I assume that we do not know the meaning of every single word attested in classical and older Latin (literature, inscriptions, and other material).
If this assumption is false, it makes this question pointless, but a well explained justification of it would constitute a good answer.
It seems fair to assume that in general rarer words are not known as well as more common ones.
Therefore many unknown words are probably hapax legomena.
But are there more commonly occurring words whose meaning we don’t know?
In particular, what are the most common Latin words that we don’t understand?
Understanding the meaning of a word is non-binary: there is a lot of room between understanding fully and knowing nothing at all.
Any suggestions of poorly understood words, particularly ones occurring several times, are welcome as answers1.
Also words that have only recently been figured out are interesting.
Also, the frequency of a word depends on the corpus used, but that should not invalidate the question.
Instead of trying to give too stringent definitions, I trust you to make a judgement call.
Let me exclude names from this question, since their origins are often unclear and meaning (if any) is secondary to their use.
1
If you know a suitable word, please suggest it as an answer since it is an answer.
Comments are meant for clarifying and improving the question or making related remarks, not for answers.
If you can’t give all the details you wanted to, perhaps someone else can help you.
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.
You’ve reached the end of the article. Please share it if you think it deserves.
Jude doesn’t know Latin or anything like that, right?
Our investigations revealed that the victim is unlikely to know Latin.
Наше расследование пришло к заключению, что жертва вряд ли знала латынь.
Yeah, but you
know,
if you know Latin, you
know,
like, three languages, so.
I will not
have my science dumbed down just because you don’t know Latin, is that clear?
Я не позволю коверкать науку, просто потому что ты не знаешь латыни, это ясно?
First of all jobs have a graphic image,
secondly for solving the problems in the game enough to know Latin(English) alphabet.
Во-первых: все задания имеют графическое изображение, во-вторых:
для решения поставленных в игре задач, достаточно знать латинский( английский) алфавит.
He knew Latin, Ancient and modern Greek, Arabian, Turkish, Farsi….
Он владеллатынью, древне- и новогреческим, арабским, турецким, фарси….
He was a cultivated man, who knew Latin, Greek, classical mythology, and the Bible.
Он был широко образованным человеком, знал латинский и греческий язык, античную и библейскую мифологию, географию,
He perfectly knew Latin, Greek and French languages, read in English.
Он в совершенстве владел латинским, греческим и французским языками, читал на английском.
When he began his life in London, at the age of twelve,
Sri Aurobindo knew Latin and French thoroughly.
В начале своей жизни в Лондоне, в возрасте двенадцати лет,
Шри Ауробиндо уже знал латынь и французский язык.
In addition to Slovak, he knows Latin, Italian, English,
Russian, Ukrainian, French, German, Polish, Spanish, Greek and Old Church Slavonic.
русским, украинским, французским, немецким, испанским, греческим и церковнославянским языками.
He may have studied at Oxford under the name of Talbot; whether or not he attended university,
Kelly was educated and knew Latin and possibly some Greek by the time he met Dee.
Независимо от того, посещал он университет или нет, Келли был образован и знал латынь и, возможно, греческий язык.
The daughter of Professor Wannop would know her Latin!
We both know that your Latin blood makes that impossible.
Results: 804519,
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in: Character, Featured, Knowledge of Men
• May 10, 2019 • Last updated: September 3, 2021
What do great men like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt all have in common?
They all were proficient in Latin.
From the Middle Ages until about the middle of the 20th century, Latin was a central part of a man’s schooling in the West. Along with logic and rhetoric, grammar (as Latin was then known) was included as part of the Trivium – the foundation of a medieval liberal arts education. From Latin, all scholarship flowed and it was truly the gateway to the life of the mind, as the bulk of scientific, religious, legal, and philosophical literature was written in the language until about the 16th century. To immerse oneself in classical and humanistic studies, Latin was a must.
