Collection of Latin Phrases PDF

List of Latin phrases (full)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases. Some of the phrases are
themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak
centuries before that of ancient Rome.
This list is a combination of the twenty divided "List of Latin phrases" pages, for users who have no
trouble loading large pages and prefer a single page to scroll or search through. The content of the
list cannot be edited here, and is kept automatically in sync with the separate lists through the use
of transclusion.
Contents [hide]
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
Notes
References
A[edit]
Latin
Translation
a bene placito
from one well pleased
a caelo usque ad
centrum
from the sky to the center
Notes
Or "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and

its Italian (beneplacito) and Spanish (beneplcito)
derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad
libitum (at pleasure).
Or "from heaven all the way to the center of the earth". In

law, can refer to the obsolete cuius est solum eius est usque
ad coelum et ad inferosmaxim of property ownership ("for
whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky and down to

the depths").
from head to heel
From top to bottom; all the way through (colloquially "from

head to toe"). Equally a pedibus usque ad caput.
a contrario
from the opposite
Equivalent to "on the contrary" or "au contraire".

An argumentum a contrario is an "argument from the
contrary", an argument or proof by contrast or direct
opposite.
a Deucalione
from or sinceDeucalion
A long time ago. From Gaius Lucilius (Satires, 6, 284)
a falsis principiis
proficisci
to set forth from false

principles
Legal term from Cicero's De Finibus 4.53.
a fortiori
from the stronger
Loosely, "even more so" or "with even stronger reason".

Often used to lead from a less certain proposition to a more
evident corollary.
from sea to sea
From Psalm 72:8, "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et

a flumine usque ad terminos terrae" (KJV: "He shall have
dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the
ends of the earth"). National motto of Canada.
a capite ad calcem
a mari usque ad
mare
a pedibus usque ad
from feet to head
caput
a posse ad esse
a posteriori
Completely. Similar to the English expressions "from tip to

toe" or "from head to toe". Equally a capite ad calcem. See
also ab ovo usque ad mala.
from being able to being
"From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to

being actual"
from the latter
Based on observation (i.e., empirical knowledge), the

reverse of a priori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote
something that is known after a proof has been carried out.
In philosophy, used to denote something known from
experience.
from the former
Presupposed independent of experience, the reverse of a

posteriori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote
something that is known or postulated before a proof has
been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something is
supposed without empirical evidence. In everyday speech, it
denotes something occurring or being known before the
event.
ab absurdo
from the absurd
Said of an argument that seeks to prove a statement's

validity by pointing out the absurdity of an opponent's
position (cf. appeal to ridicule) or that an assertion is false
because of its absurdity. Not to be confused with a reductio
ad absurdum, which is usually a valid logical argument.
ab abusu ad usum
non valet
consequentia
an inference from an
Rights abused are still rights (cf. abusus non tollit usum).
abuse to a use is not valid
a priori
ab aeterno
from the eternal
Literally, "from the everlasting" or "from eternity". Thus,

"from time immemorial", "since the beginning of time" or
"from an infinitely remote time in the past". In theology,
often indicates something, such as the universe, that was
created outside of time.
ab antiquo
from the ancient
From ancient times.
ab epistulis
from the letters
Or, having to do with correspondence.
ab extra
from beyond
A legal term meaning "from without". From external

sources, rather than from the self or the mind (ab intra).
ab hinc orabhinc
from here on
ab imo pectore
from the deepest chest
ab inconvenienti
from an inconvenient
thing
Or "from the bottom of my heart", "with deepest affection",

"sincerely".. Attributed to Julius Caesar.
New Latin for "based on unsuitability", "from

inconvenience" or "from hardship". An argumentum ab
inconvenienti is one based on the difficulties involved in
pursuing a line of reasoning, and is thus a form of appeal to

consequences; it refers to a rule in law that an argument
from inconvenience has great weight.
from the cradle
Thus, "from the beginning" or "from

infancy". Incunabula is commonly used in English to refer
to the earliest stage or origin of something, and especially to
copies of books that predate the spread of the printing
press around AD 1500.
ab initio
from the beginning
"At the outset", referring to an inquiry or investigation. In

literature, refers to a story told from the beginning rather
than in medias res (from the middle). In law, refers to
something being the case from the start or from the instant
of the act, rather than from when the court declared it so. A
judicial declaration of the invalidity of a marriage ab
initio is a nullity. In science, refers to the first principles. In
other contexts, often refers to beginner or training
courses. Ab initio mundi means "from the beginning of the
world".
ab intestato
from anintestate
From someone who dies with no legal will (cf. ex

testamento).
ab intra
from within
From the inside. The opposite of ab extra.
ab irato
from an angry man
By a person who is angry. Used in law to describe a

decision or action that is detrimental to those it affects and
was made based on hatred or anger, rather than on reason.
The form irato is masculine; however, this does not mean it
applies only to men, rather 'person' is meant, as the phrase
probably elides "homo," not "vir."
ab origine
from the source
From the origin, beginning, source, or commencementi.e.,

"originally". The source of the word aboriginal.
ab ovo usque ad
mala
From Horace, Satire 1.3. Means "from beginning to end",

based on the Roman main meal typically beginning with an
from the egg to the apples egg dish and ending with fruit (cf. the English phrase soup
to nuts). Thus, ab ovo means "from the beginning", and can
also connote thoroughness.
ab incunabulis
ab uno disce omnes from one, learn all
From Virgil's Aeneid. Refers to situations where a single

example or observation indicates a general or universal
truth. Visible in the court of King Silas in the TV
series Kings.
ab urbe
condita (a.u.c.)
Or "from the founding of Rome", which occurred in 753 BC

according to Livy's count. Used as a reference point in
from the city having been
ancient Rome for establishing dates, before being
founded
supplanted by other systems. Also anno urbis
conditae (a.u.c.) (literally "in the year of the founded city").
ab utili
from utility
Used of an argument.
absens haeres non

erit
an absent person will not

be an heir
In law, refers to the principle that someone who is not

present is unlikely to inherit.
absente reo(abs. re.)
[with] the defendant being

In the absence of the accused.
absent
absit iniuria
verbis (orinjuria)
let injury be absent from

[these] words
Expresses the wish that no insult or wrong be conveyed by

the speaker's words, i.e., "no offence". See also absit
invidia.
let ill will be absent
Although similar to the English expression "no

offence", absit invidia is not a mere social gesture to avoid
causing offense, but also a way to ward off the harm that
some people superstitiously believe animosity can cause
others. Also extended to absit invidia verbo, meaning "may
ill will be absent from the word" (cf. absit iniuria verbis).
absit omen
let an omen be absent
Or "let this not be a bad omen". Expresses the wish that

something seemingly ill-boding does not turn out to be an
omen for future events, and calls on divine protection
against evil.
absolutum
dominium
absolute dominion
Total power or sovereignty.
absit invidia
A legal term said by a judge acquitting a defendant

following a trial. Te absolvo or absolvo te, translated, "I
forgive you," said by Roman Catholic priests during
the Sacrament of Confession, in Latin prior to the Second
Vatican Council and in vernacular thereafter.
absolvo
I acquit
abundans cautela
non nocet
abundant caution does no

Frequently phrased as "one can never be too careful".
harm
abusus non tollit

usum
misuse does not remove

use
Just because something is misused doesn't mean it can't be

used correctly.
abyssus abyssum
invocat
deep calleth unto deep
From Psalms 42:7; some translations have 'Sea calls to sea'.
accipe hoc
Take this
Motto of 848 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy.
no one ought to accuse

himself except in the
Presence of God
A legal maxim denoting that any accused person is entitled

to make a plea of not guilty, and also that a witness is not
obliged to give a response or submit a document that
will incriminate himself. A very similar phrase is nemo
tenetur se ipsum accusare "no one is bound to accuse
himself". See right to silence.
accusare nemo se
debet nisi coram
Deo
acta deos numquam mortal actions never

deceive the gods
mortalia fallunt
Ovid's Tristia 1.2.97: si tamen acta deos numquam mortalia

fallunt, / a culpa facinus scitis abesse mea. "Yet if mortal
actions never deceive the gods, / you know that crime was
absent from my fault."
acta est fabula

plaudite
The play has been

performed; applaud!
A common ending to ancient Roman comedies, also

claimed by Suetonius in The Twelve Caesars to have
been Augustus' last words. Applied by Sibelius to the third
movement of his String Quartet no. 2 so that his audience
would realize it was the last one, as a fourth would normally
be expected.
acta non verba
Deeds, not Words
Motto of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
acta sanctorum
Deeds of theSaints
Also used in the singular, Acta Sancti (Deeds of the Saint),

preceding a specific Saint's name. A common title of works
in hagiography.
actus me invito
the act done by me against
factus non est meus
my will is not my act
actus
The act does not make [a

person] guilty unless the
mind should be guilty.
A legal term outlining the presumption of mens rea in

a crime.
actus reus
guilty act
The actual crime that is committed, rather than the intent or

thought process leading up to the crime. Thus, the external
elements of a crime, as contrasted with mens rea, the
internal elements.
ad absurdum
to the absurd
In logic, to the point of being silly or nonsensical. See

also reductio ad absurdum. Not to be confused with ab
absurdo (from the absurd).
ad abundantiam
to abundance
In legal language, used when providing additional evidence

to an already sufficient collection. Also used commonly, as
an equivalent of "as if this wasn't enough".
ad altiora tendo
I strive towards higher

things
ad arbitrium
at will, at pleasure
ad acta
to the archives, no longer

relevant
ad astra
to the stars
actus non facit

reum nisi mens sit
rea
Name or motto (in full or part) of many organizations,

publications, etc.
to the stars through

ad astra per aspera
difficulties
Motto of Kansas, and other organisations. The phrase is also

translated as "A rough road leads to the stars", as on the
Launch Complex 34 memorial plaque for the astronauts
of Apollo 1.
ad augusta per
angusta
to rise to a high position

overcoming hardships.
ad
captandumvulgus
in order to capture the

crowd
To appeal to the masses. Often used of politicians.

An argumentum ad captandum is an argument designed to
please the crowd.
to the clergy
A formal letter or communication (in the Christian tradition)

from a Bishop to the clergy under his direction. An "ad
clerum" may be a letter of encouragement at a time of
celebration, or a technical explanation of new regulations
or canons.
ad eundem
to the same
An ad eundem degree, from the Latin ad eundem

gradum (to the same step" or "to the same degree), is a
courtesy degree awarded by one university or college to an
alumnus of another. It is not an honorary degree, but a
recognition of the formal learning that earned the degree at
another college.
ad fontes
to the sources
A motto of Renaissance humanism. Also used in

the Protestant Reformation.
ad fundum
to the bottom
Said during a generic toast, equivalent to "bottoms up!" In

other contexts, generally means "back to the basics".
ad hoc
to this
Generally means "for this", in the sense of improvised on

the spot or designed for only a specific, immediate purpose.
to the man
Or "at the man". Typically used in argumentum ad

hominem, a logical fallacy consisting of criticizing a person
when the subject of debate is the person's ideas or argument,
on the mistaken assumption that the soundness of an
argument is dependent on the qualities of the proponent.
ad clerum
ad hominem
ad honorem
to the honour
Generally means "for the honour", not seeking any material

reward.
ad infinitum
to infinity
Going on forever. Used to designate a property which

repeats in all cases in mathematical proof.
ad interim (ad int)
for the meantime
As in the term "charg d'affaires ad interim" for a

diplomatic officer who acts in place of an ambassador.
ad kalendas graecas at the GreekCalends
Attributed by Suetonius in The Twelve Caesars to Augustus.

The Calends were specific days of the Roman calendar, not
of the Greek, and so the "Greek Kalends" would never
occur. Similar to "when pigs fly".
toward pleasure
Loosely, "according to what pleases" or "as you

wish"; libitum comes from the past participle of libere, "to
please". It typically indicates in musicand theatrical scripts
that the performer has the liberty to change or omit
something. Ad lib is specifically often used when
someone improvisesor ignores limitations. Also used by
some restaurants in favor of the colloquial "all you can eat
or drink".
ad litem
to the lawsuit
A legal term referring to a party appointed by a court to act

in a lawsuit on behalf of another party who is deemed
incapable of representing himself. An individual who acts in
this capacity is called a guardian ad litem.
ad lucem
to the light
Motto of Oxford High School (Oxford), the University of

Lisbon, Withington Girls' School and St. Bartholomew's
School, Newbury, UK
ad maiorem Dei
gloriam orad
majorem Dei
gloriam(AMDG)
Motto of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Edward

to the greater glory of God Elgar dedicated his oratorio The Dream of
Gerontius "A.M.D.G."
ad meliora
Towards better things
ad libitum (ad lib)
motto of St. Patrick's College, Cavan, Ireland
ad mortem
To death
used in medical contexts as a synonym for death
ad multos annos
to many years!
A wish for a long life. Similar to "Many happy returns!"
ad nauseam
to seasickness
Or "to the point of disgust". Sometimes used as a humorous

alternative to ad infinitum. An argumentum ad nauseam is
a logical fallacy involving basing one's argument on
prolonged repetition, i.e., repeating something so much that
people are "sick of it".
ad oculos
to the eyes
Meaning "obvious on sight" or "obvious to anyone that sees

it".
ad pedem litterae
to the foot of the letter
Thus, "exactly as it is written". Similar to the phrase "to the

letter", meaning "to the last detail".
ad perpetuam
memoriam
to the perpetual memory
Generally precedes "of" and a person's name, and is used to

wish for someone to be remembered long after death.
ad pondus
omnium (ad pond om)
More loosely, "considering everything's weight". The

abbreviation was historically used by physicians and others
to the weight of all things
to signify that the last prescribed ingredient is to weigh as
much as all of the previously mentioned ones.
Meaning "according to the harm" or "in proportion to the

harm". The phrase is used in tort law as a measure
of damages inflicted, implying that a remedy, if one exists,
ought to correspond specifically and only to the damage
suffered (cf. damnum absque iniuria).
ad quod damnum
to whatever damage
ad referendum
Loosely "subject to reference": provisionally approved, but

to be proposed [before the
still needing official approval. Not the same as
Senate]
a referendum.
(ad ref)
ad rem
to the matter
Thus, "to the point", without digression.
ad terminum qui
for the term which has
A legal term for a writ of entry ad terminum qui
praeteriit
passed
praeteriit [for the term which has passed].[1]
ad undas
to the waves
Equivalent to "to hell".
ad unum
to one
ad usum Delphini
Said of a work that has been expurgated of offensive or

improper parts. The phrase originates from editions of
for the use of the Dauphin Greek and Roman classics which Louis
XIV had censored for his heir apparent, the Dauphin. Also
rarely in usum Delphini (into the use of the Dauphin).
ad usum
proprium (ad us.
for one's own use
propr.)
ad utrumque
paratus
prepared for either

