A woman described in her role as head of a household, tribe, or as the mother of her children: As materfamilias, Mary was able to influence the decisions of the entire family.
According to tribal custom, the materfamilias gave the final decision whether to move the camp or not.
Shirley was a wonderful materfamilias of the family and all the children loved her.
As materfamilias, Margaret strived to provide her children with a healthy life and a moral upbringing.
1. the substance or substances of which a thing is made or composed:
Stone is a durable material.
2. anything that serves as crude or raw matter to be used or developed:
Wood pulp is the raw material from which paper is made.
3. a textile fabric:
material for a dress.
4. a group of ideas, facts, data, etc., that may provide the basis for or be incorporated into some integrated work:
to gather material for a history of North Carolina; to write material for a comedy show.
5. materials, the articles or apparatus needed to make or do something:
writing materials.
6. a person considered as having qualities suited to a particular sphere of activity:
The boy’s teachers did not think he was college material.
Latin words and phrases are widely used in English as scientific terms in medicine, biology, law, logic, philosophy, and other sciences. But many Latin expressions are familiar and understandable to the general reader.
The list below provides some common Latin expressions, abbreviations, and sayings. Note: Some Latin abbreviations are given with description and examples of use in the material Abbreviations in the section Miscellany.
Латинские слова и выражения широко употребляются в английском языке как научные термины в медицине, биологии, юриспруденции, логике, философии и других науках. Но многие латинские выражения знакомы и понятны широкому читателю.
Список ниже приводит некоторые общеизвестные латинские выражения, сокращения и изречения. Примечание: Некоторые латинские сокращения даны с описанием и примерами употребления в материале Abbreviations в разделе Miscellany.
Note: There were no commas in the original Latin expressions. In many sources, commas are used in Latin expressions for easier reading.
Примечание: В латинских выражениях не было запятых в оригинале. Во многих источниках запятые ставятся в латинских выражениях для более легкого прочтения.
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 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.
Therefore.
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.
After.
38. ex post facto.
After the fact.
39. e.g.
Short for exempli 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. vice 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.
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The purpose of this list is to give a rough idea of the Latin language. The words listed below are not the most common words, but a broad sampling of words. See the Word Lists page for more details.
| English | Latin (latīna) |
| I | ego |
| you (singular) | tū |
| he | ille (m.), illa (f.), illud (n.) |
| we | nōs |
| you (plural) | vōs |
| they | illī (m.), illae (f.), illa (n.) |
| this | hic (m.), haec (f.), hoc (n.) |
| that | ille (m.), illa (f.), illud (n.) |
| here | hīc |
| there | illic, ibi |
| who | quis (m.), quae (f.) |
| what | quid |
| where | ubi |
| when | cum |
| how | quōmodō |
| not | nōn, nē |
| all | omnēs (mf.), omnia (n.) |
| many | multī (m.), multae (f.), multa (n.) |
| some | aliquī (m.), aliqua (f.), aliquod (n.) |
| few | paucī (m.), paucae (f.), pauca (n.) |
| other | alter, alius |
| one | ūnus |
| two | duō |
| three | trēs |
| four | quattuor |
| five | quīnque |
| big | magnus |
| long | longus |
| wide | lātus |
| thick | crassus |
| heavy | gravis |
| small | parvus |
| short | brevis |
| narrow | angustus |
| thin | gracilis |
| woman | fēmina |
| man (adult male) | vir |
| man (human being) | homō |