Grammar schools in Europe and especially England during this time were Latin schools, and the first secondary school established in America by the Puritans was a Latin school as well. But beginning in the 14th century, writers started to use the vernacular in their works, which slowly chipped away at Latin’s central importance in education. This trend for English-language learning accelerated in the 19th century; schools shifted from turning out future clergymen to graduating businessmen who would take their place in an industrializing economy. An emphasis on the liberal arts slowly gave way to what was considered a more practical education in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
While Latin had been dying a slow death for hundreds of years, it still had a strong presence in schools until the middle of the 20th century. Beginning in the 1960s, college students demanded that the curriculum be more open, inclusive, and less Euro-centric. Among their suggested changes was eliminating Latin as a required course for all students. To quell student protests, universities began to slowly phase out the Latin requirement, and because colleges stopped requiring Latin, many high schools in America stopped offering Latin classes, too. Around the same time, the Catholic Church revised its liturgy and permitted priests to lead Mass in vernacular languages instead of Latin, thus eliminating one of the public’s last ties to the ancient language.
While it’s no longer a requirement for a man to know Latin to get ahead in life, it’s still a great subject to study. I had to take classes in Latin as part of my “Letters” major at the University of Oklahoma, and I really enjoyed it. Even if you’re well out of school yourself, there are a myriad of reasons why you should still consider obtaining at least a rudimentary knowledge of the language:
Knowing Latin can improve your English vocabulary. While English is a Germanic language, Latin has strongly influenced it. Most of our prefixes and some of the roots of common English words derive from Latin. By some estimates, 30% of English words derive from the ancient language. By knowing the meaning of these Latin words, if you chance to come across a word you’ve never seen before, you can make an educated guess at what it means. In fact, studies have found that high school students who studied Latin scored a mean of 647 on the SAT verbal exam, compared with the national average of 505.
Knowing Latin can improve your foreign language vocabulary. Much of the commonly spoken Romanic languages like Spanish, French, and Italian derived from Vulgar Latin. You’ll be surprised by the number of Romanic words that are pretty much the same as their Latin counterparts.
Many legal terms are in Latin. Nolo contendere. Mens rea. Caveat emptor. Do you know what those mean? They’re actually common legal terms. While strides have been made to translate legal writing into plain English, you’ll still see old Latin phrases thrown into legal contracts every now and then. To be an educated citizen and consumer, you need to know what these terms mean. If you plan on going to law school, I highly recommend boning up on Latin. You’ll run into it all the time, particularly when reading older case law.
Knowing Latin can give you more insight to history and literature. Latin was the lingua franca of the West for over a thousand years. Consequently, much of our history, science, and great literature was first recorded in Latin. Reading these classics in the original language can give you insights you otherwise may have missed by consuming it in English.
Moreover, modern writers (and by modern I mean beginning in the 17th century) often pepper their work with Latin words and phrases without offering a translation because they (reasonably) expect the reader to be familiar with it. This is true of great books from even just a few decades ago (seems much less common these days – which isn’t a hopeful commentary on the direction of the public’s literacy I would think). Not having a rudimentary knowledge of Latin will cause you to miss out on fully understanding what the writer meant to convey.
Below we’ve put together a list of Latin words and phrases to help pique your interest in learning this classical language. This list isn’t exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination. We’ve included some of the most common Latin words and phrases that you still see today, which are helpful to know in boosting your all-around cultural literacy. We’ve also included some particularly virile sayings, aphorisms, and mottos that can inspire greatness or remind us of important truths. Perhaps you’ll find a Latin phrase that you can adopt as your personal motto. Semper Virilis!