[alternative]
The motto of Lund University, with the implied alternatives

being the book (study) and the sword (defending the country
in war).
ad valorem
according to value
Used in commerce to refer to ad valorem taxes, taxes based

on the assessed value of real estate or personal property.
ad victoriam
to victory
More commonly translated into "for victory" this is a

battlecry of the Romans.
ad vitam aeternam
to eternal life
Also "to life everlasting". A common Biblical phrase.
ad vitam aut
culpam
for life or until fault
Usually used of a term of office.
addendum
thing to be added
An item to be added, especially a supplement to a book. The

plural is addenda.
adaequatio
intellectus et rei
correspondence of the
mind and reality
One of the definitions of the truth. When the mind has the
same form as reality, we think truth. Also found
as adaequatio rei et intellectus.
adaequatio
intellectus nostri
cum re
conformity of our minds

to the fact
A phrase used in Epistemology regarding the nature of

understanding.
adsum
I am here
Equivalent to "Present!" or "Here!" The opposite

of absum "I am absent".
adversus solem ne
loquitor
don't speak against the sun Or don't argue what's obviously wrong.
advocatus diaboli
devil's advocate
Someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he

or she does not necessarily agree with, for the sake of
argument.
aegri somnia
a sick man's dreams
From Horace, Ars Poetica, 7. Loosely, "troubled dreams".
aetat.
"of age" / "aged" (in the

sense of: "age: ...)
Abbreviation of "aetatis"; further abbreviated (and more

common): "aet." e.g.: "aetat" or "aet. 36" = "36 years old".
of one's own age
Thus, "at the age of". Appeared on portraits, gravestones,

etc. Sometimes extended to anno aetatis suae (AAS), "in the
year of his age". Sometimes shortened to
just aetatis or aetat (aet.).
aetatis suae
The tomb reads Anno 1629 Aetatis Suae 46 because she died in 1629 at age 46.
he asserted
A legal term from Medieval Latin referring to a sworn

statement. From fides, "faith".
age quod agis
Do what you are doing.
More often translated as "Do well whatever you do", this

phrase is used as the motto of several Catholic schools.
Literally translated, it means "Drive, because you are
driven"; figuratively it means "keep going, because you are
inspired or dedicated to do so".
agenda
things to be done
affidavit
Originally comparable to a to-do list, an ordered list of

things to be done. Now generalized to include any planned
course of action. The singular, agendum (thing that must be

done), is rarely used.
agere sequitur
credere
action follows belief
"We act according to what we believe (ourselves to be)".[2]
agere sequitur
(esse)
action follows being
Metaphysical and moral principle that indicates the

connection among ontology, obligation and ethics.[2]
Lamb of God
Latin translation from John 1:36, where John the

Baptist exclaims Ecce Agnus Dei! "Behold the Lamb of
God!" upon seeing Jesus, referring both to a lamb's
connotations of innocence and to a sacrificial lamb.
the die has been cast
Or in Greek, anerrhphth kbos; said

by Julius Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC,
according to Suetonius. The original meaning was similar to
"the game is afoot", but its modern meaning, like that of the
phrase "crossing the Rubicon", denotes passing thepoint of
no return on a momentous decision and entering into a risky
endeavor where the outcome is left to chance.
Agnus Dei
alea iacta est
alenda lux ubi orta Light [is] to be nourished Or "let learning be cherished..." The motto of Davidson
where liberty [has] arisen. College.
libertas
alias
at another time, otherwise
alibi
elsewhere
aliquid stat pro

aliquo
something stands for

something else
alis aquilae
on an eagle's wings
An assumed name or pseudonym. Similar to alter ego, but

more specifically referring to a name, not to a "second self".
A legal defense where a defendant attempts to show that he

was elsewhere at the time a crime was committed.
His alibi is sound; he gave evidence that he was in another city on the night of the
murder.
A foundational definition for semiotics.
taken from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40. "But those who
wait for the Lord shall find their strength renewed, they
shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not
grow weary, they shall walk and not grow faint."
alis grave nil
nothing [is] heavy with

wings
Or "nothing is heavy to those who have wings". Motto of

the Pontifcia Universidade Catlica do Rio de Janeiro.
alis volat propriis
she flies with her own

wings
State motto of Oregon; adopted in 1987, it replaced "The

Union", which was the previous state motto adopted in
1957.
nourishing mother
Term used for the university one attends or has attended.

Another university term, matriculation, is also derived
from mater. The term suggests that the students are "fed"
knowledge and taken care of by the university. The term is
also used for a university's traditional school anthem.
another I
Another self, a second persona or alias. Can be used to

describe different facets or identities of a single character, or
different characters who seem representations of the same
personality. Often used of a fictional character's secret
identity.
Let no man be another's

who can be his own
Final sentence from Aesop ascribed fable (see also Aesop's

Fables) "The Frogs Who Desired a King" as appears in the
collection commonly known as the "Anonymus Neveleti"
(fable XXIb. De ranis a Iove querentibus
regem). Motto of Paracelsus. Usually attributed to Cicero.
alma mater
alter ego
alterius non sit qui

suus esse potest
alterum non laedere to not wound another
One of Justinian I's three basic legal precepts.
alumnus or
alumna
graduate or former student of a school, college or university
pupil
amicus certus in re A sure friend is seen in an

by Ennius as cited by Cicero in Laelius de Amicitia s. 64
unsure matter
incerta
amicus curiae
friend of the court
An adviser, or a person who can obtain or grant access to

the favour of powerful group, like a Roman Curia. In
current U.S. legal usage, anamicus curiae is a third party
allowed to submit a legal opinion (in the form of
an amicus brief) to the court.
Amicus Plato, sed

magis amica
veritas.
Plato is my friend, but

truth is a better friend.
to value truth higher than friendship; attributed

to Aristotle (Ethics, 1096a15) and Roger Bacon (Opus
Majus, P. I, ch. v)
amittere legem
terrae
to lose the law of the land
An obsolete legal term signifying the forfeiture of the right

of swearing in any court or cause, or to become infamous.
Amat victoria
curam
Victory favors care
Motto of Baylor School Chattanooga, Tennessee; Wellesley College Primary

School - Eastbourne, New Zealand; Victoria College- St.
Helier Parish, Jersey, the Channel Islands.
amor et melle et
felle est
fecundissimus
love is rich with both

honey and venom
amor fati
love of fate
amor omnibus idem love is the same for all
Nietzscheian alternative world view to memento

mori ("remember you must die"). Nietzsche believed amor
fati to be more life affirming.
from Virgil's Georgics III.
amor patriae
love of one's country
Patriotism.
amor vincit omnia
love conquers all
written on bracelet worn by the Prioress in Chaucer's The

Canterbury Tales
anglice
in English
Used before the anglicized version of a word or name. For

example, "Terra Mariae, anglice, Maryland".
anno (an.)
in the year
Also used in such phrases as anno urbis conditae (see ab

urbe condita), Anno Domini, and anno regni.
Anno Domini(A.D.)
in the Year of the Lord
Short for Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (in the Year of
Our Lord Jesus Christ), the predominantly used system for
dating years across the world, used with the Gregorian

calendar, and based on the perceived year of the birth
of Jesus Christ. The years before Jesus' birth were once
marked with a.C.n (Ante Christum Natum, Before Christ
was Born), but now use the English abbreviation BC
(Before Christ). Example: Augustus Caesar was born in the year 63 BC, and
died AD 14.
anno regni
In the year of the reign
Precedes "of" and the current ruler.
annuit cptis
He 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.
horrible year
A recent pun on annus mirabilis, first used by

Queen Elizabeth II to describe what a bad year 1992 had
been for her, and subsequently occasionally used to refer to
many other years perceived as "horrible". In Classical Latin,
this phrase would actually mean "terrifying year". See
also annus terribilis.
annus mirabilis
wonderful year
Used particularly to refer to the years 16651666, during

which Isaac Newton made revolutionary inventions and
discoveries in calculus, motion, optics and
gravitation. Annus Mirabilis is also the title of a poem
by John Dryden written in the same year. It has since been
used to refer to other years, especially to 1905, when Albert
Einstein made equally revolutionary discoveries concerning
the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and the special
theory of relativity. (See Annus Mirabilis papers)
annus terribilis
dreadful year
Used to describe 1348, the year the Black Death began to

afflict Europe.
ante bellum
before the war
As in status quo ante bellum, "as it was before the war".

Commonly used in the Southern United
States as antebellum to refer to the period preceding
the American Civil War.
ante cibum(a.c.)
before food
Medical shorthand for "before meals".
annus horribilis
ante litteram
before the letter
Said of an expression or term that describes something

which existed before the phrase itself was introduced or
became common. Example: Alan Turing was a computer scientist ante
litteram, since the field of "computer science" was not yet recognized in Turing's
day.
ante meridiem(a.m.)
before midday
From midnight to noon (cf. post meridiem).
ante mortem
before death
See post mortem (after death).
ante omnia armari
before all else, be armed
ante prandium(a.p.)
before lunch
Used on pharmaceutical prescriptions to denote "before a

meal". Less common is post prandium, "after lunch".
apparatus criticus
tools of a critic
Textual notes. A list of other readings relating to a

document, especially in a scholarly edition of a text.
apud
in the writings of
Used in scholarly works to cite a reference at second hand
aqua (aq.)
water
aqua fortis
strong water
Refers to nitric acid.
aqua pura
pure water
Or "clear water", "clean water".
aqua regia
royal water
refers to a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, thus

called because of its ability to dissolve gold.
water of life
"Spirit of Wine" in many English texts. Used to refer to

various native distilled beverages, such as whisky (uisge
beatha) in Scotland and Ireland,gin in Holland, brandy (eau
de vie) in France, and akvavit in Scandinavia.
aqua vitae
aquila non capit

muscas
an eagle doesn't catch flies
A noble or important person doesn't deal with insignificant

issues.
arare litus
to plough the seashore
From Gerhard Gerhards' (14661536) [better known as

Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Wasted
labour.
arbiter
elegantiarum
judge of tastes
One who prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority

on matters of social behavior and taste. Said of Petronius.
Sometimes found in the singular, arbiter elegantiae (judge
of taste).
Arcana imperii
Invisible power
Arcanum boni
tenoris animae
The secret behind a good

mood
Motto of the Starobrno Brewery in Brno.
arcus senilis
bow of an old person
An opaque circle around the cornea of the eye, often seen in

elderly people.
arduus ad solem
Striving towards the sun
Motto of the Victoria University of Manchester.
argentum album
white silver
Also "silver coin". Mentioned in the Domesday Book,

signifies bullion, or silver uncoined.
arguendo
for arguing
For the sake of argument. Said when something is done

purely in order to discuss a matter or illustrate a
point. Example: Let us assume, arguendo, that your claim is correct.
argumentum
argument
Or "reasoning", "inference", "appeal", "proof". The plural

is argumenta. Commonly used in the names of
logical arguments and fallacies, preceding phrases such as a
silentio (by silence), ad antiquitatem (to antiquity), ad
baculum (to the stick), ad captandum (to capturing), ad
consequentiam (to the consequence), ad crumenam (to the
purse), ad feminam (to the woman), ad hominem (to the
person), ad ignorantiam(to ignorance), ad judicium (to
judgment), ad lazarum (to poverty), ad logicam (to
logic), ad metum (to fear), ad misericordiam (to pity), ad
nauseam (to nausea), ad novitatem (to novelty), ad

personam (to the character), ad numerum (to the
number), ad odium (to spite), ad populum(to the people), ad
temperantiam (to moderation), ad verecundiam (to
reverence), ex silentio (from silence), in terrorem (into
terror), and e contrario (from/to the opposite).
art [is] to conceal art
An aesthetic ideal that good art should appear natural rather

than contrived. Of medieval origin, but often incorrectly
attributed to Ovid.[3]
art for art's sake
Translated into Latin from Baudelaire's "L'art pour l'art".

Motto of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This phrasing is a direct
translation of 'art for the sake of art.' While very
symmetrical for the MGM logo, the better Latin word order
is 'Ars artis gratia.'
ars longa, vita

brevis
art is long, life is short
The Latin translation by Seneca (De Brevitate Vitae, 1.1) of

a phrase from Hippocrates, often used out of context. The
"art" referred to in the original aphorism was the craft of
medicine, which took a lifetime to acquire.
arte et labore
by art and by labour
motto of Blackburn Rovers F.C.
arte et marte
by skill and valour
motto of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME)

Branch of the Canadian Forces.
Artis Bohemiae
Amicis
Friends of Czech Arts
Award of the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic for

the promotion of the positive reputation of Czech culture
abroad.
asinus ad lyram
an ass to the lyre
From Erasmus's collection of Adages. An awkward or

incompetent individual.
asinus asinum fricat
the jackass rubs the

jackass
Used to describe two people lavishing excessive praise on

one another.
ars [est] celare

artem
ars gratia artis
the assured does not seek

assecuratus non
profit but makes [it his
quaerit lucrum sed
profit] that he not be in
Refers to the insurance principle that the indemnity cannot

be larger than the loss.
agit ne in damno sit loss
Astra inclinant, sed The stars incline us, they

do not bind us
non obligant
Refers to the Free will over the astrological determinism.
Auctores Varii
Various Authors
Used in bibliography for books, texts, publications or

articles that contain more than three collaborators.
auctoritas
authority
The level of prestige a person had in Roman society.
Auctoritas non
veritas facit legem
authority, not truth, makes This formula appears in the 1670 Latin translation of
law
the Hobbes' Leviathan, II, 26[4]
audacter
slander boldly, something
from Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum (1623)
calumniare, semper
always sticks
aliquid haeret
audax at fidelis
audeamus
audemus jura
nostra defendere
audentes fortuna
iuvat
bold but faithful
Motto of Queensland.
let us dare
Motto of Otago University Students' Association, a direct

response to the university's motto of sapere aude "dare to be
wise". Also Motto ofChamplain College in Burlington,
Vermont.
we dare to defend our

rights
State motto of Alabama, adopted in 1923. Translated into

Latin from a paraphrase of the stanza "Men who their duties
know / But know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain"
from the poem "What Constitutes a State?" by 18th-century
author William Jones.
fortune favors the bold
From Virgil, Aeneid X, 284 (where the first word is in the

archaic form audentis). Allegedly the last words of Pliny the
Elder before he left the docks at Pompeii to rescue people
from the eruption of Vesuvius in 79. Often quoted
as audaces fortuna iuvat. Also the motto of thePortuguese
Army Commandos, and the USS Montpelier (SSN-765) in
the latter form.
audere est facere
to dare is to do
motto of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
audi alteram
partem
hear the other side
A legal principle of fairness. Also worded as audiatur et

altera pars (let the other side be heard too).
audio hostem
I hear the enemy
Motto of 845 NAS Royal Navy
audi, vide, tace
hear, see, be silent
aurea mediocritas
golden mean
From Horace's Odes II, 10. Refers to the ethical goal of

reaching a virtuous middle ground between two sinful
extremes. The golden mean concept is common to many
philosophers, chiefly Aristotle.
auri sacra fames
accursed hunger for gold
From Virgil, Aeneid 3,57. Later quoted by Seneca as quod

non mortalia pectora coges, auri sacra fames "What don't
you force mortal hearts [to do], accursed hunger for gold!"
I hold a wolf by the ears
A common ancient proverb, this version from Terence.

