtracted figures must always be the next smallest unit, i.e., you can't subtract a I (1) from a L (50), or a V (5) from a C (100), etc.
- a bar above a figure = 1,000 greater
| I | 1 |
| V | 5 |
| X | 10 |
| L | 50 |
| C | 100 |
| D | 500 |
| M | 1,000 |
A brief history of Latin
Latin is the language of ancient Rome, whose empire covered most of Europe around the beginning of the first millennium, and particularly the period of the Roman Empire's strongest dominance, c.300BC-300AD.
The Latin language of the Roman civilization was derived from the much older main Proto-Indo-European language (PIE), dated as far back as the 10th millennium BC, extending from the Indian sub-continent through Europe (hence its name - proto means first, see proto), coinciding with the basic colonization of European lands, although precise history of this remains subject to much debate and ongoing research. Nevertheless, Proto-Indo-European is considered to be the fundamental root language of all European languages and is certainly the root of Latin.
Linguistic history suggests that by around the 3rd millennium BC the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language had diverged into separate branches.
One of these branches became early or ancient Latin, established in the Italian peninsular (i.e., modern Italy).
(Incidentally Latin was influenced by the older ancient Greek language, which also evolved from PIE, and which subsequently characterized the later Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire until the 1400s, following the disintegration of the Roman/Western Roman Empire by 480AD. This explains separately the significance and prevalence of Greek in the etymology of many modern languages such as English.)
Having become a little local language in central western Italy (as was towards the end of the first millennium, and which became Rome) Latin simply grew and spread with the awesome development and power of Roman Empire, prior to which, and without which, Latin was was and would likely have remained, a minority language, and might not have survived at all.
In fact Latin obviously failed to survive as a living language, but it has survived and become arguably the world's most significant 'dead' language, because it was so embedded in governance and science and education, that the world could not function and develop without it.
see also
- diacritical marks
- grammar and literary glossary
- cliches and words origins - including the origins of the ampersand
- useful and amusing acronyms for business and teaching