Latin Words and Phrases Every Man Should Know
- a posteriori — from the latter; knowledge or justification is dependent on experience or empirical evidence
- a priori — from what comes before; knowledge or justification is independent of experience
- acta non verba — deeds, not words
- ad hoc — to this — improvised or made up
- ad hominem — to the man; below-the-belt personal attack rather than a reasoned argument
- ad honorem — for honor
- ad infinitum — to infinity
- ad nauseam — used to describe an argument that has been taking place to the point of nausea
- ad victoriam — to victory; more commonly translated into “for victory,” this was a battle cry of the Romans
- alea iacta est — the die has been cast
- alias — at another time; an assumed name or pseudonym
- alibi — elsewhere
- alma mater — nourishing mother; used to denote one’s college/university
- amor patriae — love of one’s country
- amor vincit omnia — love conquers all
- annuit cœptis –He (God) nods at things being begun; or “he approves our undertakings,” motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the United States one-dollar bill
- ante bellum — before the war; commonly used in the Southern United States as antebellum to refer to the period preceding the American Civil War
- ante meridiem — before noon; A.M., used in timekeeping
- aqua vitae — water of life; used to refer to various native distilled beverages, such as whisky (uisge beatha) in Scotland and Ireland, gin in Holland, and brandy (eau de vie) in France
- arte et marte — by skill and valour
- astra inclinant, sed non obligant — the stars incline us, they do not bind us; refers to the strength of free will over astrological determinism
- audemus jura nostra defendere — we dare to defend our rights; state motto of Alabama
- audere est facere — to dare is to do
- audio — I hear
- aurea mediocritas — golden mean; refers to the ethical goal of reaching a virtuous middle ground between two sinful extremes
- auribus teneo lupum — I hold a wolf by the ears; a common ancient proverb; indicates that one is in a dangerous situation where both holding on and letting go could be deadly; a modern version is, “to have a tiger by the tail”
- aut cum scuto aut in scuto — either with shield or on shield; do or die, “no retreat”; said by Spartan mothers to their sons as they departed for battle
- aut neca aut necare — either kill or be killed
- aut viam inveniam aut faciam — I will either find a way or make one; said by Hannibal, the great ancient military commander
- barba non facit philosophum — a beard doesn’t make one a philosopher
- bellum omnium contra omnes — war of all against all
- bis dat qui cito dat — he gives twice, who gives promptly; a gift given without hesitation is as good as two gifts
- bona fide — good faith
- bono malum superate — overcome evil with good
- carpe diem — seize the day
- caveat emptor — let the buyer beware; the purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need
- circa — around, or approximately
- citius altius forties — faster, higher, stronger; modern Olympics motto
- cogito ergo sum — “I think therefore I am”; famous quote by Rene Descartes
- contemptus mundi/saeculi — scorn for the world/times; despising the secular world, the monk or philosopher’s rejection of a mundane life and worldly values
- corpus christi — body of Christ
- corruptissima re publica plurimae leges — when the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous; said by Tacitus
- creatio ex nihilo — creation out of nothing; a concept about creation, often used in a theological or philosophical context
- cura te ipsum — take care of your own self; an exhortation to physicians, or experts in general, to deal with their own problems before addressing those of others
- curriculum vitae — the course of one’s life; in business, a lengthened resume
- de facto — from the fact; distinguishing what’s supposed to be from what is reality
- deo volente — God willing
- deus ex machina — God out of a machine; a term meaning a conflict is resolved in improbable or implausible ways
- dictum factum — what is said is done
- disce quasi semper victurus vive quasi cras moriturus — learn as if you’re always going to live; live as if tomorrow you’re going to die
- discendo discimus — while teaching we learn
- docendo disco, scribendo cogito — I learn by teaching, think by writing
- ductus exemplo — leadership by example
- ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt — the fates lead the willing and drag the unwilling; attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca
- dulce bellum inexpertis — war is sweet to the inexperienced
- dulce et decorum est pro patria mori — it is sweet and fitting to die for your country
- dulcius ex asperis — sweeter after difficulties
- e pluribus unum — out of many, one; on the U.S. seal, and was once the country’s de facto motto
- emeritus — veteran; retired from office
- ergo — therefore
- et alii — and others; abbreviated et al.