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."
aurora australis
southern dawn
The Southern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Southern

Hemisphere. It is less well-known than the Northern Lights,
or aurorea borealis. The Aurora Australis is also the name
of an Antarctic icebreaker ship.
aurora borealis
northern lights
The Northern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Northern

Hemisphere.
Dawn is a friend to the

Muses
Title of a distich by Iohannes Christenius (15991672):

"Conveniens studiis non est nox, commoda lux est; / Luce
labor bonus est et bona nocte quies." (Night is not suitable
for studying, daylight is; / working by light is good, as is
rest at night.) in Nihus, Barthold (1642).Epigrammata
disticha. Johannes Kinckius.
auribus teneo
lupum
aurora musis amica
aurum potestas est
gold is power
Motto of the fictional Fowl family in the Artemis

Fowl series, written by Eoin Colfer
auspicium melioris
aevi
hope/token of a better age
Motto of the Order of St Michael and St George and motto

of Raffles Institution, a secondary school in Singapore.
aut Caesar aut nihil either Caesar or nothing
aut consiliis aut

ense
aut cum scuto aut

in scuto
Indicates that the only valid possibility is to be emperor, or a

similarly prominent position. More generally, "all or
nothing". Adopted by Cesare Borgia as a personal motto.
either by meeting or the

sword
Thus, either through reasoned discussion or through war.

The first motto of Chile.
either with shield or on

shield
"Do or die", "no retreat". A Greek expression said by

Spartan mothers to their sons as they departed for battle. A
hoplite would drop his cumbersome shield in order to flee
the battlefield; a slain warrior would be borne home atop his
shield.
aut neca aut necare either kill or be killed
or neca ne neceris (kill lest you be killed)
aut pax aut bellum
either peace or war
The motto of the Gunn Clan.
aut viam inveniam

aut faciam
I will either find a way or

Hannibal.
make one
aut vincere aut

mori
A general pledge of victoria aut mors "victory or death".

Motto of the Higgenbotham, and Higginbottom families of
either to conquer or to die Cheshire England; participants in the War of the Roses.
Also the motto for the 1st Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force
Base, Virginia.
ave atque vale
Hail and farewell!
ave Europa nostra
Hail, Europe, our true
From Catullus, carmen 101, addressed to his deceased

brother.
Anthem of Imperium Europa
vera patria
Fatherland!
From Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars, Claudius 21. A salute

and plea for mercy recorded on one occasion
Hail, Emperor! Those who by naumachiariicaptives and criminals fated to die fighting
Ave Imperator,
are about to die salute
during mock naval encounters. Later versions included a
morituri te salutant
you!
variant of "We who are about to die", and this translation is
sometimes aided by changing the Latin to nos morituri te
salutamus.
Ave Maria
Hail, Mary
Catholic prayer of intercession asking Mary, the mother of

Jesus to pray for the petitioner.
B[edit]
Latin
barba crescit
caput nescit
Translation
Notes
beard grows,
head doesn't
grow wiser
a beard doesn't
barba non facit
make one a
philosophum
philosopher
barba tenus
sapientes
wise as far as
the beard
Or wise only in appearance. From Erasmus's collection of Adages.
Beata Virgo
Maria (BVM)
Blessed Virgin
Mary
A common name in the Roman Catholic Church for Mary, the mother of
Jesus. The genitive, Beatae Mariae Virginis (BMV), occurs often as well,
appearing with such words as horae (hours), litaniae (litanies)
and officium (office).
beatae
memoriae
of blessed
memory
See in memoriam.
beati pauperes
spiritu
Blessed in spirit
A Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 in the Vulgate: beati pauperes spiritu,
[are] the poor.
quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum "Blessed in spirit [are] the poor,
for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens".
beati
possidentes
blessed [are]
those who
possess
Translated from Euripides.
beatus homo
qui invenit
sapientiam
blessed is the
man who finds
wisdom
from Proverbs 3:13; set to music in a 1577 motet of the same name
by Orlando di Lasso.
Others wage
bella gerant alii war
Protesilaus amet!
Protesilaus should
love!
bellum omnium war of all

against all
contra omnes
Originally from Ovid, Heroides 13.84,[5] where Laodamia is writing to her

husband Protesilaus who is at the Trojan War. She begs him to stay out of
danger, but he was in fact the first Greek to die at Troy. Also used of
the Habsburg marriages of 1477 and 1496, written asbella gerant alii, tu
felix Austria nube (let others wage war; you, happy Austria, marry). Said
by King Matthias.
A phrase used by Thomas Hobbes to describe the state of nature.
bellum se ipsum
war feeds itself
alet
Biblia
pauperum
Paupers' Bible
Tradition of biblical pictures displaying the essential facts of Christian

salvation.
bibo ergo sum
I drink,
therefore I am
A play on "cogito ergo sum", "I think therefore I am".
bis dat qui cito

dat
he gives twice,
who gives
promptly
A gift given without hesitation is as good as two gifts.
bis in die (bid)
twice in a day
Medical shorthand for "twice a day".
bona fide
in good faith
In other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly". In modern contexts, often has

connotations of "genuinely" or "sincerely". Bona fides is not the plural
(which would be bonis fidebus), but the nominative, and means simply
"good faith". Opposite of mala fide.
bona notabilia
note-worthy
goods
In law, if a person dying has goods, or good debts, in another diocese or

jurisdiction within that province, besides his goods in the diocese where he
dies, amounting to a certain minimum value, he is said to have bona
notabilia; in which case, the probat of his will belongs to the archbishop of
that province.
bona officia
good services
A nation's offer to mediate in disputes between two other nations.
bona patria
goods of a
country
A jury or assize of countrymen, or good neighbors.
bona vacantia
vacant goods
United Kingdom legal term for ownerless property that passes to The
Crown.
boni pastoris
est tondere
pecus non
deglubere
it is a good
shepherd's [job]
Tiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a warning
to shear his
against taxing the populace excessively.
flock, not to
flay them
bono malum
superate
Overcome evil
with good
Motto of Westonbirt School.
bonum
commune
communitatis
common good
of the
community
Or "general welfare". Refers to what benefits a society, as opposed

to bonum commune hominis, which refers to what is good for an
individual. In the film Hot Fuzz, this phrase is chanted by an assembled
group of people, in which context it is deliberately similar to another
phrase that is repeated throughout the film, which is The Greater Good.
bonum
commune
hominis
common good
of a man
Refers to an individual's happiness, which is not "common" in that it

serves everyone, but in that individuals tend to be able to find happiness in
similar things.
harmless (or
brutum fulmen inert)
thunderbolt
Used to indicate either an empty threat, or a judgement at law which has

no practical effect.
busillis
Pseudo-Latin meaning "baffling puzzle" or "difficult point". John of

Cornwall (ca. 1170) was once asked by a scribe what the word meant. It
turns out that the original text said in diebus illis magnis plenae (in those
days there were plenty of great things), which the scribe misread as indie
busillis magnis plenae (in India there were plenty of large busillis).
C[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
cacoethes
scribendi
Cacothes[6] "bad habit", or medically, "malignant disease" is

a borrowing of Greek kakthes.[7] The phrase is derived from
insatiable desire to write a line in theSatires of Juvenal: Tenet insanabile multos
scribendi cacoethes, or "the incurable desire (or itch) for
writing affects many". Seehypergraphia.
cadavera vero
innumera
truly countless bodies
Caedite eos. Novit Kill them all. For the

enim Dominus qui Lord knows those who
are his.
sunt eius.
Caelum non
animum mutant
qui trans mare
currunt
Those who hurry across

the sea change the sky
[upon them], not their
souls or state of mind
Used by the Romans to describe the aftermath of the Battle of

the Catalaunian Plains.
Supposed statement by Abbot Arnaud Amalric before the

massacre of Bziers during the Albigensian Crusade, recorded
30 years later, according to Caesar of Heisterbach.
Hexameter by Horace (Epistula XI).[8] Seneca shortens it

to Animum debes mutare, non caelum (You must change
[your] disposition, not [your] sky) in his Letter to
Lucilium XXVIII, 1.
Caesar non supra Caesar has no authority

over the grammarians
grammaticos
caetera desunt
the rest is missing
calix meus
inebrians
my cup making me
drunk
camera obscura
dark chamber
Caetera is Medieval Latin spelling for ctera.
An optical device used in drawing, and an ancestor of
modern photography. The source of the word camera.
canes pugnaces
war dogs or fighting

dogs
canis canem edit
dog eats dog
capax Dei
From Augustine, De Trinitate XIV, 8.11: Mens eo ipso imago

capable of receiving God Dei est quo eius capax est,[9] "The mind is the image of God, in
that it is capable of Him and can be partaker of Him."
capax infiniti
holding the infinite
Refers to a situation where nobody is safe from anybody, each

man for himself.
A term referring (at least) to some Christian doctrines of the

incarnation of the Son of God when it asserts that humanity is
capable of housing full divinity within its finite frame. Related
to the Docetic heresy and sometimes a counterpoint to the
Reformed 'extracalvinisticum.'
So aggrandized as to be beyond practical (earthly) reach or

caput inter nubila (she plunges) [her] head
understanding (from Virgil's Aeneid and the shorter form
in the clouds
(condit)
appears in John Locke's Two Treatises of Government)
caput mortuum
dead head
Originally an alchemical reference to the dead

head or worthless residue left over from a reaction. Also used
to refer to a freeloader or worthless element.
Caritas Christi
The love of Christ
It implies a command to love as Christ loved. Motto of St.

Francis Xavier High School located in West Meadowlark Park,
Edmonton.
Caritas in Veritate Charity in Truth
carpe diem
seize the day
carpe noctem
seize the night
Pope Benedict XVI's third encyclical.
An exhortation to live for today. From Horace, Odes I,

11.8. Carpere refers to plucking of flowers or fruit. The
phrase collige virgo rosas has a similar sense.
An exhortation to make good use of the night, often used

when carpe diem, q.v., would seem absurd, e.g., when
observing a deep-sky object or conducting a Messier

marathon or engaging in social activities after sunset.
carpe vinum
seize the wine
Carthago delenda Carthage must be

destroyed
est
The Roman senator Cato the Elder ended every speech after
the Second Punic War with ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse
delendam, literally "For the rest, I am of the opinion that
Carthage is to be destroyed." Before the ratification of
the Treaty of Lisbon in the European Parliament, Daniel
Hannan ended all his speeches in a similar way with Pactio
Olisipiensis censenda est "The Treaty of Lisbon must be put to
a referendum".
castigat ridendo
mores
Or, "[Comedy/Satire] criticises customs through humour", is a

One corrects customs by phrase coined by French New Latin poet Jean de Santeul (fr)
laughing at them
(16301697), but sometimes wrongly attributed to his
contemporary Molire or to Roman lyric poet Horace.
casus belli
event of war
Refers to an incident that is the justification or case for war.
causa latet, vis est The cause is hidden, but

Ovid: Metamorphoses IV, 287; motto of Alpha Sigma Phi.
the result is well known.
notissima
causa mortis
cause of death
cave
beware!
cave canem
Beware of the dog
caveat emptor
let the buyer beware
especially used by Doctors of Medicine, when they want to

warn each other (e.g.: "cave nephrolithiases" in order to warn
about side effects of an uricosuric). Spoken aloud in some
British public schools by pupils to warn each other of
impending authority.
The purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods

suit his need. Phrases modeled on this one
replace emptor with lector,subscriptor, venditor, utilitor:
"reader", "signer", "seller", "user".
caveat venditor
let the seller beware
It is a counter to caveat emptor and suggests that sellers can

also be deceived in a market transaction. This forces the seller
to take responsibility for the product and discourages sellers
from selling products of unreasonable quality.
cedant arma togae
let arms yield to the

gown
"Let military power yield to civilian power", Cicero, De

Officiis I:77. See also Toga
more swiftly
celerius quam
thanasparagus [stem]s
asparagi cocuntur
are cooked
Or simply "faster than cooking asparagus". A variant of the

Roman phrase velocius quam asparagi coquantur, using a
different adverb and an alternative mood and spelling
of coquere.
In law, it is a return made by the sheriff, upon a capias, or

other process to the like purpose; signifying, that he has taken
the body of the party. See also habeas corpus.
cepi corpus
I have taken the body
certum est quod

certum reddi
potest
Or "... if it can be rendered certain." Often used in law when

it is certain, whatever can something is not known, but can be ascertained (e.g. the
be rendered certain
purchase price on a sale which is to be determined by a thirdparty valuer)
cessante ratione
legis cessat ipsa
lex
when the reason for the A rule of law becomes ineffective when the reason for its
law ceases, the law itself application has ceased to exist or does not correspond to the
ceases
reality anymore. By Gratian.
cetera desunt
the rest are missing
Also spelled "caetera desunt".
ceteris paribus
all other things being

equal
That is, disregarding or eliminating extraneous factors in a

situation.
charta
pardonationis se
defendendo
a paper of pardon to
defend oneself
The form of a pardon for killing another man in self-defence

(see manslaughter).
charta
pardonationis
utlagariae
a paper of pardon to the

outlaw
The form of a pardon of a man who is outlawed. Also

called perdonatio utlagariae.
Christianos ad
leones
[Throw the] Christians to

the lions!
Christo et
Doctrinae
For Christ and Learning
The motto of Furman University.
Christus nos
liberavit
Christ has freed us
title of volume I, book 5, chapter XI of Les

Misrables by Victor Hugo.
Christus Rex
Christ the King
A Christian title for Jesus.
circa (c.) or (ca.)
around
In the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a

date.
circulus in
probando
circle made in testing [a

premise]
Circular reasoning. Similar term to circulus vitiosus.
vicious circle
In logic, begging the question, a fallacy involving the

presupposition of a proposition in one of the premises
(see petitio principii). In science, a positive feedback loop. In
economics, a counterpart to the virtuous circle.
circulus vitiosus
citius altius fortius faster, higher, stronger
Motto of the modern Olympics.
clamea
admittenda in
itinere per
atturnatum
A writ whereby the king of England could command the

justice to admit one's claim by an attorney, who being
employed in the king's service, cannot come in person.
clarere audere
gaudere
clausum fregit
[be] bright, daring, joyful Motto of the Geal family.
A legal action for trespass to land; so called, because the writ

demands the person summoned to answer wherefore he broke
the close(quare clausum fregit), i.e., why he entered the
plaintiff's land.
claves Sancti Petri the keys of Saint Peter
clavis aurea
golden key
A symbol of the Papacy.
The means of discovering hidden or mysterious meanings in

texts, particularly applied in theology and alchemy.
clerico admittendo for being made a clerk
In law, a writ directed to the bishop, for the admitting a clerk

to a benefice upon a ne admittas, tried, and found for the party
who procures the writ.
clerico capto per

statutum
mercatorum
In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk out of prison, who is

imprisoned upon the breach of statute merchant.
clerico convicto
commisso gaolae
in defectu
ordinarii
deliberando
In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk to his ordinary, that

was formerly convicted of felony; by reason that his ordinary
did not challenge him according to the privilege of clerks.
clerico intra
sacros ordines
constituto non
eligendo in
officium
In law, a writ directed to the bailiffs, etc., that have thrust

a bailiwick or beadleship upon one in holy orders; charging
them to release him.
Codex Iuris
Canonici
Book of Canon Law
The official code of canon law in the Roman Catholic

Church (cf. Corpus Iuris Canonici).
Cogitationis
poenam nemo
patitur
"No one suffers

punishment for mere
intent."
A Latin legal phrase. See, State v Taylor, 47 Or 455, 84 P 82.
cogito ergo sum
I think, therefore I am.
A rationalistic argument used by French philosopher Ren

Descartes to attempt to prove his own existence.
coitus interruptus interrupted congress
Aborting sexual intercourse prior to ejaculationthe only

permitted form of birth control in some religions.
coitus more
ferarum
congress in the way of

beasts
collige virgo rosas pick, girl, the roses
combinatio nova
new combination
A medical euphemism for the doggy-style sexual position.
Exhortation to enjoy fully

the youth, similar to Carpe
diem, from "De rosis
nascentibus" (also titled
"Idyllium de rosis"),
attributed
to Ausonius or Virgil.[10]
"Gather ye
rosebuds
while ye
may", 1909,
by John
William
Waterhouse
It is frequently abbreviated comb. nov.. It is used in the life

sciences literature when a new name is introduced,
e.g. Klebsiella granulomatis comb. nov..
communibus annis in common years
One year with another; on an average. "Common" here does

not mean "ordinary", but "common to every situation"
communibus locis in common places
A term frequently used among philosophical and other writers,

implying some medium, or mean relation between several
places; one place with another; on a medium. "Common" here
does not mean "ordinary", but "common to every situation"
communis opinio
common opinion
prevailing doctrine, generally accepted view (in an academic

field), scientific consensus; originally communis opinio
doctorum, "common opinion of the doctors"
compos mentis
in control of the mind
Describes someone of sound mind. Sometimes used ironically.