| child | puer |
| wife | uxor, mulier |
| husband | maritus |
| mother | māter |
| father | pāter |
| animal | animal |
| fish | piscis |
| bird | avis |
| dog | cānis |
| louse | pediculus |
| snake | serpens |
| worm | vermis |
| tree | arbor |
| forest | silva |
| stick | hasta, palus |
| fruit | fructus |
| seed | semen |
| leaf | folium |
| root | rādix |
| bark (of a tree) | cortex |
| flower | flōs |
| grass | herba |
| rope | chorda |
| skin | cutis |
| meat | carnis |
| blood | sanguis |
| bone | os |
| fat (noun) | pinguāmen |
| egg | ovum |
| horn | cornu |
| tail | cauda |
| feather | penna |
| hair | pilus |
| head | caput |
| ear | auris |
| eye | oculus |
| nose | nasus, naris |
| mouth | ōs |
| tooth | dens |
| tongue (organ) | lingua |
| fingernail | unguis |
| foot | pes |
| leg | crus |
| knee | genu |
| hand | mānus |
| wing | ala |
| belly | venter, abdomen |
| guts | viscera |
| neck | cervix |
| back | dorsum |
| breast | mamma |
| heart | cor |
| liver | iecur |
| to drink | bībere |
| to eat | edere |
| to bite | mordēre |
| to suck | sūgere |
| to spit | spuere |
| to vomit | vomere |
| to blow | īnflāre |
| to breathe | respīrāre |
| to laugh | ridēre |
| to see | vidēre |
| to hear | audīre |
| to know | scīre |
| to think | cogitāre, putāre, existimāre |
| to smell | olfacere |
| to fear | timēre |
| to sleep | dormīre |
| to live | vīvere |
| to die | morīri |
| to kill | necāre |
| to fight | luctāre |
| to hunt | venāri |
| to hit | pellere |
| to cut | secāre |
| to split | dīvidere |
| to stab | pungere |
| to scratch | scabere |
| to dig | fodīre |
| to swim | nāre, natāre |
| to fly | volāre |
| to walk | ambulāre |
| to come | venīre |
| to lie (as in a bed) | cubāre |
| to sit | sedēre |
| to stand | stāre |
| to turn (intransitive) | vertīre |
| to fall | cadere |
| to give | dāre |
| to hold | tenēre |
| to squeeze | exprimere |
| to rub | fricāre |
| to wash | lavāre |
| to wipe | tergēre |
| to pull | trahere |
| to push | pellere |
| to throw | iacere |
| to tie | ligāre |
| to sew | sēmināre |
| to count | computāre, numerāre |
| to say | dīcere |
| to sing | canere |
| to play | ludere |
| to float | fluctuāre |
| to flow | fluere |
| to freeze | gelāre |
| to swell | augēre |
| sun | sol |
| moon | luna |
| star | stella |
| water | aqua |
| rain | pluvia |
| river | flumen, fluvius, amnis |
| lake | lacus |
| sea | mare |
| salt | sal |
| stone | saxum, lapis, petra |
| sand | harena |
| dust | pulvis |
| earth | humus, terra, ager |
| cloud | nubes, nebula |
| fog | cālīgō, nebula, tenebrae |
| sky | caelum |
| wind | ventus |
| snow | nix |
| ice | gelu |
| smoke | fumus |
| fire | ignis |
| ash | cinis |
| to burn | urere, flammāre |
| road | via |
| mountain | mons |
| red | ruber, rufus |
| green | viridis |
| yellow | croceus |
| white | albus, candidus |
| black | ater, niger |
| night | nox |
| day | dies |
| year | annus |
| warm | calidus |
| cold | frigidus |
| full | plenus |
| new | novus |
| old | vetus |
| good | bonus |
| bad | malus |
| rotten | putridus |
| dirty | immundus |
| straight | rectus |
| round | rotundus |
| sharp (as a knife) | acutus |
| smooth | suavis |
| wet | humidus, aqueus |
| dry | siccus |
| correct | rectus |
| near | propinquus, proximus |
| far | longus |
| right | dexter |
View other word lists here
This is a list of Latin words with derivatives in English (and other modern languages).
Ancient orthography did not distinguish between i and j or between u and v.[1] Many modern works distinguish u from v but not i from j. In this article, both distinctions are shown as they are helpful when tracing the origin of English words. See also Latin phonology and orthography.
The citation form for nouns (the form normally shown in Latin dictionaries) is the Latin nominative singular, but that typically does not exhibit the root form from which English nouns are generally derived.