- et cetera — and the others
- et tu, Brute? — last words of Caesar after being murdered by friend Brutus in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, used today to convey utter betrayal
- ex animo — from the heart; thus, “sincerely”
- ex libris — from the library of; to mark books from a library
- ex nihilo — out of nothing
- ex post facto — from a thing done afterward; said of a law with retroactive effect
- faber est suae quisque fortunae — every man is the artisan of his own fortune; quote by Appius Claudius Caecus
- fac fortia et patere — do brave deeds and endure
- fac simile — make alike; origin of the word “fax”
- flectere si nequeo superos, acheronta movebo — if I cannot move heaven I will raise hell; from Virgil’s Aeneid
- fortes fortuna adiuvat — fortune favors the bold
- fortis in arduis — strong in difficulties
- gloria in excelsis Deo — glory to God in the highest
- habeas corpus — you should have the body; a legal term from the 14th century or earlier; commonly used as the general term for a prisoner’s right to challenge the legality of their detention
- habemus papam — we have a pope; used after a Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope
- historia vitae magistra — history, the teacher of life; from Cicero; also “history is the mistress of life”
- hoc est bellum — this is war
- homo unius libri (timeo) — (I fear) a man of one book; attributed to Thomas Aquinas
- honor virtutis praemium — esteem is the reward of virtue
- hostis humani generis — enemy of the human race; Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general
- humilitas occidit superbiam — humility conquers pride
- igne natura renovatur integra — through fire, nature is reborn whole
- ignis aurum probat — fire tests gold; a phrase referring to the refining of character through difficult circumstances
- in absentia — in the absence
- in aqua sanitas — in water there is health
- in flagrante delicto — in flaming crime; caught red-handed, or in the act
- in memoriam — into the memory; more commonly “in memory of”
- in omnia paratus — ready for anything
- in situ — in position; something that exists in an original or natural state
- in toto — in all or entirely
- in umbra, igitur, pugnabimus — then we will fight in the shade; made famous by Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae and by the movie 300
- in utero — in the womb
- in vitro — in glass; biological process that occurs in the lab
- incepto ne desistam — may I not shrink from my purpose
- intelligenti pauca — few words suffice for he who understands
- invicta — unconquered
- invictus maneo — I remain unvanquished
- ipso facto — by the fact itself; something is true by its very nature
- labor omnia vincit — hard work conquers all
- laborare pugnare parati sumus — to work, (or) to fight; we are ready
- labore et honore — by labor and honor
- leges sine moribus vanae — laws without morals [are] vain
- lex parsimoniae — law of succinctness; also known as Occam’s Razor; the simplest explanation is usually the correct one
- lex talionis — the law of retaliation
- magna cum laude — with great praise
- magna est vis consuetudinis — great is the power of habit
- magnum opus — great work; said of someone’s masterpiece
- mala fide — in bad faith; said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud or mislead someone; opposite of bona fide
- malum in se — wrong in itself; a legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong
- malum prohibitum — wrong due to being prohibited; a legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is against the law
- mea culpa — my fault
- meliora — better things; carrying the connotation of “always better”
- memento mori — remember that [you will] die; was whispered by a servant into the ear of a victorious Roman general to check his pride as he paraded through cheering crowds after a victory; a genre of art meant to remind the viewer of the reality of his death
- memento vivere — remember to live
- memores acti prudentes future — mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be
- modus operandi — method of operating; abbreviated M.O.
- montani semper liberi — mountaineers [are] always free; state motto of West Virginia
- morior invictus — death before defeat
- morituri te salutant — those who are about to die salute you; popularized as a standard salute from gladiators to the emperor, but only recorded once in Roman history
- morte magis metuenda senectus — old age should rather be feared than death
- mulgere hircum — to milk a male goat; to attempt the impossible
- multa paucis — say much in few words
- nanos gigantum humeris insidentes — dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants; commonly known by the letters of Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”
- nec aspera terrent — they don’t terrify the rough ones; frightened by no difficulties; less literally “difficulties be damned”
- nec temere nec timide — neither reckless nor timid
- nil volentibus arduum — nothing [is] arduous for the willing
- nolo contendere — I do not wish to contend; that is, “no contest”; a plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn’t admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime
- non ducor, duco — I am not led; I lead
- non loqui sed facere — not talk but action
- non progredi est regredi — to not go forward is to go backward
- non scholae, sed vitae discimus — we learn not for school, but for life; from Seneca
- non sequitur — it does not follow; in general, a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent); often used in humor
- non sum qualis eram — I am not such as I was; or “I am not the kind of person I once was”
- nosce te ipsum — know thyself; from Cicero
- novus ordo seclorum — new order of the ages; from Virgil; motto on the Great Seal of the United States
- nulla tenaci invia est via — for the tenacious, no road is impassable
- obliti privatorum, publica curate — forget private affairs, take care of public ones; Roman political saying which reminds that common good should be given priority over private matters for any person having a responsibility in the State
- panem et circenses — bread and circuses; originally described all that was needed for emperors to placate the Roman mob; today used to describe any entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters
- para bellum — prepare for war; if you want peace, prepare for war; if a country is ready for war, its enemies are less likely to attack
- parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus — when you are steeped in little things, you shall safely attempt great things; sometimes translated as, “once you have accomplished small things, you may attempt great ones safely”
- pater familias — father of the family; the eldest male in a family
- pecunia, si uti scis, ancilla est; si nescis, domina — if you know how to use money, money is your slave; if you don’t, money is your master
- per angusta ad augusta — through difficulties to greatness
- per annum — by the year
- per capita — by the person
- per diem — by the day
- per se — through itself
- persona non grata — person not pleasing; an unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person
- pollice verso — with a turned thumb; used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator
- post meridiem — after noon; P.M.; used in timekeeping
- post mortem — after death
- postscriptum — thing having been written afterward; in writing, abbreviated P.S.