Also a legal principle, non compos mentis (not in control of
one's faculties), used to describe an insane person.
concordia cum
veritate
in harmony with truth
Motto of the University of Waterloo
concordia salus
well-being through
harmony
Motto of Montreal. It is also the Bank of Montreal coat of arms

and motto.
concordia parvae
res crescunt
small things grow in

harmony
Motto of Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
They condemn what they

The quod here is ambiguous: it may be the relative pronoun or
condemnant quod do not understand or
They condemn because a conjunction.
non intellegunt
they do not understand
condicio sine qua

non
A required, indispensable condition. Commonly mistakenly

condition without which
rendered with conditio ("seasoning" or "preserving") in place
not
of condicio("arrangement" or "condition").
confer (cf.[11][12])
compare
The abbreviation cf. is used in text to suggest a comparison

with something else (cf. citation signal).
HelvetianConfederation
The official name of Switzerland, hence the use of "CH" for

its ISO country code, ".ch" for its Internet domain, and "CHF"
for the ISO three-letter abbreviation of its currency, the Swiss
franc.
Confoederatio
Helvetica (C.H.)
Congregatio
Congregation of the
Sanctissimi
Most Holy Redeemer
RedemptorisC.Ss.R
Redemptorists
coniunctis viribus with connected strength
Or "with united powers". Sometimes rendered conjunctis

viribus. Motto of Queen Mary, University of London.
consensu
consuetudo pro
lege servatur
with consent
Custom is held as law.
Where there are no specific laws, the matter should be decided

by custom;[13] established customs have the force of
laws.[14] Alsoconsuetudo est altera lex (custom is another law)
and consuetudo vincit communem legem (custom overrules the
common law); see also:Consuetudinary.
consummatum est It is completed.
The last words of Jesus on the cross in the Latin

translation of John 19:30.
contemptus
mundi/saeculi
Despising the secular world. The monk or philosopher's

rejection of a mundane life and worldly values.
scorn for the world/times
contra bonos
mores
against good morals
Offensive to the conscience and to a sense of justice.
contra legem
against the law
Especially in civil law jurisdictions, said of an understanding

of a statute that directly contradicts its wording and thus is
neither valid by interpretation nor by analogy.
against the proferror
In contract law, the doctrine of contractual interpretation which

provides that an ambiguous term will be construed against the
party that imposed its inclusion in the contract or, more
accurately, against the interests of the party who imposed it.
contra
proferentem
contra spem spero hope against hope
Title of a poem by Lesya Ukrainka; also used in

the Pentateuch with reference to Abraham the Patriarch.
contra vim mortis

No herb (or sage)grows in
non crescit
the gardens against the
herba(or salvia) in
power of death
hortis
there is no medicine against death; from various medieval

medicinal texts
contradictio in
terminis
contradiction in terms
A thing or idea that would embody a contradiction, for

example, payment for a gift, or a circle with corners.
The fallacy of proposing such a thing.
contra principia
negantem non est
disputandum
there can be no debate

Debate is fruitless when you don't agree on common rules,
with those who deny the
facts, presuppositions.
foundations
contraria
contrariis
curantur
the opposite is cured

with the opposite
First formulated by Hippocrates to suggest that the diseases are

cured with contrary remedies. Antonym of similia similibus
curantur (the diseases are recovered with similar remedies.)
cor ad cor
loquitur
heart speaks to heart
From Augustine's Confessions, referring to a prescribed

method of prayer: having a "heart to heart" with God.
Commonly used in reference to a later quote by Cardinal John
Henry Newman. A motto of Newman Clubs.
cor aut mors
Heart or Death
(Your choice is between) The Heart (Moral Values, Duty,

Loyalty) or Death (to no longer matter, to no longer be
respected as person of integrity.)
my heart I offer to you

cor meum tibi
Lord promptly and
offero domine
prompte et sincere sincerely
John Calvin's personal motto, also adopted by Calvin College
cor unum
one heart
A popular school motto. Often used as names for religious and

other organisations such as the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.
coram Deo
in the Presence of God
A phrase from Christian theology which summarizes the idea

of Christians living in the Presence of, under the authority of,
and to the honor and glory of God.
in our presence, in your

coram
nobis,coram vobis presence
coram populo
in the presence of the

people
coram publico
in view of the public
Two kinds of writs of error.
Thus, openly.
Corpus Christi
Body of Christ
The name of a feast in the Roman Catholic

Church commemorating the Eucharist. It is also the name of a
city in Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas, the name of Colleges
at Oxford and Cambridge universities, and a controversial
play.
corpus delicti
body of the offence
The fact that a crime has been committed, a necessary factor in

convicting someone of having committed that crime; if there
was no crime, there can not have been a criminal.
Corpus Iuris
Canonici
Body of Canon Law
The official compilation of canon law in the Roman Catholic

Church (cf. Codex Iuris Canonici).
Corpus Iuris
Civilis
Body of Civil Law
The body of Roman or civil law.
A person or thing fit only to be the object of an experiment, as

in the phrase 'Fiat experimentum in corpore vili.'
corpus vile
worthless body
corrigenda
things to be corrected
corruptio optimi
pessima
the corruption of the best

is the worst
corruptissima re
publica plurimae
leges
When the republic is at

its most corrupt the laws Tacitus
are most numerous
corvus oculum
corvi non eruit
a raven will not pick out

an eye of another raven
corruptus in
extremis
corrupt to the extreme
May he love tomorrow

cras amet qui
who has never loved
nunquam amavit;
before; And may he who
quique amavit,
has loved, love tomorrow
cras amet
as well
Motto of the fictional Springfield Mayor Office in The

Simpsons TV-Show
The refrain from the 'Pervigilium Veneris', a poem which

describes a three day holiday in the cult of Venus, located
somewhere in Sicily, involving the whole town in religious
festivities joined with a deep sense of nature and Venus as the
"procreatrix", the life-giving force behind the natural world.
The Future is Ours
Motto of San Jacinto College.
creatio ex nihilo
creation out of nothing
A concept about creation, often used in a theological or

philosophical context. Also known as the 'First Cause'
argument in Philosophy of Religion. Contrasted with creatio
ex materia.
Credo in Unum
Deum
I Believe in One God
The first words of the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.
credo quia
absurdum est
I believe it because it is
absurd
A very common misquote of Tertullian's et mortuus est Dei

Filius prorsus credibile quia ineptum est (and the Son of God
is dead: in short, it is credible because it is unfitting), meaning
Cras es Noster
that it is so absurd to say that God's son has died that it would
have to be a matter of belief, rather than reason. The misquoted
phrase, however, is commonly used to mock
the dogmatic beliefs of the religious (see fideism). This phrase
is commonly shortened to credo quia absurdum, and is also
sometimes rendered credo quia impossibile est (I believe it
because it is impossible) or, as Darwin used it in his
autobiography, credo quia incredibile.
crescamus in Illo
per omnia
May we grow in Him

through all things
Motto of Cheverus High School.
crescat scientia
vita excolatur
let knowledge grow, let

life be enriched
Motto of the University of Chicago.
crescente luce
Light ever increasing
Motto of James Cook University.
Civilization prospers
crescit cum
commercio civitas with commerce
Motto of Claremont McKenna College.
State motto of New Mexico, adopted in 1887 as the territory's

motto, and kept in 1912 when New Mexico received statehood.
Originally from Lucretius' De rerum natura book VI, where it
refers in context to the motion of a thunderbolt across the sky,
which acquires power and momentum as it goes.
crescit eundo
it grows as it goes
cruci dum spiro

fido
while I live, I trust in the

Motto of the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) and its associated
cross, Whilst I trust in
schools.
the Cross I have life
cucullus non facit The hood does not make

William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Scene I, Act V 4850
the monk
monachum
cui bono
Good for whom?
"Who benefits?" An adage in criminal investigation which

suggests that considering who would benefit from an
unwelcome event is likely to reveal who is responsible for that
event (cf. cui prodest). Also the motto of the Crime Syndicate
of America, a fictional supervillain group. The opposite is cui
malo (Bad for whom?).
Short for cui prodest scelus is fecit (for whom the crime
advances, he has done it) in Seneca's Medea. Thus, the
murderer is often the one who gains by the murder (cf. cui
bono).
cui prodest
for whom it advances
cuique suum
to each his own
cuius est solum

eius est usque ad
coelum et ad
inferos
First coined by Accursius of Bologna in the 13th century.

Whose the land is, all the A Roman legal principle of property law that is no longer
way to the sky and to
observed in most situations today. Less literally, "For
theunderworld is his.
whosoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky and down to
the depths."
cuius regio, eius

religio
whose region, his

religion
The privilege of a ruler to choose the religion of his subjects. A

regional prince's ability to choose his people's religion was
established at the Peace of Augsburg in 1555.
cuiusvis hominis
est errare, nullius Anyone can err, but only
Cicero, Philippica XII, 5.
nisi insipientis in the fool persists in his
fault
errore
perseverare.
culpa
fault
Also "blame" or "guilt". In law, an act of neglect. In general,

guilt, sin, or a fault. See also mea culpa.
cum gladiis et
fustibus
with swords and clubs
From the Bible. Occurs in Matthew 26:47 and Luke 22:52.
cum gladio et sale with sword and salt
Motto of a well-paid soldier. See salary.
cum grano salis
with a grain of salt
Not to be taken too seriously or as the literal truth.
cum hoc ergo

propter hoc
with this, therefore on

account of this
Fallacy of assuming that correlation implies causation.
cum laude
with praise
The standard formula for academic Latin honors in the United

States. Greater honors include magna cum laude and summa
cum laude.
cum mortuis in
lingua mortua
with the dead in a dead

language
Movement from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest

Mussorgsky
cum privilegio ad
imprimendum
solum
with the exclusive right

to print
Copyright notice used in 16th-century England, used for comic

effect in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
cuncti adsint
let all come who by merit
meritaeque
Motto of University College London.
expectent praemia deserve the most reward
palmae
desire to be dissolved
From the Bible, locution indicating a will to death ("I want to

die").
cur Deus Homo
Why the God-Man
The question attributed to Anselm in his work of by this name,

wherein he reflects on why the Christ of Christianity must be
both fully Divine and fully Human. Often translated "why did
God become Man?"
cura personalis
care for the whole person
Motto of Georgetown University School of

Medicine and University of Scranton.
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
course of life
An overview of a person's life and qualifications, similar to

a rsum.
custos morum
keeper of morals
A censor.
cupio dissolvi
cygnis insignis
distinguished by its
Motto of Western Australia.
swans
cygnus inter
anates
swan among ducks
D[edit]
Latin
Translation
God give
Da Deus fortunae happiness orGod give
luck
Notes
Traditional Czech brewers greeting.
Da mihi factum,
dabo tibi ius
also: Da mihi facta, dabo tibi ius; legal principle based

Give me the fact(s), I'll on Roman law; parties should present the facts of a case while
give you the law
the judge rules on the law. Related to iura novit curia (the court
knows the law).
damnant quod
non intelligunt
They condemn what

they do not understand
Used to describe ignorant people.
damnatio ad
bestias
condemnation to [the]
beasts
Colloquially "thrown to the lions".
damnatio
memoriae
damnation of memory
A Roman custom in which disgraced Romans (particularly

former Emperors) were pretended to have never existed.
damnum absque
injuria
damage without injury
A loss that results from no one's wrongdoing. In Roman law, a

man is not responsible for unintended, consequential injury to
another resulting from a lawful act. This protection does not
necessarily apply to unintended damage by negligence or folly.
dat deus
incrementumor
deus dat
incrementum
God gives growth
Motto of several schools
data venia
"with due respect" or

"given the excuse"
Used before disagreeing with someone.
datum
perficiemus
munus
We shall accomplish
the mission assigned
Motto of Batalho de Operaes Policiais Especiais (BOPE),

Rio de Janeiro.
de bene esse
as well done
A de bene esse deposition is used to preserve the testimony of a

witness who is expected not to be available to appear at trial and
be cross-examined.
de bonis
asportatis
carrying goods away
Trespass de bonis asportatis was the traditional name

for larceny (wrongful taking of chattels).
decessit sine prole died without issue
Used in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dsp,

to indicate a person who died without having had any children
Used in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dspl,

decessit sine prole died without legitimate
issue
legitima
by a spouse.
decessit sine prole died without surviving

mascula superstite male issue
Used in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated

form dspm, to indicate a person who died without having had
any male children who lived or outlived them.
decessit sine prole died without surviving

issue
superstite
Used in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dsps,

who lived or outlived them.
decessit vita
matris
died in the lifetime of

the mother
Used in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dvm,

to indicate a person who predeceased their mother.
decessit vita patris
died in the lifetime of

the father
Used in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dvp,

to indicate a person who predeceased their father
de dato
of the date
Used in the context of "As we agreed in the meeting d.d. 26th
Mai 2006.
de facto
by deed
Said of something that is the actual state of affairs, in contrast to

something's legal or official standing, which is described as de
jure. De factorefers to the "way things really are" rather than
what is "officially" presented as the fact.
de fideli
with faithfulness
A clerk makes the declaration De fideli on when appointed,

promising to do his or her tasks faithfully as a servant of the
court.
de futuro
regarding the future
Usually used in the context of "at a future time"
de gustibus non
est disputandum
there is no disputing
about tastes
Less literally "there's no accounting for taste". Likely

of Scholastic origin (see Wiktionary).
de integro
again, a second time
"Official", in contrast with de facto. Analogous to "in principle",

whereas de facto is to "in practice". In other contexts, can mean
"according to law", "by right" or "legally". Also commonly
written de iure, the classical form.
de jure
by law
de lege ferenda
from law to be passed
de lege lata
"from law passed" or