• acerbior
• acerbissimus
• alacrior
• albior
• albissimus
• amplior
• amplissimus
-ert-
-uss-
• audācior
• audācissimus
• melior
• optimus
• melior-
• optim-
• better
• best
• ameliorate, amelioration, meliority
• optimal, optimate, optimum, suboptimal
-culc-
• cārior
• cārissimus
• castior
• castissimus
• celerior
• celerrimus
• citerior
• citimus
• citerior-
• citim-
•
•
•
• clārior
• clārissimus
-demn-
• dēterior
• dēterrimus
• deterior-
• deterrim-
• worst
•
• dexterior
• dextimus
• dexterior-
• dextim-
•
•
• exterior
• extremus
• exterior-
• extrem-
• outmost
• exterior
• extreme, extremity, extremum
fīlius
fīli-
son
• frequentior
• frequentissimus
• fulvissimus
• fuscior
• gracilior
• gracillimus
• grandior
• grandissimus
• gratissimus
• gravior
• gravissimus
• grossior
• inferior
• infimus
• inferior-
• infim-
• lowest
•
• interior
• intimus
• interior-
• intim-
•
• interior
• intima, intimacy, intimate, intimation
jocus
jūdex [note 6]
jugum
juvenis
• longior
• longissimus
• māior
• maximus
• māior-
• maxim-
• greater
• greatest
• maestoso, majesty, major, majorate, majordomo, majoritarian, majority, majuscule, mayor, mayoral, mayoralty, semimajor, supermajority
• maxim, maximal, maximum
• peior
• pessimus
• peior-
• pessim-
• worse
• worst
• impair, impairment, pejoration, pejorative
• pessimal
• miserior
• miserrimus
• mitissimus
• plūs
• plūrimus
• plūr-
• plūrim-
• more
• most
• nonplus, plural, plurality, pluriform, plus, surplus
• plurimal
• novior
• novissimus
-pert-
• minor
• minimus
• min-
• minim-
• less
• least
• administer, administration, administrative, administrator, administratrix, maladminister, minister, ministerial, ministrant, ministrative, ministry, minor, minority, minstrel, minstrelsy, minus, minuscule, semiminor
• minim, minimal, minimum
pos-
• posterior
• postremus
• posterior-
• postrem-
•
• a posteriori, posterior, posteriority
• postremogeniture
• prīmus
• prīm-
• first
• prima facie, primacy, primal, primary, primate, prime, primer, primine, primitive, primogeniture, primordial, primrose, Primula, subprimal, subprime
• propior
• proximus
• propior-
• proxim-
• nearer
• nearest
• approach, rapprochement, reproach
• proximal, proximate, proximity
-secr-
• siccior
succus
• superior
• supremus, summus
• superior-
• suprem-, sum-
• higher
• highest
• superior, superiority
• consummate, sum, summa, summation, summit, summitry, summity, supreme, supremity, supremum
• ulterior
• ultimus
• ulterior-
• ultim-
• farther
• farmost, farthest
• ulterior, ulteriority
• penultimate, ultima, ultimate, ultimatum, ultimogeniture
vallis
• velocior
• velocissimus
• vilior
• vilissimus
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:
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
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
Who says Latin is a dead language? It’s true that no country speaks Latin anymore, but thousands of English words have Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes. More than that, Latin words, expressions, and abbreviations are part of everyday English, particularly in the areas of law and business. Below I’ve listed 77 examples of Latin terms every English speaker should become familiar with.