- praemonitus praemunitus — forewarned is forearmed
- praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes — lead in order to serve, not in order to rule
- primus inter pares — first among equals; a title of the Roman Emperors
- pro bono — for the good; in business, refers to services rendered at no charge
- pro rata — for the rate
- quam bene vivas referre (or refert), non quam diu — it is how well you live that matters, not how long; from Seneca
- quasi — as if; as though
- qui totum vult totum perdit — he who wants everything loses everything; attributed to Seneca
- quid agis — what’s going on; what’s up, what’s happening, etc.
- quid pro quo — this for that; an exchange of value
- quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur — whatever has been said in Latin seems deep; or “anything said in Latin sounds profound”; a recent ironic Latin phrase to poke fun at people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more important or “educated”
- quis custodiet ipsos custodes? — who will guard the guards themselves?; commonly associated with Plato
- quorum — of whom; the number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make any given meeting constitutional
- requiescat in pace — let him rest in peace; abbreviated R.I.P.
- rigor mortis — stiffness of death
- scientia ac labore — knowledge through hard work
- scientia ipsa potentia est — knowledge itself is power
- semper anticus — always forward
- semper fidelis — always faithful; U.S. Marines motto
- semper fortis — always brave
- semper paratus — always prepared
- semper virilis — always virile
- si vales, valeo — when you are strong, I am strong
- si vis pacem, para bellum — if you want peace, prepare for war
- sic parvis magna — greatness from small beginnings — motto of Sir Frances Drake
- sic semper tyrannis — thus always to tyrants; attributed to Brutus at the time of Julius Caesar’s assassination, and to John Wilkes Booth at the time of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination; whether it was actually said at either of these events is disputed
- sic vita est — thus is life; the ancient version of “it is what it is”
- sola fide — by faith alone
- sola nobilitat virtus — virtue alone ennobles
- solvitur ambulando — it is solved by walking
- spes bona — good hope
- statim (stat) — immediately; medical shorthand
- status quo — the situation in which; current condition
- subpoena — under penalty
- sum quod eris — I am what you will be; a gravestone inscription to remind the reader of the inevitability of death
- summa cum laude — with highest praise
- summum bonum — the supreme good
- suum cuique — to each his own
- tabula rasa — scraped tablet; “blank slate”; John Locke used the term to describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any knowledge
- tempora heroic — Heroic Age
- tempus edax rerum — time, devourer of all things
- tempus fugit — time flees; commonly mistranslated “time flies”
- terra firma — firm ground
- terra incognita — unknown land; used on old maps to show unexplored areas
- vae victis — woe to the conquered
- vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas — vanity of vanities; everything [is] vanity; from the Bible (Ecclesiastes 1)
- veni vidi vici — I came, I saw, I conquered; famously said by Julius Caesar
- verbatim — repeat exactly
- veritas et aequitas — truth and equity
- versus — against
- veto — I forbid
- vice versa — to change or turn around
- vincit qui patitur — he conquers who endures
- vincit qui se vincit — he conquers who conquers himself
- vir prudens non contra ventum mingit — [a] wise man does not urinate [up] against the wind
- virile agitur — the manly thing is being done
- viriliter agite — act in a manly way
- viriliter agite estote fortes — quit ye like men, be strong
- virtus tentamine gaudet — strength rejoices in the challenge
- virtute et armis — by virtue and arms; or “by manhood and weapons”; state motto of Mississippi
- vive memor leti — live remembering death
- vivere est vincere — to live is to conquer; Captain John Smith’s personal motto
- vivere militare est — to live is to fight
- vox populi — voice of the people
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ignoramus
ignoramus [ˏɪgnəˊreɪməs]
n
(
pl
— es [-ɪz])
неве́жда
Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > ignoramus
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2
ignoramus
Персональный Сократ > ignoramus
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3
ignoramus
Англо-русский синонимический словарь > ignoramus
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4
ignoramus
[͵ıgnəʹreıməs]
(pl -es [-{͵ıgnəʹreıməs}ız]
1. невежда, неуч
2.