"by law in force"
de minimisnon
curat lex
The law does not bother The court does not want to bother with small, trivial things. A
with the smallest
case must have importance for the court to hear it. See "de
things.
minimis non curat praetor".
de minimisnon
curat praetor
The commander does

not bother with the
smallest things.
Also "The chief magistrate does not concern himself with

trifles." Trivial matters are no concern of a high official
(cf. aquila non capit muscas, the eagle does not catch flies).
Sometimes rex (the king) or lex (the law) is used in place
of praetor, and de minimis is a legal term referring to things
unworthy of the law's attention.
de mortuis aut
bene aut nihil
about the dead, either

well or nothing
Less literally, "speak well of the dead or not at all" (cf. de

mortuis nil nisi bonum).
From de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est, "nothing must be

said about the dead except the good", attributed by Diogenes
de mortuis nil nisi about the dead, nothing Lartius to Chilon. In legal contexts, this quotation is used with
unless a good thing
the opposite meaning, as defaming a deceased person is not a
bonum
crime. In other contexts, it refers totaboos against criticizing the
recently deceased.
de nobis fabula
narratur
de novo
about us is the story

told
Thus, "their story is our story". Originally referred to the end of

Rome's dominance. Now often used when comparing any
current situation to a past story or historical event.
from the new
"Anew" or "afresh". In law, a trial de novo is a retrial. In

biology, de novo means newly synthesized, and a de
novo mutation is a mutation that neither parent possessed or
transmitted. In economics, de novo refers to newly founded
companies, and de novo banks are state banks that have been in
operation for five years or less.
about every knowable

de omni re scibili
thing, and even certain
et quibusdam aliis
other things
The 15th-century Italian scholar Giovanni Pico della

Mirandola wrote the De omni re scibili portion (about every
knowable thing), and a wag addedet quibusdam aliis (and even
certain other things).
de omnibus
dubitandum
be suspicious of
everything, doubt
everything
Attributed to Ren Descartes. Karl Marx's favorite motto and a

title of one of Sren Kierkegaard's works De Omnibus
Dubitandum Est
de oppresso liber
Free From Having Been Loosely translated as "To Liberate the Oppressed". The motto of
Oppressed
the United States Army Special Forces.[15]
de profundis
from the depths
de re
about the matter
Out of the depths of misery or dejection. From the Latin

translation of Psalm 130.
In logic, de dicto statements (about the truth of a proposition)

are distinguished from de re statements (about the properties of
a thing itself).
decus et tutamen
An ornament and a
safeguard
defendit numerus
There is safety in
numbers
Inscription on British one-pound coins. Originally on 17thcentury coins, it refers to the inscribed edge as a protection
against the clipping of precious metal. The phrase originally
comes from Virgil's Aeneid.
("dvp") died with his

Used by genealogists to denote a son who has pre-deceased his
defunctus vivente
father (still) living. See father and not lived long enough to inherit his father's title or
patre
alsovivente rege[16]
estate. See alsosine prole.
Dei Gratia Regina
By the Grace of God,

Queen
Also Dei Gratia Rex (By the Grace of God, King). Abbreviated
as D G REG preceding Fidei Defensor (F D) on British pounds, and
as D G Regina onCanadian coins.
Dei sub numine

viget
under God's Spirit she

flourishes
Motto of Princeton University.
delectatio morosa peevish delight
In Catholic theology, a pleasure taken in sinful thought or

imagination, such as brooding on sexual images. It is distinct
from actual sexual desire, and involves voluntary and
complacent erotic fantasizing, without any attempt to suppress
such thoughts.
delirant isti
Romani
They are mad, those

Romans!
A translation into Latin from Ren Goscinny's French ils sont

fous, ces romains! or Italian Sono pazzi questi
Romani (compare SPQR), frequently issued by Obelix in
the Asterix comics.
Deo ac veritati
For God and for truth
Motto of Colgate University.
Deo Confidimus
In God we trust
Motto of Somerset College.
Deo domuique
for God and for home
Motto of Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne.
Deo et patriae
for God and Country
Motto of Regis High School (New York City).
Deo gratias
thanks [be] to God
The semi-Hispanicized form Deogracias is a Philippine first

name.
Deo juvante
with God's help
The motto of Monaco and its monarch which appears on

the royal arms.
Deo Optimo
Maximo (DOM)
To the Best and

Greatest God
Derived from the Pagan Iupiter Optimo Maximo (To the best
and greatest Jupiter). Printed on bottles of Bndictine liqueur.
Deo vindice
with God as protector
Motto of the Confederate States of America. An alternate

translation is "With an avenging God".
Deo volente
God willing
This was often used in conjunction with a signature at the end of

letters. It was used in order to signify that "God willing" this
letter will get to you safely, "God willing" the contents of this
letter come true. As an abbreviation (simply "D.V.") it is often
found in personal letters (in English) of the early 1900s,
employed to generally and piously qualify a given statement
about a future planned action, that it will be carried out, so long
as God wills (see James 4:13-15, which encourages this way of
speaking). The motto of Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale. See also: Insha'Allah.
descensus in
cuniculi cavum
The descent into the

cave of the rabbit
Down the Rabbit Hole (see: Alice's Adventures in

Wonderland#Famous lines and expressions.
Deus Caritas Est
God is Love
The first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI; for other meanings,

see Deus Caritas Est (disambiguation)
a god from a machine
From the Greek (ap mchans thes). A

contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary plot. Refers
to the practice in Greek drama of lowering by crane
(the mechan) an actor playing a god or goddess onto the stage
to resolve an insuperable conflict in the plot. The device is most
commonly associated with Euripides.
deus ex machina
Deus Lux Mea Est God is my Light
The motto of The Catholic University of America.
Deus meumque
jus
God and my right
The principal motto of Scottish Rite Freemasonry; see also Dieu

et mon droit.
deus otiosus
God at leisure
Deus spes nostra
God is our hope
The motto of Sir Thomas de Boteler, founder of Boteler

Grammar School Warrington in 1526
Deus vult
God wills it!
The principal slogan of the Crusades.Motto of Bergen Catholic

High School, NJ
dictatum erat(dict) as previously stated
Recent academic substitution for the spacious and inconvenient

"As previously stated, ...". Literally, has been stated; also
translated as "dicta prius" (literally, said previously).
dicto simpliciter
[From] a maxim,
simply
I.e. "From a rule without exception." Short for a dicto

simpliciter, the a often being dropped by confusion with the
English indefinite article. A dicto simpliciter occurs when an
acceptable exception is ignored or eliminated. For instance, the
appropriateness of using opiates is dependent on the presence of
extreme pain. To justify the recreational use of opiates by
referring to a cancer patient or to justify arresting said cancer
patient by comparing him to the recreational user would be
a dicto simpliciter.
dictum factum
what is said is done
Motto of U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron VF-194
dictum meum
pactum
my word [is] my bond
Motto of the London Stock Exchange
diem perdidi
I have lost the day
From the Roman Emperor Titus. Passed down in Suetonius's

biography of him in Lives of the Twelve Caesars
Dies Irae
Day of Wrath
Refers to the Judgment Day in Christian eschatology. The name

of a famous 13th-century Medieval Latin hymn by Tommaso da
Celano, used in the Mass for the dead.
dies nonjuridicum Day withoutjudiciary
Days under common law (traditionally Sunday) in which no

legal process can be served and any judgment is void. This
concept was first codified by the English Parliament in the reign
of Charles II.
dirigo
I direct
In Classical Latin, "I arrange". State motto of Maine. Based on a

comparison of the state of Maine to the star Polaris.
dis aliter visum
it seemed otherwise to
the gods
In other words, the gods have different plans than mortals, and
so events do not always play out as people wish them
to. Virgil, Aeneid, 2:428.
dis manibus
sacrum(D.M.S.)
Sacred to the ghostgods
Refers to the Manes, Roman spirits of the dead. Loosely "To the
memory of". A conventional inscription preceding the name of
the deceased on pagan grave markings, often shortened to dis
manibus (D.M.), "for the ghost-gods". Preceded in some earlier
monuments by hic situs est (H. S. E.), "he lies here".
disce aut discede
Learn or Depart
Motto of Royal College Colombo.
disce quasi
semper victurus
vive quasi cras
moriturus
Learn as if always
going to live; live as if Attributed to St Edmund of Abingdon.
tomorrow going to die.
discendo discimus while teaching we learn
disiecta membra
scattered limbs
That is, "scattered remains". Paraphrased from Horace, Satires,

I, 4, 62, where it was written "disiecti membra poetae" (limbs of
a scattered poet). Also written as disjecta membra.
ditat Deus
God enriches
State motto of Arizona, adopted in 1911. Probably derived from

the Vulgate's translation of Genesis 14:23.
divide et impera
divide and rule
A Roman maxim adopted by Julius Caesar, Louis
XI and Machiavelli. Commonly rendered "divide and conquer".
dixi
I have spoken
A popular eloquent expression, usually used in the end of a

speech. The implied meaning is: "I have said all that I had to say
and thus the argument is settled".
["...", ...] dixit
["...", ...] said
Used to attribute a statement or opinion to its author, rather than

the speaker.
do ut des
I give that you may

give
Often said or written for sacrifices, when one "gives" and

expects something back from the gods.
docendo discitur
It is learned by teaching
Also translated "One learns by teaching." Attributed to Seneca

the Younger.
docendo disco,
scribendo cogito
I learn by teaching,
think by writing.
dolus specialis
special intent
Domine dirige nos Lord guide us
"The ... concept is particular to a few civil law systems and

cannot sweepingly be equated with the notions of special or
specific intent in common law systems. Of course, the same
might equally be said of the concept of specific intent, a notion
used in the common law almost exclusively within the context
of the defense of voluntary intoxication."Genocide scholar
William Schabas[17]
Motto of the City of London
Dominica in
albis[depositis]
Sunday in [Setting
Aside the] White
Garments
Latin name of the Octave of Easter.
Dominus
Illuminatio Mea
the Lord is my light
Motto of the University of Oxford.
Dominus fortitudo The Lord is our

Strength
nostra
Motto of the Southland College, Philippines
Dominus
vobiscum
Lord be with you
dona nobis pacem give us peace
Phrase used during and at the end of Catholic sermons, and a

general greeting form among and towards members of Catholic
organizations, such as priests and nuns. See also pax vobiscum.
Often set to music, either by itself or as part of the Agnus

Dei prayer of the Mass. Also an ending in the video
game Haunting Ground.
donatio mortis
causa
giving in expectation of A legal concept where a person in imminent mortal danger need
death
not meet the requisite consideration to create or modify a will.
draco dormiens
nunquam
titillandus
a sleepingdragon is
never to be tickled
Motto of the fictional Hogwarts school in the Harry

Potter series; translated more loosely in the books as "never
tickle a sleeping dragon".
dramatis person the parts of the play
More literally, "the masks of the drama"; more figuratively,

"cast of characters". The characters represented in a dramatic
work.
Two blank slates with

duae tabulae
nothing written upon
rasae in quibus
nihil scriptum est them
Stan Laurel, inscription for the fanclub logo of The Sons of the
Desert.
ducimus
We lead
Motto of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps
Ducit amor
patriae
Love of country leads

me
Motto of the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment
ducunt volentem
fata, nolentem
trahunt
The fates lead the

willing and drag the
unwilling
Attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca.
ductus exemplo
leadership by example
Motto for the United States Marine Corps' Officer Candidates

School located at Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico,
Virginia.
dulce bellum
war is sweet to the
War may seem pleasant to those who have never been involved
inexpertis
inexperienced
Dulce est desipere It is sweet on occasion

to play the fool.
in loco
in it, though the more experienced know better. A phrase

from Erasmus in the 16th century.
It is pleasant to relax once in a while. From Horace, Odes IV,

12, 28. Used by George Knapton for Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th
Baronet 1744 portrait.
dulce et decorum
est pro patria
mori
It is sweet and
From Horace, Odes III, 2, 13. Used by Wilfred Owen for the
honorable to die for the
title of a poem about World War I, Dulce et Decorum est.
fatherland.
dulce et utile
a sweet and useful thing
Horace wrote in his Ars Poetica that poetry must be dulce et

utile (pleasant and profitable), both enjoyable and instructive.
dulce periculum
danger is sweet
Horace, Odes III, 25, 16. Motto of the Scottish clan MacAulay.
dulcius ex asperis
sweeter after
difficulties
Motto of the Scottish clan Fergusson.[18]
dum Roma
deliberat
Saguntum perit
while Rome
Used when someone has been asked for urgent help, but
debates,Saguntum is in responds with no immediate action. Similar to Hannibal ante
danger
portas, but referring to a less personal danger.
dum spiro spero
while I breathe, I hope
State motto of South Carolina. From Cicero.
dum vita est, spes while there is life, there

is hope
est
dum vivimus
servimus
While we live, we serve motto of Presbyterian College.
dum vivimus,
vivamus
While we live, let us

live!
dura lex sed lex
[the] law [is] harsh, but

[it is the] law
An encouragement to embrace life. Motto inscribed on the

sword of the main character in the novel Glory Road.
dura mater
tough mother
outer covering of the brain
durante bene
placito
During good pleasure
At the pleasure [of the monarch or other appointing authority].

Mediaeval legal Latin phrase.
durante munere
while in office
For example, the Governor General of Canada is durante

munere the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of
Canada.
dux bellorum
war leader
The fear of the Lord is

Initium Sapientiae
the beginning of
Timor Domini
wisdom
E[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
out of many, one
Literally, out of more (than one), one. Former de

facto motto of the United States of America. Used on many
U.S. coins and inscribed on theCapitol. Also used as the
motto of S.L. Benfica. Less commonly written
as ex pluribus unum.
Ecce homo
Behold the man
From the Latin Vulgate Gospel of John 19:5 (DouayRheims), where Pontius Pilate speaks these words as he
presents Christ, crowned with thorns, to the crowd. It is
also the title of Nietzsche's autobiography and of the theme
music by Howard Goodall for the ITV comedy Mr. Bean,
in which the full sung lyric is Ecce homo qui est
faba ("Behold the man who is a bean").
ecce panis angelorum
A phrase occasionally inscribed near the altar in Catholic

behold the bread of churches; it makes reference to the Host; the Eucharist; the
angels
bread of Heaven; theBody of Christ. See also: Panis
Angelicus.
e pluribus unum
editio princeps
first edition
The first printed edition of a work.
ego te absolvo
I absolve you
Part of the absolution-formula spoken by a priest as part of

the sacrament of Penance (cf. absolvo).
ego te provoco
I provoke you
Used as a challenge, "I dare you". Can also be written as te

provoco
eheu fugaces labuntur anni
Alas, the fleeting

years slip by
From Horace's Odes II, 14.
eluceat omnibus lux
let the light shine

out from all
The motto of Sidwell Friends School
emeritus
veteran
Also "worn-out". Retired from office. Often used to denote

a position held at the point of retirement, as an honor, such
as professor emeritusor provost emeritus. This does not
necessarily mean that the honoree is no longer active.
ens causa sui
Or "being one's own cause". Traditionally, a being that

existing because of
owes its existence to no other being, hence God or
oneself
a Supreme Being (cf. Primum Mobile).
ense petit placidam sub

libertate quietem
by the sword she

seeks a serene
repose under
liberty
entia non sunt

multiplicanda praeter
necessitatem
entities must not be Occam's Razor or law of parsimony; that is, that arguments
multiplied beyond which do not introduce extraneous variables are to be
necessity
preferred in logical argumentation.
entitas ipsa involvit

aptitudinem ad
extorquendum certum
assensum
reality involves a
power to compel
sure assent
State motto of Massachusetts, adopted in 1775.
A phrase used in modern Western philosophy on the nature

of truth.
Technical term used in philosophy and the law. Similar

to ipso facto. Example: "The fact that I am does not eo
ipso mean that I think." From Latin eo ipso, ablative form
of id ipsum, "that (thing) itself".
eo ipso
by that very (act)
eo nomine
by that name
equo ne credite
do not trust the

horse
erga omnes
in relation to
everyone
ergo
therefore
Denotes a logical conclusion (cf. cogito ergo sum).
errare humanum est
to err is human
From Seneca the Younger: Errare humanum est,