|
Latin Word/Phrase |
Literal Translation |
Definition |
Sample Sentence |
| a priori | from the former | Supposed to be true without proof; occurring or being known beforehand. | We know a priori that matter exists; the question is–how did it come into being? |
| ad hoc | to this | Improvised on the spot or for a specific, immediate purpose. | The committee was formed ad hoc to address increasing crime in the neighborhood. |
| ad hominem | to/at the man | A logical fallacy in which the person rather than his argument is attacked. | Ad hominem attack ads are all too common during campaign season. |
| ad infinitum | to infinity | Going on forever. | Because pi is an irrational number, the digits after the decimal continue ad infinitum. |
| ad nauseam | to the point of disgust | Alternative to ad infinitum; repeating until it makes one sick. | Tom complained ad nauseam about his new job. |
| alibi | elsewhere | A legal defense where a defendant seeks to show that he was elsewhere when the crime was committed. | The defendant had clear motive, but his alibi was airtight, so the jury declared him not guilty. |
| alma mater | nourishing mother | The school or university from which one graduates. | Dad returns to his alma mater every few years for his class reunion. |
| alter ego | another I | Another self; secret identity. | Spiderman’s famous alter ego is wimpy news photographer Peter Parker. |
| antebellum | before the war | Usually refers to the period before the American Civil War. | Even in northern states racism was common during the antebellum period. |
| aurora borealis | northern lights | A natural light display visible in the night time sky in Arctic regions; the same phenomena in the south is known as the aurora australis. | Even after twenty years of living in northern Alaska, Carol never ceased to be astonished by the sudden beauty of the aurora borealis. |
| Ave Maria | Hail, Mary | Catholic prayer to Mary, the mother of Jesus. | My devout sister prays the Ave Maria every night before bed. |
| bona fide | good faith | Coming from sincere intentions; genuine, true. | The painting is a bona fide Renoir. |
| caveat emptor | let the buyer beware | The purchaser is responsible for evaluating the quality and utility of the goods he purchases. | The sign over the entrance of the used car dealership – caveat emptor – did not give me confidence. |
| coram deo | in the presence of god | The theological idea that we live ever in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God. | We are never really alone, because all of life is lived coram deo. |
| corpus | body | Contents; or collection of works by an author or artist; a particular collection of artistic works. | The corpus of William Shakespeare includes dramatic tragedies, comedies, and histories. |
| cum laude | with honor | A title applied to academic graduates who attain to a level of excellence. Students can also graduate magna cum laude (with great honor) or summa cum laude (with highest honor). | Sarah is naturally smart, but it was her dedication to academic study that caused her to graduate summa cum laude. |
| curriculum vitae | course of life | A comprehensive resume listing educational and employment history and qualifications for job seekers. | It’s a good idea to present your prospective employer with a copy of your curriculum vitae at the start of a job interview. |
| de facto | in fact | Actually; in reality. | The intention of the new law is good, but de facto, it just doesn’t work. |
| de jure | by law | According to law; by right. | De jure, adultery is illegal in many states, but the laws are never enforced. |
| deus ex machina | God from the machine | An unexpected, artificial, or improbable resolution to a plot situation in a work of fiction. | The action movie was entertaining, but the ending was an unconvincing deus ex machina. |
| emeritus | having served one’s time | An adjective used to denote a retired professor, president, bishop, or other professional; post-retirement status. | Today’s speaker is Dr. Ruth Fisher, professor emeritus at Stanford University. |
| ex libris | from the books | A phrase often stamped or printed on books to denote ownership; “from the library of.” | I am happy to lend my books, but I stamp them “ex libris Tony Danza” so I can get them back. |
| ex nihilo | out of nothing | Usually refers to divine creation and the idea that God made the world out of nothing, with no preexisting tools or materials. | All men are by nature creative, but only God creates ex nihilo. |
| ex post facto | from a thing done afterward | Usually used in a legal context, ex post facto refers to a law that is retroactive, that applies to actions taken prior to the existence of the law. | The new law will not apply to previous violators because it cannot be applied ex post facto. |
| habeas corpus | have the body | A writ ordering a person to appear before a judge, or the right to obtain such a writ as protection against imprisonment without trial. | Terrorism suspects often have no right to habeas corpus and can be held indefinitely without trial. |