«дело прекратить за отсутствием состава преступления» ()
НБАРС > ignoramus
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5
ignoramus
[ˌɪgnə’reɪməs]
1) Общая лексика: недоросль, неуч, дурак, идиотка, идиот, тупица, кретин, балда, глупец, балбес, дурень, остолоп, придурок, профан
2) Латинский язык: невежда, «мы не знаем» юр.
Универсальный англо-русский словарь > ignoramus
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6
ignoramus
[ˏɪgnə`reɪməs]
невежда, неуч, профан
Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь > ignoramus
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7
ignoramus
lat.
noun
невежда
* * *
2 (n) ‘дело прекратить за отсутствием состава преступления’; невежда
* * *
невежда, неуч, профан
* * *
[ig·no·ra·mus || ‚ɪgnə’reɪməs]
профан, невежда, неучНовый англо-русский словарь > ignoramus
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8
ignoramus
Англо-русский юридический словарь > ignoramus
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9
ignoramus
English-Russian dictionary of technical terms > ignoramus
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10
ignoramus
[ˌɪgnə’reɪməs]
невежда, неуч, профан
Англо-русский современный словарь > ignoramus
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11
ignoramus
1. n невежда, неуч
2. n юр. «дело прекратить за отсутствием состава преступления»
Синонимический ряд:
1. dunce (noun) beetlehead; blockhead; bonehead; boob; booby; cabbagehead; chowderhead; chucklehead; chump; clod; clodpate; clodpoll; dimwit; dodo; dolt; dolthead; dope; duffer; dullard; dullhead; dumbbell; dummy; dunce; dunderhead; dunderpate; fathead; featherweight; goof; hammerhead; idiot
2. fool (noun) flake; fool; moron; simpleton; stupid person
English-Russian base dictionary > ignoramus
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12
ignoramus
Dictionary English-Interslavic > ignoramus
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There’s an ignoramus for you!
• There’s an ignoramus < for you>!
Вот невежда!Difficulties of the English language (lexical reference) English-Russian dictionary > There’s an ignoramus for you!
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There’s an ignoramus!
• There’s an ignoramus < for you>!
Вот невежда!Difficulties of the English language (lexical reference) English-Russian dictionary > There’s an ignoramus!
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young ignoramus
Англо-русский синонимический словарь > young ignoramus
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16
young ignoramus
Новый англо-русский словарь > young ignoramus
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17
круглый невежда
Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > круглый невежда
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18
невежда
Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > невежда
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недоросль
Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > недоросль
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неуч
муж.;
разг.;
презр. ignoramusм. разг. ignoramus.
Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > неуч
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См. также в других словарях:
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Ignoramus — Ig no*ra mus, n. [L., we are ignorant. See {Ignore}.] 1. (Law) We are ignorant; we ignore; being the word formerly written on a bill of indictment by a grand jury when there was not sufficient evidence to warrant them in finding it a true bill.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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ignoramus — (n.) 1570s, from an Anglo French legal term (early 15c.), from L. ignoramus we do not know, first person present indicative of ignorare not to know (see IGNORANT (Cf. ignorant)). The legal term was one a grand jury could write on a bill when it… … Etymology dictionary
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ignoramus — [ig΄nə rā′məs, ig΄nəram′əs] n. pl. ignoramuses [< the name of a lawyer in Geo. Ruggle s play Ignoramus (1615); L, lit., we take no notice (a legal term formerly written on a bill of indictment by a grand jury that finds it to be not a true… … English World dictionary
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ignoramus — ig·no·ra·mus /ˌig nə rā məs/ n: no bill at bill 3b Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 … Law dictionary
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ignoramus — meaning ‘an ignorant person’, has the plural form ignoramuses. It was originally a law term from the Latin word meaning ‘we do not know’, and the ending has nothing to do with Latin nouns in us … Modern English usage
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ignoramus — ► NOUN (pl. ignoramuses) ▪ an ignorant or stupid person. ORIGIN originally a formula uttered by a grand jury about an indictment considered to be backed by insufficient evidence to bring before a petty jury: from Latin, we do not know (in legal… … English terms dictionary
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Ignoramus — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Ignoramus >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 ignoramus ignoramus dunce Sgm: N 1 wooden spoon wooden spoon Sgm: N 1 no scholar no scholar GRP: N 2 Sgm: N 2 sciolist sciolist smatterer dabbler … English dictionary for students
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ignoramus — This has had the meaning of an ignorant person since the early seventeenth century, when a play by Ruggles, written to expose the ignorance and arrogance of lawyers, was first performed. Ignoramus, the title of the play, was also the name of… … A dictionary of epithets and terms of address
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ignoramus — noun (plural muses; also ignorami) Etymology: Ignoramus, ignorant lawyer in Ignoramus (1615), play by George Ruggle, from Latin, literally, we are ignorant of Date: circa 1616 an utterly ignorant person ; dunce … New Collegiate Dictionary
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ignoramus — /ig neuh ray meuhs, ram euhs/, n., pl. ignoramuses. an extremely ignorant person. [1570 80; < L ignoramus we ignore (1st pers. pl. pres. indic. of ignorare to be ignorant of, IGNORE); hence name of an ignorant lawyer in the play Ignoramus (1615)… … Universalium
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ignoramus — UK [ˌɪɡnəˈreɪməs] / US noun [countable] Word forms ignoramus : singular ignoramus plural ignoramuses old fashioned someone who does not know very much … English dictionary
Did you ever think that those of us with Latin origins would actually know some Latin? Not necessarily! Although Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian (among others) all originate from Latin, your average native speaker may not know a word of traditional Latin. Latin phrases and words are typically used in laws and legal documents, and are more commonly written than spoken.
So here’s your guide to the most common Latin words that are used in English. Learn these and you’ll sound like a native English speaker.
Impromptu
It means spontaneous or without preparation. Something that catches you by surprise: “my boss called an impromptu meeting today and my colleagues and I were totally unprepared.”
Quid pro Quo
It means “of equal exchange or substitution.” Literally, it means “something for something”. You exchange something of the other’s interest for something of your own interest. “They finally agreed on a quid pro quo agreement, in which John will disclose confidential information to George in exchange for free access to George’s company database.”
Per se
In itself, intrinsically, of an inherent nature. “My friends and I were celebrating and having a great time, but it really wasn’t a party per se.”
A Priori
Based on hypothesis or theory, rather than experience. Derived by logic, with no observed facts. “Although I have never been a bachelor myself, I of course know a priori that all bachelors are unmarried.”
Ad hoc
For one specific case, many times can be replace by “specific”. “We did not have an HR manager at the company, so I formed an ad hoc HR committee.”
Bona Fide
Unquestionable, in good faith. “Since my boss has never been friendly to me, I was surprised when he offered me his bona fide advice on how I could succeed in business.”
Pro Rata
Proportionally, in equal parts. “Many people like to split the check pro rata so that they can order more than they would if paying the full price.”
Ergo
Therefore, consequently. “I have never been to Kim’s apartment. Ergo, I cannot tell you what it looks like.”
You can see more Latin words that are used in daily life on the blog Latin IS English.
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