perseverare autem diabolicum, et tertia non datur (To err
is human; to persist [in committing such errors] is of the
devil, and the third possibility is not given.) Several
authors contemplated the idea before Seneca: Livy Venia
dignus error is humanus (Storie, VIII, 35) and Cicero: is
Cuiusvis errare: insipientis nullius nisi, in errore
perseverare (Anyone can err, but only the fool persists in
his fault) (Philippicae XII, ii, 5). 300 years later Augustine
of Hippo recycled the idea in his Sermones (164,
14): Humanum fuit errare, diabolicum est per
animositatem in errore manere.[19]
erratum
error
Or "mistake". Lists of errors in a previous edition of a

work are often marked with the plural, errata ("errors").
errantis voluntas nulla est
the will of a
mistaken party is
void
Roman legal principle formulated by Pomponius in

the Digest of the Corpus Juris Civilis, stating that legal
actions undertaken by man under the influence of error are
ineffective.
eruditio et religio
scholarship and
religion
Motto of Duke University
Virgil, Aeneid, II. 4849 (Latin)
George Berkeley's motto for his idealist philosophical

position that nothing exists independently of its perception
by a mind except minds themselves.
esse est percipi
to be is to be
perceived
esse quam videri
Truly being something, rather than merely seeming to be

something. Motto of many institutions. From chapter 26
of Cicero's De amicitia ('On Friendship'). Earlier than
Cicero, the phrase had been used by Sallust in his Bellum
to be, rather than to Catilinae (54.6), where he wrote that Cato esse quam
seem
videri bonus malebat (he preferred to be good, rather than
to seem so). Earlier still, Aeschylus used a similar phrase
in Seven Against Thebes, line 592, ou gar dokein aristos,
all' enai thelei (he wishes not to seem the best, but to be
the best); also motto of North Carolina.
est modus in rebus
there is a middle ground in things, there is a middle way;

from Horace's Satires 1.1.106; see also: Golden mean
(philosophy). According to Potempski & Galmarini
(Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 94719489, 2009) the sentence
there is measure in
should be translated as: "There is an optimal condition in
things
all things" which in the original text is followed by the
sentence: "There are therefore precise boundaries beyond
which one cannot find the right thing" (sunt certi denique
fines quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum).
esto perpetua
Said of Venice by the Venetian historian Fra Paolo

Sarpi shortly before his death. Also the state
motto of Idaho, adopted in 1867, and of S. Thomas'
may it be perpetual
College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka. It is also used as the
open motto of Sigma Phi Society, a collegiate Greek Letter
Fraternity.
esto quod es
be what you are
et adhuc sub iudice lis est
it is still before the

Horace, Ars Poetica (The Art of Poetry) 1.78.
court
et alibi (et al.)
and elsewhere
et alii (et al.)
and others
Motto of Wells Cathedral School.
A less common variant on et cetera used at the end of a list

of locations to denote unlisted places.
Used similarly to et cetera ("and the rest"), to stand for a

list of names. Alii is actually masculine, so it can be used
for men, or groups of men and women; the feminine, et

aliae (or et ali), is appropriate when the "others" are all
female. Et alia is neuter plural and thus properly used only
for inanimate, genderless objects, but some use it as a
gender-neutral alternative.[20] APA style uses et al. (normal
font)[21] if the work cited was written by more than six
authors; MLA style uses et al. for more than three authors.
et cetera (etc.)or (&c.)
And the rest
In modern usage, used to mean "and so on" or "and more".
et facta est lux
And light came to

be or was made
From Genesis 1:3 "and there was light". Motto

of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
et hoc genus omne
And all that sort of

Abbreviated to e.h.g.o. or ehgo
thing
et in Arcadia ego
and in Arcadia[am]
In other words, "I, too, am in Arcadia". See memento mori.
I
et lux in tenebris lucet
And light shines in See also Lux in Tenebris; motto for the Pontificia
the darkness
Universidad Catlica del Per.
et nunc reges intelligite

erudimini qui judicatis
terram
And now, O ye
kings, understand:
From the Book of Psalms, II.x. (Vulgate), 2.10 (Douayreceive instruction,
Rheims).
you that judge the
earth.
et sequentes(et seq.)
and the following Also et sequentia ('and the following things': neut.),
(masc./fem. plural) abbreviations: et seqq., et seq.., or sqq.
et cum spiritu tuo
And with your

spirit
et suppositio nil ponit in

esse
and a supposition
puts nothing in
being
More typically translated as "Sayin' it don't make it so".
et tu, Brute?
And you, Brutus?
Also "Even you, Brutus?" or "You too, Brutus?" Used to

indicate a betrayal by someone close.
From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, based on the traditional
dying words of Julius Caesar. However, these were almost
certainly not Caesar's true last words; Plutarch quotes
Caesar as saying, in Greek, the language of Rome's elite at
the time, ; (Ka s tknon?), in English "You
too, (my) child?", quoting fromMenander.
et uxor (et ux.)
and wife
A legal term.
et vir
and husband
A legal term.
Etiamsi omnes, ego non
Even if all others... Peter to Jesus Christ (from Vulgate Matthew 26:33; New
I will never
King James Version: Matthew 26:33).
etsi deus non daretur
even if God did not

Sentence synthesizing a famous concept of Grotius (1625).
exist
ex abundanti cautela
out of an
abundance of
caution
In law, describes someone taking precautions against a

very remote contingency. "One might wear a belt in
addition to braces ex abundanti cautela".[22] In banking, a
loan in which the collateral is more than the loan itself.
Also the basis for the term "an abundance of caution"
employed by United States President Barack Obama to
explain why his oath of office had to be re-administered by
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts and
again in reference to terrorist threats.
ex abundantia enim cordis

os loquitur
For out of the

abundance of the
heart the mouth
speaketh.
From the Gospel according to St. Matthew, XII.xxxiv

(Vulgate), 12.34 (Douay-Rheims) and the Gospel
according to St. Luke, VI.xlv (Vulgate), 6.45 (DouayRheims). Sometimes rendered without enim ('for').
ex aequo
from the equal
"On equal footing", i.e., "in a tie". Used for those two
(seldom more) participants of a competition, that showed
exactly the same performance.
ex Africa semper aliquid
"(There's) always
something new
Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 8.42 (unde etiam

vulgare Graeciae dictum semper aliquid novi Africam
novi
(coming) out of
Africa"
adferre[23]), a translation of the Greek

.
ex animo
from the heart
Thus, "sincerely".
ex ante
from before
"Beforehand", "before the event". Based on prior

assumptions. A forecast.
ex astris scientia
From the Stars,

Knowledge
The motto of the fictional Starfleet Academy on Star Trek.

Adapted from ex luna scientia, which in turn was modeled
after ex scientia tridens.
ex cathedra
from the chair
A phrase applied to the declarations or promulgations of

the Pope when, in communion with the college of
cardinals, preserved from the possibility of error by the
action of the Holy Spirit (see Papal infallibility), he
solemnly declares or promulgates ("from the chair" that
was the ancient symbol of the teacher and of the governor,
in this case of the church) a dogmatic teaching on faith or
morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at least
being intimately connected to divine revelation. Used, by
extension, of anyone who is perceived as speaking as
though with supreme authority.
ex cultu robur
from culture
[comes] strength
The motto of Cranleigh School, Surrey.
ex Deo
from God
ex dolo malo
from fraud
"From harmful deceit"; dolus malus is the Latin legal term

for "fraud". The full legal phrase is ex dolo malo non oritur
actio ("an action does not arise from fraud"). When an
action has its origin in fraud or deceit, it cannot be
supported; thus, a court of law will not assist a man who
bases his course of action on an immoral or illegal act.
ex facie
from the face
Idiomatically rendered "on the face of it". A legal term

typically used to note that a document's explicit terms are
defective without further investigation.
ex fide fiducia
from faith [comes]

A motto of St George's College, Harare.
confidence
ex fide fortis
from faith [comes]

A motto of Loyola School (New York City).
strength
ex glande quercus
from acorn to oak
The motto of the Municipal Borough of Southgate,

London.
ex gratia
from kindness
More literally "from grace". Refers to someone voluntarily

performing an act purely out of kindness, as opposed to for
personal gain or from being forced to do it. In law, an ex
gratia payment is one made without recognizing
any liability or legal obligation.
ex hypothesi
from the
hypothesis
Thus, "by hypothesis".
ex infra (e.i.) cf.ex supra
"from below"
Recent academic notation for "from below in this writing"
ex juvantibus
from that which

helps
The medical pitfall in which response to a therapeutic

regimen substitutes proper diagnosis.
ex lege
from the law
ex libris
from the books
Precedes a person's name, with the meaning of "from the

library of..."; also a bookplate.
ex luna scientia
from the moon,

knowledge
The motto of the Apollo 13 moon mission, derived from ex

scientia tridens, the motto of Jim Lovell's Alma Mater,
the United States Naval Academy.
ex malo bonum
good out of evil
From St. Augustine's "Sermon LXI" where he

contradicts Seneca's dictum in Epistulae 87:22: bonum ex
malo non fit (good does not come from evil). Also the alias
of the Anberlin song, "Miserabile Visu" from their
album New Surrender.
ex mea sententia
in my opinion
ex mero motu
out of mere
impulse, or of
one's own accord.
ex nihilo nihil fit
nothing comes
from nothing
From Lucretius, and said earlier by Empedocles. Its

original meaning is "work is required to succeed", but its
modern meaning is a more general "everything has its
origins in something" (cf. causality). It is commonly
applied to the conservation laws in philosophy and modern
science. Ex nihilo often used in conjunction with the
term creation, as in creatio ex nihilo, meaning "creation
out of nothing". It is often used in philosophy or theology
in connection with the proposition that God created the
universe from nothing. It is also mentioned in the final adlib of the Monty Python song Always Look on the Bright
Side of Life.
ex novo
from new
Said of something that has been built from scratch.
Ex Oblivione
from oblivion
The title of a short story by H. P. Lovecraft.
ex officio
from the office
By virtue of office or position; "by right of office". Often

used when someone holds one position by virtue of
holding another: for example, thePresident of France is
an ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. A common
misconception is that all ex officio members of a
committee or congress may not vote this may be the case,
but it is not guaranteed by that title. In legal terms, ex
officio refers to an administrative or judicial office taking
action of its own accord, for example to invalidate a patent
or prosecute copyright infringers.
ex opere operantis
from the work of

the one working
A theological phrase contrasted with ex opere operato,

referring to the notion that the validity or promised benefit
of a sacrament depends on the person administering it.
A theological phrase meaning that the act of receiving

a sacrament actually confers the promised benefit, such as
a baptism actually and literally cleansing one's sins.
The Catholic Church affirms that the source of grace is
God, not just the actions or disposition of the minister or
the recipient of the sacrament.
ex opere operato
from the work

worked
ex oriente lux
Originally refers to the sun rising in the east, but alludes to

light from the east culture coming from the Eastern world. Motto of several
institutions.
ex parte
from a part
A legal term meaning "by one party" or "for one party".

Thus, on behalf of one side or party only.
ex pede Herculem
from Hercules' foot
From the measure of Hercules' foot you shall know his

size; from a part, the whole.
ex post
from after
"Afterward", "after the event". Based on knowledge of the

past. Measure of past performance.
ex post facto
from a thing done

afterward
Said of a law with retroactive effect.
ex professo
from one declaring Or 'with due competence'. Said of the person who perfectly
[an art or science] knows his art or science.
ex scientia tridens
from knowledge,
sea power.
The United States Naval Academy motto. Refers to

knowledge bringing men power over the sea comparable to
that of the trident-bearing Greek god Poseidon.
ex scientia vera
from knowledge,
truth
The motto of the College of Graduate Studies at Middle

Tennessee State University.
ex silentio
from silence
In general, the claim that the absence of something

demonstrates the proof of a proposition. An argumentum
ex silentio ("argument from silence") is an argument based
on the assumption that someone's silence on a matter
suggests ("proves" when a logical fallacy) that person's
ignorance of the matter or their inability to counterargue
validly.
ex situ
out of position
opposite of "in situ"
ex supra (e.s.) cf. ex infra
"from above"
Recent academic notation for "from above in this writing".
ex tempore
from [this moment "This instant", "right away" or "immediately". Also

of] time
written extempore.
Ex turpi causa non oritur

actio
From a
dishonorable cause
an action does not
arise
A legal doctrine which states that a claimant will be unable

to pursue a cause of action, if it arises in connection with
his own illegal act. Particularly relevant in the law of
contract, tort and trusts.
ex umbra in solem
from the shadow

into the light
Motto of Federico Santa Mara Technical University.
ex unitate vires
union is strength,
motto of South Africa.
or unity is strength
ex vi termini
from the force of

the term
Thus, "by definition".
ex vita discedo, tanquam ex I depart from life

as from an inn, not Cicero, Cato Maior de Senectute (On Old Age) 23
hospitio, non tanquam ex
as from home
domo
ex vivo
out of or from life
Used in reference to the study or assay of living tissue in

an artificial environment outside the living organism.
ex voto
from the vow
Thus, in accordance with a promise. An ex voto is also an

offering made in fulfillment of a vow.
ex vulgus scientia
from crowd,
knowledge
used to describe social computing, The Wisdom of Crowds
excelsior
higher
"Ever upward!" The state motto of New York. Also a catch

phrase used by Marvel Comics head Stan Lee.
A juridical principle which means that the statement of a

The exception
rule's exception (e.g., "no parking on Sundays") implicitly
exceptio
confirms the rule
firmat(or probat)regulam in
confirms the rule (i.e., that parking is allowed Monday
in cases which are
through Saturday). Often mistranslated as "the exception
casibus non exceptis
not excepted
that proves the rule".
excusatio non petita

accusatio manifesta
an excuse that has

not been sought
[is] an obvious
accusation
More loosely, "he who excuses himself, accuses

himself"an unprovoked excuse is a sign of guilt.
In French, qui s'excuse, s'accuse.
exeat
may he/she leave
A formal leave of absence.
exegi monumentum aere

perennius
I have reared a
monument more
enduring than
bronze
Horace, Carmina III:XXX:I
exempli gratia(e.g.)
for the sake of

example
Usually shortened in English to "for example" (see citation

signal). Often confused with id est (i.e.).[24]
Exempli gratia, "for example", is commonly abbreviated
"e.g."; in this usage it is sometimes followed by a comma,
depending on style.[25]
exercitus sine duce corpus

est sine spiritu
an army without a
leader is a body
without a spirit
On a plaque at the former military staff building of

the Swedish Armed Forces.
exeunt
they leave
Third-person plural present active indicative of the Latin

verb exire; also extended to exeunt omnes, "all leave";
singular: exit.
experientia docet
This term has been used in dermatopathology to express

experience teaches that there is no substitute for experience in dealing with all
the numerous variations that may occur with skin
conditions.[26] The term has also been used
in gastroenterology.[27]
experimentum crucis
experiment of the
cross
Or "crucial experiment". A decisive test of a scientific

theory.
experto crede
trust the expert
Literally "believe one who has had experience". An

author's aside to the reader.
the expression of
expressio unius est exclusio the one is the
exclusion of the
alterius
other
extra domum
"Mentioning one thing may exclude another thing". A

principle of legal statutory interpretation: the explicit
presence of a thing implies intention to exclude others;
e.g., a reference in the Poor Relief Act 1601 to "lands,
houses, tithes and coal mines" was held to exclude mines
other than coal mines. Sometimes expressed as expressum
facit cessare tacitum (broadly, "the expression of one thing
excludes the implication of something else").
Refers to a possible result of Catholic ecclesiastical legal