| homo sapien | wise man | Human; the scientific name for the human species. | There is some question about whether or not the fossilized skeleton is homo sapien. |
| in loco parentis | in place of a parent | In legal terms, assuming the authority and responsibilities of a parent. | While at school, your teachers serve in loco parentis. |
| in medias res | in the middle of things | A literary technique where the telling of the story begins in the middle rather than at the beginning. | Epic poems often begin in medias res and explain the earlier parts of the story via dialogue. |
| in toto | in total | Completely; totally, all together. | Even though lots of things went wrong, in toto, the event was a success. |
| in vitro | in glass | Refers to studies done on organisms isolated from their normal biological surroundings; commonly called test tube studies or experiments. | |
| ipso facto | by the fact itself | As a direct consequence or effect of the action in question; in and of itself. | Steve was swerving and driving too slow; ipso facto, he was pulled over and tested for driving under the influence. |
| magnum opus | great work | The largest, best, or greatest achievement of an artist. | His ninth symphony is considered Beethoven’s magnum opus. |
| mea culpa | my fault | My mistake; my fault; an admission of guilt or responsibility. | The football player made a televised mea culpa after his disgraceful public behavior. |
| non sequiter | it does not follow | A logical fallacy where the conclusion does not reasonably follow from the premise; or, in literature, an irrelevant, often humorous response to a comment. | Overall, your argument is convincing, but your point about public education was a non-sequiter. |
| Pax Romana | roman peace | A period in history, during the dominance of the Roman empire in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, when relative peace reigned and little expansion of the Empire took place. | Christianity spread rapidly during the Pax Romana. |
| per capita | by heads | Per person; a ratio by the number of persons. | Each year, Americans eat about 135 pounds of sugar per capita. |
| per diem | per day | A daily allowance for expenses. | On my trip to Philadelphia, the company gave me a $100 per diem. |
| per se | through itself | In itself; by itself; without reference to anything else. | Eating salt isn’t bad per se, but consuming too much carries various health risks. |
| persona non grata | not-pleasing person | An unwelcome, unwanted, or undesirable person. | After I broke Aunt Wilma’s antique vase, I was persona non-grata at the Thomas home. |
| postmortem | after death | After death. | Officials determined the death was accidental after a postmortem examination. |
| prima facie | at first sight | Often refers to evidence in a trial that suggests but does not prove guilt. | Even though the prima facie evidence was strong, the defendant’s innocence became clear as the trial wore on. |
| pro bono | for good | Work undertaken voluntarily without compensation. | The lawyer was so moved by the plight of the workers, he defended their case pro bono. |
| pro rata | for the rate | Proportionately or proportional. | Extra nights at the hotel are charged pro rata of the weekly rental. |
| quid pro quo | what for what | This for that; a thing for a thing; a favor exchanged for favor. | After I picked him up at the airport, Larry took me to lunch as a quid pro quo. |
| quorum | of whom | The number of members whose presence is required. | Only ten board members showed up, leaving them two short of a quorum. |
| re | by the thing | In the matter of; referring to; regarding. | Is this phone call re the recent estate auction? |
| rigor mortis | stiffness of death | The rigidity that sets in on corpses about three to four hours after death. | The police had a hard time removing the briefcase from the victim’s grasp, rigor mortis having set in. |
| semper fideles | always faithful | The motto of the U.S. Marine Corps; sometimes abbreviated semper fi. | My uncle, the retired Marine sergeant, has “semper fideles” tattooed on his arm. |
| sic | thus | Just so; used to indicate that a preceding quotation is copied exactly, despite any errors of spelling, grammar, or fact. | The student wrote “the communists were probly right about some things [sic].” |
| sola fide | faith alone | One of the “Five Solas” of the Protestant Reformation that summarize the theology of the reformers. The others are sola scriptura (by Scripture alone), sola gratia (by grace alone), solo Christo (Christ alone), and soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone). | An important tenet of Protestantism is the idea of sola fide – that salvation is attained by faith, not works. |
| status quo | the situation in which | The current condition or situation; the way things are. | The protestors were unhappy about the status quo. |
| subpoena | under penalty | A request, usually by a court, that must be complied with on pain of punishment. | The officer issued me a subpoena to appear in court in June. |
| tabula rasa | scraped tablet | A blank slate; a clean slate; used figuratively to describe the human mind prior to influential experience. | The idea of original sin is at odds with the notion that babies are born with a moral tabula rasa. |
| terra firma | solid land | Solid ground. | After eight days at sea, I couldn’t wait to set foot on terra firma. |
| verbatim | word for word | Perfect transcription or quotation. | I’m sorry it offends you, but that’s what he said verbatim. |
| veto | I forbid | The political power to single-handedly stop or make void a law. | The bill passed by a slim margin, but the President is likely to veto it. |
| vice versa | the other way around | The other way around. | Tom is in love with Lorraine and vice versa. |
| vox populi | voice of the people | In broadcasting, an unscripted interview with ordinary members of the public. | After the controversial trial, networks broadcast numerous vox populi interviews. |
|
Common Abbreviations |
|||
| A.D. (Anno Domini) | in the Year of the Lord | The predominantly used system for dating, indicating years since the birth of Jesus Christ. Years prior to the birth of Christ are normally indicated by BC, an English abbreviation for Before Christ. | The Battle of Hastings took place in A.D. 1066. |
| AM (ante meridiem) | before midday | Indicates the time from midnight to noon. | Normally, I awake at 6 AM. |
| e.g.(exempli gratia) | for the sake of example | For example. | My favorite movies are Westerns (e.g., High Noon, True Grit, Unforgiven) |
| et al. (et alii) | and others | Similar to et cetera, to stand for a list of names, particularly in APA and MLA style papers. | Defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy – David Beckham, Landon Donovan et al. – in the 2009 MLS Cup final proved possible. |
| etc. (et cetera) | and the rest | And so on; and more. | Sylvia purchased pots, pans, utensils, etc. for her new kitchen. |
| i.e. (id est) | that is | That is to say; which means; in other words. | Jim encountered Victor, (i.e, his new boss) in the elevator that morning. |
| ibid. (ibidem) | in the same place | Used in formal citations to refer to the last referenced source. |
Ibid. |
| m.o. (modus operandi) | method of operating | Usually associated with criminals and their methods of committing crimes. | The police suspected Harry Harrison because the crime fit his m.o. perfectly. |
| PM (post meridiem) | after midday | The time between noon and midnight. | I will meet you for coffee at 2 PM. |
| p.s. (post scriptum) | after text | After writing; used to indicated addendums to otherwise completed personal letters. | Sincerely,George
p.s., Don’t forget to feed the parrot. |
| Q.E.D. (quod erat demonstrandum) | what was to be demonstrated | Often written at the bottom of a mathematical or logical proof, indicating that the proof is complete. | “No snakes have legs. That creature has legs. Therefore, the creature is not a snake. Q.E.D.” |
| R.I.P. (requiescat in pace) | rest in peace | A benediction for the dead often appearing on gravestones. | Inscribed on his tombstone were the simple words, “Henry Humble, R.I.P.” |
| vs. or v. (versus) | towards; in the direction | Mistakenly used in English to mean “against,” particularly to indicate opposing parties in legal disputes or athletic events. | Today’s main event is Wally Wilson vs. Tony “The Tiger” Thomson. |
|
Quotes and Sayings |
|||
| carpe diem | seize the day | A phrase from a poem by Horace, now an aphorism meaning, “take advantage of life while you can.” | The closer I get to old age, the more I realize how important it is to live life with a carpe diem approach. |
| Cogito ergo sum. | I think, therefore, I am | The famous philosophical proposition by René Descartes. It implies that doubting one’s own existence proves one’s existence. | Cogito ergo sum is the foundation of Cartesian thought. |
| Veni, vidi, vici. | I came, I saw, I conquered | A sentence attributed to Julius Caesar upon his conquest of Britain. Quoted by Plutarch. | When asked about his recent victory at the U.S. Open, Johns replied, “Veni, vidi, vici!” |
| e pluribus unum | out of many, one | A phrase on the Seal of the United States. | Many U.S. coins pay tribute to the melting pot history of the country with the phrase e pluribus unum. |
| et tu, Brute? | and you also, Brutus? | Legendarily the last words of Julius Caesar as he realizes that his friend Marcus Brutus was among his murderers. | After I joined in the teasing, my brother looked at me with a mock-tragic grin and said, “Et tu, Brute?” |
| sic semper tyrannis | thus always to tyrants | Sometimes attributed to Brutus as he participated in the assassination of Julius Caesar. John Wilkes Booth claimed to have shouted this phrase after shooting Abraham Lincoln. The motto of the Commonwealth of Virginia. | The historic American resistance to dictatorship is expressed in the common phrase, sic semper tyrannis. |
*****
Please leave your comments and questions below!