[placed] outside of
proceedings when the culprit is removed from being part of
the house
a group like a monastery.
This expression comes from the writings of Saint Cyprian

outside the Church
of Carthage, a bishop of the third century. It is often used
extra Ecclesiam nulla salus [there is] no
to summarise the doctrine that the Catholic Church is
salvation
absolutely necessary for salvation.
extra omnes
outside, all [of

you]
It is issued by the Master of the Papal Liturgical

Celebrations before a session of the Papal conclave which
will elect a new Pope. When spoken, all those who are
not Cardinals, or those otherwise mandated to be present at
the Conclave, must leave the Sistine Chapel.
he who administers
justice outside of
Refers to extraterritorial jurisdiction. Often cited in law of
extra territorium jus
his territory is
the sea cases on the high seas.
dicenti impune non paretur
disobeyed with
impunity
F[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
faber est suae quisque

fortunae
every man is the artisan Appius Claudius Caecus. Motto of Fort Street High
of his own fortune
School in Petersham, Sydney, Australia.
fac et spera
do and hope
Motto of Clan Matheson.
fac fortia et patere
do brave deeds and

endure
Motto of Prince Alfred College in Adelaide,

Australia.
fac simile
make a similar thing
Origin of the word facsimile, and, through it,

of fax.
faciam quodlibet quod necesse

I'll do whatever it takes
est
faciam ut mei memineris
I'll make you remember from Plautus, Persa IV.324; used by Russian
me
hooligans as tattoo inscription.
facile princeps
easily the first
It is easier to do many
facilius est multa facere quam
things, than one thing
diu
consecutively
Said of the acknowledged leader in some field,

especially in the arts and humanities.
Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 1/12:7
facio liberos ex liberis libris

libraque
"I make free adults out

Motto of St. John's College in Annapolis,
of children by means of
Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico
books and a balance."
facta, non verba
deeds, not words
Frequently used as motto.
factum fieri infectum non

potest
It is impossible for a
deed to be undone
Terence, Phormio 5/8:45
falsus in uno, falsus in

omnibus
A Roman legal principle indicating that a witness

who willfully falsifies one matter is not credible on
any matter. The underlying motive for attorneys to
false in one, false in all
impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle
discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without
corroboration.
familia supra omnia
family over everything
fas est et ab hoste doceri
It is lawful to be taught
Ovid, Metamorphoses 4:428
even by an enemy
feci quod potui, faciant

meliora potentes
Slight variant ("quod potui feci") found in James

Boswell's An Account of Corsica, there described
as "a simple beautiful inscription on the front of
I have done what I
Palazzo Tolomei at Siena".[28] Later, found in
could; let those who can
Henry Baerlein's introduction to his translation
do better.
of The Diwan of Abul Ala by Abul Ala AlMaarri (9731057);[29] also in Anton
Chekhov's Three Sisters, act I.
NN fecit
NN made (this)
fecisti patriam diversis de

gentibus unam
"From differing peoples Verse 63 from the poem De reditu suo by Rutilius
you have made one
Claudius Namatianus praising
native land"
emperor Augustus.[30]
felicior Augusto, melior

Traiano
"be more fortunate

A ritual acclamation delivered to late Roman
than Augustusand better
emperors.
than Trajan"
felix culpa
fortunate fault
from "Exsultet" of the Catholic liturgy
felix qui potuit rerum

cognoscere causas
happy is he who can

discover the causes of
things
Virgil. "Rerum cognoscere causas" is the motto of

the London School of Economics and
the University of Sheffield.
Frequently used as a family motto.
a formula used traditionally in the author's

signature by painters, sculptors, artisans, scribes
etc. Comparepinxit.
felo de se
felon from himself
An archaic legal term for one who

commits suicide, referring to early
English common law punishments, such as land
seizure, inflicted on those who killed themselves.
fere libenter homines id quod

volunt credunt
men generally believe

what they want to
People's beliefs are shaped largely by their

desires. Julius Caesar, The Gallic War 3.18
festina lente
hurry slowly
An oxymoronic motto of Augustus. It encourages

proceeding quickly, but with calm and caution.
Equivalent to 'More haste, less speed'. Motto of
The Madeira School, McLean, Virginia.
festinare nocet, nocet et

cunctatio saepe; tempore
quaeque suo qui facit, ille
sapit.
it is bad to hurry, and

delay is often as bad;
the wise person is the
Ovid[31]
one who does
everything in its proper
time.
fiat iustitia et pereat mundus
let justice be done,

though the world shall
perish
Motto of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor.
fiat justitia ruat caelum
let justice be done

should the sky fall
Attributed to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.
fiat lux
let light be made
Less literally, "let light arise" or "let there be light"

(cf. lux sit). From the Latin translation of Genesis,
"dixitque Deus fiat lux et facta est lux" ("and God
said, 'Let light be made', and light was made.");
frequently used as motto for educational
institutions.
fiat panis
let there be bread
Motto of Food and Agriculture

Organization (FAO)
fiat voluntas Dei
May God's will be done The motto of Robert May's School
The motto of Archbishop Richard Smith of

the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton.
fiat voluntas tua
Thy will be done
ficta voluptatis causa sint

proxima veris
fictions meant to please

Horace Ars Poetica (338), advice presumably
should approximate the
discounted by the magical realists
truth
Defender of the Faith
A title given to Henry VIII of England by Pope

Leo X on October 17, 1521 before Henry became
a heresiarch. Still used by the British monarchs, it
appears on all British coins, usually abbreviated.
fidem scit
He knows the faith
Sometimes mistranslated to "Keep the faith", when

used in contemporary English-language writings of
all kinds to convey a light-hearted wish for the
reader's well-being.
fides qua creditur
the faith by which it is

believed
the personal faith which apprehends, contrasted

with fides quae creditur
fides quae creditur
the faith which is

believed
the content of "the faith," contrasted

with fides qua creditur
fides quaerens intellectum
faith seeking
understanding
the motto of Saint Anselm, found in his Proslogion
fidus Achates
faithful Achates
A faithful friend. From the name of Aeneas's

faithful companion in Virgil's Aeneid.
Fidei Defensor (Fid Def) or(fd)
may our daughters be as

filiae nostrae sicvt angvli incisi
polished as the corners' Motto of Francis Holland School
similitvdine templi
of the temple
finis coronat opus
the end crowns the

work
the end justifies the means. The motto of St.

Mary's Catholic High School in Dubai, United
Arab Emirates.
finis vitae sed non amoris
the end of life, but not

of love
flagellum dei
scourge of god
flectere si nequeo
superos, Acherontamovebo
if I cannot move heaven

Virgil's Aeneid, book VII.312
I will raise hell
floreat etona
may Eton flourish
floreat nostra schola
may our school flourish Common school motto
floruit (fl.)
one flourished
Indicates the period when a historical figure whose

birth and death dates are unknown was most active.
fluctuat nec mergitur
she wavers and is not

immersed
Motto of Paris
fons et origo
the spring and source
"The fountainhead and beginning". The source and

origin.
fons sapientiae, verbum Dei
the fount of knowledge

The motto of Bishop Blanchet High School.
is the word of God.
formosam resonare doces

Amaryllida silvas
teach the woods to reecho "fair Amaryllis"
perhaps even these

forsan et haec olim meminisse
things will be good to
iuvabit
remember one day
fortes fortuna adiuvat
Fortune favours the

bold
referred to Attila the Hun, when he led his armies

to invade the Western Roman Empire.
Motto of Eton College
From Virgil's Eclogues 1:5
From Virgil's Aeneid, book I, line 203.
The motto of the 3rd Marine Regiment
fortes in fide
strong in faith
fortis cadere, cedere non

potest
The brave may fall, but

Motto of Fahnestock Family Arms.
cannot yield
fortis est veritas
truth is strong
Motto on the coat of arms of Oxford, England.
fortis et liber
strong and free
Motto of Alberta
fortis in arduis
strong in difficulties
Motto of Municipal Borough of Middleton from

the Earl of Middleton.
fortiter et fideliter
bravely and faithfully
fortunae meae, multorum

faber
artisan of my fate and

that of several others
Motto of Gatineau.
fui quod es, eris quod sum
I once was what you

are, you will be what I
am
An Epitaph, made to remind the reader of the

inevitability of death, saying "Once I was alive like
you are, and you will be dead as I am now." As
believed, it was carved on a gravestone of some
Roman military officers.
fumus boni iuris
presumption of
sufficient legal basis
fundamenta inconcussa
unshakable foundation
G[edit]
Latin
gaudeamus
hodie
Translation
let us rejoice today
Notes
gaudeamus
igitur
therefore let us rejoice
First words of a famous academic anthem used, among

other places, in The Student Prince.
gaudete in
domino
rejoice in the Lord
Motto of Bishop Allen Academy
gaudium in
veritate
joy in truth
Motto of Campion School
generalia
specialibus non
derogant
A principle of statutory interpretation: If a matter falls

under a specific provision in a statute enacted before a
general provisions enacted in
general provision enacted in a later statute, it is to be
later legislation do not detract
presumed that the legislature did not intend that the earlier
from specific provisions
specific provision be repealed, and the matter is governed
enacted in earlier legislation
by the earlier specific provision, not the more recent
general one.
genius loci
spirit of place
The unique, distinctive aspects or atmosphere of a place,

such as those celebrated in art, stories, folk tales, and
festivals. Originally, the genius loci was literally the
protective spirit of a place, a creature usually depicted as a
snake.
generatim
discite cultus
Learn each field of study

according to its kind.
(Virgil, Georgics II.)
Motto of the University of Bath.
gens una sumus we are one people
Motto of FIDE. Can be traced back to Claudian's poem De

consulatu Stilichonis.
gesta non verba deeds, not words
Motto of James Ruse Agricultural High School.
Gloria in
excelsis Deo
Often translated "Glory to God on High". The title and

beginning of an ancient Roman Catholic doxology, the
Greater Doxology. See also ad maiorem Dei gloriam.
Glory to God in the Highest
Gloria invidiam By your fame you have

conquered envy
vicisti
Sallust, Bellum Jugurthum ("Jugurthine War") 10:2.
gloria filiorum
patres
The glory of sons is their

fathers (Proverbs17:6)
Motto of Eltham College
Gloria Patri
Glory to the Father
The beginning of the Lesser Doxology.
gloriosus et liber glorious and free
Motto of Manitoba
gradatim
ferociter
by degrees, ferociously
Motto of private spaceflight company Blue Origin
gradibus
ascendimus
ascending by degrees
Motto of Grey College, Durham
Graecia capta
Conquered Greece in turn
ferum victorem
defeated its savage conqueror
cepit
Horace Epistles 2.1
Graecum est;
non legitur
It is Greek (and therefore) it

cannot be read.
Most commonly from William Shakespeare, The Tragedy

of Julius Caesar where Casca couldn't explain to Cassius
what Cicero was saying because he was speaking Greek.
The more common collloquilism would be: It's all Greek to
me.
Grandescunt
Aucta Labore
By hard work, all things

increase and grow
Motto of McGill University
gratiae veritas
naturae
Truth through mercy and

nature
Motto of Uppsala University
graviora manent heavier things remain
Virgil Aeneid 6:84; more severe things await, the worst is

yet to come
Gravis Dulcis
Immutabilis
serious sweet immutable
Title of a poem by James Elroy Flecker [32]
gutta cavat
a water drop hollows a stone
main phrase is from Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto IV, 10,
lapidem [non vi [not by force, but by falling

often]
sed saepe
cadendo]
5.;[33] expanded in the Middle Ages
H[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
habeas corpus
A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of

legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge, most
You should have the
commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum (you may have the body to
body
bring up). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's legal
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.
Books have their

Habent sua fata destiny [according
Terentianus Maurus, De Litteris, De Syllabis, De Metris, 1:1286.
to the capabilities of
libelli
the reader]
hac lege
with this law
haec olim
meminisse
iuvabit
one day, this will be Commonly rendered in English as "One day, we'll look back on this
pleasing to
and smile". From Virgil's Aeneid 1.203. Also, motto of theJefferson
remember
Society.
Hannibal ad
portas
Hannibal is at the
gates
Hannibal ante
portas
Hannibal before the Refers to wasting time while the enemy is already here. Attributed
gates
to Cicero.
haud ignota
loquor
I speak not of
unknown things
Roman parents would tell their misbehaving children this, invoking

their fear of Hannibal.
Thus, "I say no things that are unknown". From Virgil's Aeneid, 2.91.
hic abundant
leones
here lions abound
Written on uncharted territories of old maps; see also: here be

dragons.
hic et nunc
here and now
The imperative motto for the satisfaction of desire. "I need it, Here
and Now"
here lies
Also rendered hic iacet. Written on gravestones or tombs, preceding

the name of the deceased. Equivalent to hic sepultus (here is buried),
and sometimes combined into hic jacet sepultus (HJS), "here lies
buried".
hic jacet (HJ)
hic locus est ubi This is the place

where death delights A motto of many morgues or wards of anatomical pathology.
mors gaudet
succurrere vitae in helping life
hic manebimus
optime
here we'll stay

excellently
According to Titus Livius the phrase was pronounced by Marcus

Furius Camillus, addressing the senators who intended to abandon the
city, invaded by Gauls, circa 390 BC. It is used today to express the
intent to keep one's position even if the circumstances appear adverse.
hic sunt
dracones
here there are

dragons
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hic sunt leones
here there are lions
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
hinc et inde
from both sides
hinc illae
lacrimae
hence those tears
From Terence, Andria, line 125. Originally literal, referring to the

tears shed by Pamphilus at the funeral of Chrysis, it came to be used
proverbially in the works of later authors, such
as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
hinc itur ad
astra
from here the way

leads to the stars
Written on the wall of the old astronomical observatory of Vilnius

University, Lithuania, and the university's motto.
hinc robur et
securitas
herefore strength
and safety
Motto of the Central Bank of Sweden.
historia vitae
magistra
history, the teacher

of life
From Cicero's De Oratore, II, 9. Also "history is the mistress of life".
hoc age
do this
Motto of Bradford Grammar School, often purposefully mistranslated

by pupils as "Just do it!".
hoc est bellum
This is war
hoc est
Christum
cognoscere,
beneficia eius
cognoscere
To know Christ is to Famous dictum by the Reformer Melanchthon in his Loci

know his benefits
Communes of 1521
hoc est enim

corpus meum
The words of Jesus reiterated in Latin during the Roman Catholic

For this is my Body Eucharist. Sometimes simply written as "Hoc est corpus meum" or
"This is my body".
hodie mihi, cras Today it's me,

tomorrow it will be
tibi
you
Treat the Man, not
the Disease
Motto of the Far Eastern University Institute of Nursing
homo bulla
man is a bubble
Varro (116 BC 27 BC), in the opening line of the first book

of Rerum Rusticarum Libri Tres, wrote "quod, ut dicitur, si est homo
bulla, eo magis senex" (for if, as they say, man is a bubble, all the
more so is an old man)[34] later reintroduced by Erasmus in hisAdagia,
a collection of sayings published in 1572.
homo homini
lupus
man [is a] wolf to

man
First attested in Plautus' Asinaria (lupus est homo homini). The

sentence was drawn on by Hobbes in Leviathan as a concise
expression of his human nature view.
hominem non
morbum cura
homo
One is innocent until
praesumitur
See also: presumption of innocence.
proven guilty
bonus donec
probetur malus
homo sum
humani a me
nihil alienum
puto
From Terence, Heautontimoroumenos. Originally "strange" or

"foreign" (alienum) was used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line
I am a human being;
was a response to the speaker being told to mind his own business,
nothing human is
but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different cultures
strange to me
and being humane in general. Puto (I consider) is not translated
because it is meaningless outside of the line's context within the play.
homo unius
libri (timeo)
(I fear) a man of one

Attributed to Thomas Aquinas
book
honestes ante
honores
honesty before glory Motto of King George V school, Hong Kong, China
honor virtutis
praemium
esteem is the reward

Motto of Arnold School, Blackpool, England
of virtue
honoris causa
for the sake of honor Said of an honorary title, such as "Doctor of Science honoris causa".
hora fugit
the hour flees
hora somni (h.s.) at the hour of sleep
See tempus fugit.