Did you know that the English language is made up of many words derived from other languages? In fact, over 60% of English words are derived from Latin, French, and Greek. This article will explore Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes. Not sure what they are? No worries, we will look at a definition of each of these terms, along with some examples and English words that use them.
Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Definition
It’s important to be aware of what roots, prefixes, and suffixes are, as they all help to determine the meaning of words. If you haven’t heard of these terms before, here are some definitions and examples:
Roots Definition
A root (also known as a base) refers to the core form of a word. It has a distinct meaning and can make sense on its own.
An example of a root word is ‘child.’ This word makes sense on its own and has its own definition. Nothing has been added to it.
A root carries most of a word’s meaning. Once you learn the root of a word, you will be able to construct new words. For example, take the verb ‘slow.’ This is a root word. You can add ‘ly’ to the end to turn it into the adverb ‘slowly.’ The ending ‘ly’ is known as a suffix.
Here’s a definition of suffix:
Suffix Definition
A suffix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word to create a new meaning. Suffixes can be added to a root word for a variety of reasons, such as:
1. To change tense
Take the root word ‘paint‘ (e.g., I paint a picture). To change this to the past tense, you would add the ‘ed‘ suffix, which changes it to ‘painted.’
It is important to be aware that the grammar rules in English are not always consistent, and words are not always ‘regular.’ This means that the suffixes and prefixes added to words will not always be the same or follow the exact same pattern. For example, if you wanted to turn the verb ‘run‘ into the past tense, you would not add an ‘ed‘ suffix, as ‘runned‘ does not make grammatical sense. Instead, you would say ‘ran.’
2. To express plurality (more than one of something)
Take the singular root word ‘cup.’ If you want to make it plural, you would add the suffix ‘s‘ at the end, which changes it to ‘cups.’ This shows there is more than one cup.
The addition of ‘s/es‘ suffixes to create a plural does not always work… Take ‘sheep‘ as an example — the plural of ‘sheep‘ is still ‘sheep.’
3. To change the word class
Take the root word ‘agree’ (verb). To change this to an adjective, you would add the suffix ‘able,’ which changes it to ‘agreeable’ (adjective).
When ‘able‘ is used, sometimes letters from the root words get dropped. For example, adding ‘able‘ to the root ‘adore‘ does not make it ‘adoreable‘ — instead, it’s ‘adorable.’
Prefix Definition
A prefix refers to a letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a root word to create a new meaning. Prefixes can be used for a couple of reasons, including:
1. To negate a word (make the meaning negative)
Take the root word ‘legal.’ To make this negative, you would add the prefix ‘il’, changing it to ‘illegal.’
Fig. 1 — Illegal has negative connotations, whereas legal has positive connotations.
Other prefixes used to create a negative meaning are:
-
in- (e.g., incorrect)
-
im- (e.g., impossible)
-
ir- (e.g., irresponsible)
-
un- (e.g., unimpressed)
-
dis- (e.g., disapprove)
2. To show repetition
Adding the ‘re‘ prefix to the root ‘do‘ creates the word ‘redo‘, which means to do something again/more than once.
Sometimes, prefixes can be hyphenated so as to not be misread or mispronounced. This is often the case if the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the root word are the same. For example, the word ‘re-enter‘ is often written with a hyphen — otherwise, it may be pronounced as ‘reen-ter.’
Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Example
Let’s look at some examples of roots, suffixes, and prefixes derived from Latin. Did you know these words came from Latin?
Latin Roots Examples
| Latin Root | Meaning |
| Audire | To hear |
| Pac | Peace |
| Mens | Mind |
| Annus | Year/yearly |
| Cavus | Hollow |
| Densus | Thick |
| Frater | Brother |
| Lingua | Language |
| Solus | Alone/only |
Latin Suffixes Examples
| Latin Suffix | Meaning |
| able/ible | capable/worthy of (used to form adjectives) |
| ation | used to turn verbs into nouns |
| ty/ity | used to turn adjectives into nouns |
| fy/ify | to cause/make/become (used to form verbs) |
| ment | used to turn verbs into nouns |
| ic/tic | used to create adjectives |
| ion | used to turn verbs into nouns |
| arium | A place associated with a specified thing. |
Latin Prefixes Examples
Did you know the ‘pre’ in the word ‘prefix’ is a Latin prefix itself? It derives from the Latin ‘prae‘, which means ‘before/prior to.’
| Latin Prefix | Meaning |
| co- | together |
| inter- | between |
| dis- | not/not any |
| sub- | under |
| pre- | before |
| post- | after |
| re- | again |
| de- | away/off |
| non- | not |
Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Words
Now that you know some Latin roots, suffixes and prefixes, let’s take a look at some English words that use them!
We’ll begin with the Latin root words and the English words that use these roots:
Latin Roots and English Words
| Latin Root | Used in English words |
| Audire (to hear) | audible, auditorium, auditory |
| Pac (peace) | pacifism, pacify |
| Mens (mind) | mental, mentality |
| Annus (year/yearly) | annual, anniversary |
| Cavus (hollow) | cave, cavity, excavation |
| Densus (thick) | dense, density, condense |
| Frater (brother) | fraternal, fraternity |
| Lingua (language) | linguistics, bilingual |
| Solus (alone/only) | solo, sole, desolate |
Latin Suffixes and English Words
| Latin suffix | English words |
| able/ible | predictable, accessible |
| ation | information, imagination |
| ty/ity | equality, loyalty |
| fy/ify | intensify, purify |
| ment | amazement, statement |
| ic/tic | romantic, academic |
| ion | collection, invention |
| arium | aquarium, planetarium |
Latin Prefixes and English Words
| Latin prefix | English words |
| co- | co-occur, co-operate |
| inter- | international, intertwine |
| dis- | discomfort, disbelief |
| sub- | subway, submarine |
| pre- | preconceive, preview |
| post- | post-war, post-natal |
| re- | rearrange, remake |
| de- | decompress, deactivate |
| non- | nonsense, non-verbal |
The Influence of Latin on English
Why does English have so many Latin words? One important term to discuss is…
Loanwords
Loanwords are words that have been taken from one language and integrated into the vocabulary of another. This is often done when two countries/cultures come into close contact, usually due to migration, trade, and/or war between countries.
During the Roman Empire, Latin was the lingua franca in most of Europe — a lingua franca is a common language used between countries that have different native languages. This means it was widely spoken and other European countries were often exposed to Latin vocabulary. Many English words were either directly taken from Latin, or new words were created using Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes.
Below is a pie chart of the languages with the most influence on English. This shows the percentage of words in the English language that derive from each of these languages:
Fig. 2 — Pie chart showing the percentage of words in English that derive from other languages
Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes Review
So, what do we now know about Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes?
Here are a few key points:
-
A root is the core form of a word. It makes sense on its own.
-
A suffix is added to the end of a root word. This can be done to change the tense, express plurality, or change the word class.
-
A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word. This can be done to negate a word or show repetition.
If you are familiar with Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes, you can use them to help determine the meanings of unfamiliar English words.
For example:
The word ‘indescribable‘ is made up of:
- prefix: in
- root: describe
- suffix: able
From this, we can tell that:
- The root word ‘describe’ means to give a detailed description or account of something.
- But the prefix ‘in’ is used to negate the word — in this case meaning ‘not able to be described.’
- The suffix ‘able’ means that the word is an adjective, so is used to modify a noun.
Latin Roots, Suffixes, and Prefixes — Key Takeaways
- A root refers to the base form of a word.
- Examples of Latin root words include ‘audire’, ‘mens’ and ‘lingua’
- A suffix is a letter/group of letters added to the end of a root word, whereas a prefix is a letter/group of letters added to the beginning of a root word.
- Examples of Latin suffixes include ‘able,’ ‘ify,’ and ‘ment’
- Examples of Latin prefixes include ‘co,’ ‘dis,’ and ‘re’