Medical shorthand for "at bedtime".
horas non
numero nisi
serenas
I do not count the

hours unless they are A common inscription on sundials.
sunny
horribile dictu
horrible to say
That is, "a horrible thing to relate". Cf. mirabile dictu.
hortus in urbe
A garden in the city
Motto of the Chicago Park District, a playful allusion to the city's

motto, urbs in horto, q.v.
hortus siccus
A dry garden
A collection of dry, preserved plants.
hostis humani
generis
enemy of the human Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in
race
general.
humilitas
occidit
superbiam
humility conquers
pride
hypotheses non I do not fabricate

hypotheses
fingo
From Newton, Principia. Less literally, "I do not assert that any
hypotheses are true".
I[edit]
Latin
ibidem (ibid.)
id est (i.e.)
Translation
Notes
in the same place
Usually used in bibliographic citations to refer to the last source

previously referenced.
that is
"That is (to say)" in the sense of "that means" and "which

means", or "in other words", or sometimes "in this case",
depending on the context; may be followed by a comma, or not,
depending on style (American English and British English
respectively).[35]It is sometimes wrongly used to mean "for
example" (for which the correct abbreviation is e.g.). There
should be a period (.) after both letters, since it is an
abbreviation of two words.[36]
that which generally

id quod
plerumque accidit happens
A phrase used in legal language to indicate the most probable

outcome from an act, fact, event or cause.
idem (dito) (id.)
the same
Used to refer to something that has already been cited. See

also ibidem.
idem quod (i.q.)
the same as
Not to be confused with an intelligence quotient.
Idus Martiae
the Ides of March
In the Roman calendar, the Ides of March refers to the 15th day
of March. In modern times, the term is best known as the date
on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC; the term has
come to be used as a metaphor for impending doom.
Jesu juva J.J.
Jesus, help!
Used by Johann Sebastian Bach at the beginning of his

compositions, which he ended with "S.D.G." (Soli Deo gloria).
Iesus Nazarenus
Rex
Iudaeorum(INRI)
Jesus the Nazarene,

King of the Jews
From Vulgate; John 19:19. John 19:20 states

that this inscription was written in three
languagesAramaic, Latin and Greekat
the top of the cross during the crucifixion of
Jesus.
igitur qui
desiderat pacem,
Therefore whoever
desires peace, let him
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, De Re Militari; similar to si
praeparet bellum prepare for war
vis pacem, para bellum.
through fire, nature is

igne natura
renovatur integra reborn whole
An alchemical aphorism invented as an alternate meaning for

the acronym INRI.
igni ferroque
with fire and iron
A phrase describing scorched earth tactics. Also rendered

as igne atque ferro, ferro ignique, and other variations.
ignis aurum
probat
fire tests gold
A phrase referring to the refining of character through difficult

circumstances, it is also the motto of the Prometheus Society.
ignis fatuus
foolish fire
Will-o'-the-wisp.
ignorantia juris
non excusat
(or ignorantia legis non

excusat or ignorantia
A legal principle whereby ignorance of a law does not allow
legis neminem excusat)
one to escape liability.
ignorance of the law is
no excuse
ignoratio elenchi
ignorance of the issue
The logical fallacy of irrelevant conclusion: making an

argument that, while possibly valid, doesn't prove or support the
proposition it claims to. An ignoratio elenchi that is an
intentional attempt to mislead or confuse the opposing party is
known as a red herring. Elenchi is from the Greek elenchos.
ignotum per
ignotius
unknown by means of
the more unknown
An explanation that is less clear than the thing to be explained.

Synonymous with obscurum per obscurius.
ignotus (ign.)
unknown
imago Dei
image of God
From the religious concept that man was created in "God's

image".
imitatio dei
imitation of a god
A principle, held by several religions, that believers should

strive to resemble their god(s).
imperium in
imperio
1. A group of people who owe utmost fealty to their leader(s),

subordinating the interests of the larger group to the authority of
the internal group's leader(s).
an order within an order
2. A "fifth column" organization operating against the
organization within which they seemingly reside.
3. "State within a state"
imperium sine
fine
an empire without an
end
In Virgil's Aeneid, Jupiter ordered Aeneas to found a city

(Rome) from which would come an everlasting, never-ending
empire, the endless (sine fine) empire.
imprimatur
let it be printed
An authorization to publish, granted by some censoring

authority (originally a Catholic Bishop).
in absentia
in the absence
Used in a number of situations, such as in a trial carried out in

the absence of the accused.
in absentia luci,
tenebrae vincunt
in the absence of light,

darkness prevails
in actu
in act
In the very act; in reality.
[Dominica] in
albis[depositis]
[Sunday in Setting
Aside the] White
Garments
Latin name of the Octave of Easter.
in articulo mortis at the point of death
in camera
in the chamber
In secret. See also camera obscura.
in casu (i.c.)
in the event
In this case.
in cauda venenum the poison is in the tail
Using the metaphor of a scorpion, this can be said of an account

that proceeds gently, but turns vicious towards the end or
more generally waits till the end to reveal an intention or
statement that is undesirable in the listener's ears.
in com. Ebor.
In the county of
Yorkshire
Eboracum was the Roman name for York and this phrase is
used in some Georgian and Victorian books on the genealogy of
prominent Yorkshire families.
in Deo speramus
in God we hope
Motto of Brown University.
in dubio pro reo
in doubt, on behalf of
the [alleged] culprit
Expresses the judicial principle that in case of doubt the

decision must be in favor of the accused (in that anyone is
innocent until there is proof to the contrary).
in duplo
in double
In duplicate
in effigie
in the likeness
In (the form of) an image; in effigy (as opposed to "in the flesh"
or "in person").
in esse
in existence
In actual existence; as opposed to in posse.
in extenso
in the extended
In full; at full length; complete or unabridged
in extremis
in the furthest reaches
In extremity; in dire straits; also "at the point of death" (cf. in

articulo mortis).
in fide scientiam
To our faith add

knowledge
Motto of Newington College.
in fidem
into faith
To the verification of faith.
in fieri
in becoming
In progress; pending.
in fine (i.f.)
in the end
in flagrante
in a blazing wrong,
while the crime is
At the end. The footnote says "p. 157 in fine":

"the end of page 157".
Caught in the act (esp. a crime or in a "compromising
delicto
blazing
position"); equivalent to "caught red-handed" in English idiom.
in flore
in blossom
Blooming.
in foro
in forum
In court (legal term).
in girum imus
nocte et
consumimur igni
We enter the circle at

A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the
night and are consumed
title of a film by Guy Debord.
by fire
in harmonia
progressio
progress in harmony
Motto of Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia.
in hoc sensu or in
sensu hoc (s.h.)
in this sense
Recent academic abbreviation for "in this sense".
in hoc signo
vinces
by this sign you will

conquer
Words Constantine the Great claimed to have seen in a vision

before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.
in hunc effectum
for this purpose
Describes a meeting called for a particular stated purpose only.
in ictu oculi
in the blink of an eye
in illo ordine (i.o.)
in that order
Recent academic substitution for the spacious and inconvenient

"..., respectively."
in illo tempore
in that time
At that time, found often in Gospel lectures during Masses,

used to mark an undetermined time in the past.
in inceptum finis
est
lit.: in the beginning is

the end
or: the beginning foreshadows the end
in limine
at the outset/threshold
Preliminary, in law, a motion in limine is a motion that is made

to the judge before or during trial, often about the admissibility
of evidence believed prejudicial.
in loco
in the place, on the spot
That is, 'on site'. "The nearby labs were closed for the
weekend, so the water samples were analyzed in loco."
in loco parentis
in the place of a parent
Assuming parental or custodial responsibility and authority

(e.g., schoolteachers over students); a legal term.
in luce Tua
videmus lucem
Motto of Valparaiso University. The phrase comes from the

in Thy light we see light book of Psalms 36:9 "For with you is the fountain of life; in
your light we see light."
in lumine tuo
videbimus lumen
Motto of Columbia University, Presbyterian Boys' Secondary

in your light we will see
School and Ohio Wesleyan University. Also, it is the motto of
the light
the South African University of Fort Hare.
in manus tuas
commendo
spiritum meum
into your hands I entrust

According to Luke 23:46, the last words of Jesus on the cross.
my spirit
in medias res
From Horace. Refers to the literary technique of beginning a

narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after
into the middle of things much action has already taken place. Examples include
the Iliad, the Odyssey, Os Lusadas, Othello, and Paradise Lost.
Compare ab initio.
in memoriam
into the memory
Equivalent to "in the memory of". Refers to remembering or

honoring a deceased person.
in necessariis
unitas, in dubiis
libertas, in
omnibus caritas
in necessary things
unity, in doubtful things
liberty, in all things
charity
"Charity" (caritas) is being used in the classical sense of

"compassion" (cf. agape). Motto of the Cartellverband der
katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen. Often
misattributed to Augustine of Hippo.[citation needed]
in nocte consilium advice comes over night
I.e., "Tomorrow is a new day." Motto of Birkbeck College,

University of London.
in nomine diaboli in the name of the devil
in nomine Domini in the name of the Lord
Motto of Trinity College, Perth, Australia; the name of a

1050 papal bull
in nomine patris,
et filii, et spiritus
sancti
in the name of the

Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit
invocation of the Holy Trinity
in nuce
in a nut
in a nutshell; briefly stated; potential; in the embryonic phase
in omnia paratus
Ready for anything.
Motto of the United States Army's 18th Infantry Regiment
in omnibus amare In everything, love and

et servire Domino serve the Lord.
The motto of Ateneo de Iloilo, a university in the Philippines
in omnibus
requiem quaesivi,
et nusquam inveni
nisi in angulo cum
libro
Everywhere I have
searched for peace and
Quote by Thomas Kempis
nowhere found it, except
in a corner with a book
in ovo
in the egg or in the

embryo
in pace requiescat in peace may he rest
An experiment or process performed in an egg or embryo (e.g.

in ovo electroporation of chicken embryo).
Alternate form of requiescat in pace ("let him rest in peace").

Found in this form at the end of The Cask of
Amontillado byEdgar Allan Poe.
in partibus
infidelium
in the parts of the

infidels
"In the land of the infidels"; used to refer to bishoprics that

remains as titular sees even after the corresponding territory
was conquered by Muslim empires.
in pectore
in the heart
A cardinal named in secret by the pope. See also ab imo

pectore.
in personam
into a person
Directed towards a particular person
in posse
in potential
In the state of being possible; as opposed to in esse.
in propria
persona
in one's own person
Abbreviated pro per; For one's self; acting on one's own behalf,
especially a person representing himself in a legal proceeding;
see also litigant in person, pro se legal representation in the
United States.
in principio erat
Verbum
in the beginning was the

Beginning of the Gospel of John
Word (Logos)
in the matter [of]
A legal term used to indicate that a judicial proceeding may not

have formally designated adverse parties or is otherwise
uncontested. The term is commonly used in case citations
of probate proceedings, for example, In re Smith's Estate; it is
also used in juvenile courts, as, for instance, In re Gault.
in rebus
in the thing [itself]
Primarily of philosophical use to discuss properties and

property exemplification. In philosophy of mathematics, it is
typically contrasted with "ante rem" and, more recently, "post
res" structuralism. Sometimes in re is used in place of in rebus.
in regione
caecorum rex est
luscus
In the land of the blind,

the one-eyed man is
king.
A quote of Desiderius Erasmus from Adagia (first published

1500, with numerous expanded editions through 1536), III, IV,
96.
in rem
to the thing
Legal term indicating a court's jurisdiction over a piece

of property rather than a legal person; contrast with personal
(ad personam) jurisdiction. See In rem jurisdiction; Quasi in
rem jurisdiction
in rerum natura
in the nature of things
See also Lucretius' De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things).
in retentis
among things held back
Used to describe documents kept separately from the regular

records of a court for special reasons.
in re
in saecula
(saeculorum), in
saeculum saeculi
roughly: down to the

times of the times
forever (and ever), liturgical
in saeculo
in the times
In the secular world, esp. outside a monastery, or before death.
in salvo
in safety
in scientia
opportunitas
In Knowledge, there is
Opportunity
Motto of Edge Hill University.
in silicon
Coined in the late 1980s for scientific papers. Refers to an

experiment or process performed virtually, as a computer
simulation. The term is Dog Latin modeled after terms such
as in vitro and in vivo. The Latin word for silicon is silicium, so
the correct Latinization of "in silicon" would be in silicio, but
this form has little usage.
in situ
in the place
In the original place, appropriate position, or natural

arrangement.
in somnis veritas
In dreams there is truth
(Dog Latin)
in silico
(Dog Latin)
in spe
in hope
"future" (My mother-in-law in spe", i.e., "My future mother-inlaw), or "in embryonic form", as in "Locke's theory of
government resembles, in spe, Montesquieu's theory of the
separation of powers."
in specialibus
generalia
quaerimus
To seek the general in

the specifics
That is, to understand the most general rules through the most
detailed analysis.
in statu nascendi
in the state of being born Just as something is about to begin.
in toto
in all
Totally; entirely; completely.
in triplo
in triple
In triplicate.
in umbra, igitur,
pugnabimus
Then we will fight in the

shade
in utero
in the womb
in utrumque
paratus
Prepared for either

(event)
in vacuo
in a void
In a vacuum; isolated from other things.
in varietate
concordia
united in diversity
The motto of the European Union and the Council of Europe
in vino veritas
in wine [there is] truth
That is, wine loosens the tongue (referring to alcohol's

disinhibitory effects).
in vitro
in glass
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "nonnatural" setting (e.g. in a laboratory using a glass test tube or
Petri dish), and thus outside of a living organism or cell.
Alternative experimental or process methodologies include in
vitro, in silico, ex vivo and in vivo.
in vivo
in life" or "in a living

thing
An experiment or process performed on a living specimen.
in vivo veritas
in a living thing [there

is] truth
An expression used by biologists to express the fact that

laboratory findings from testing an organism in vitro are not
always reflected when applied to an organism in vivo. A pun
on in vino veritas.
incepto ne
desistam
May I not shrink from

my purpose!
Westville Boys' High School and Westville Girls' High School's

motto is taken directly from Virgil. These words, found in
Aeneid, Book 1, are used by Juno, queen of heaven who hated
the Trojans led by Aeneas. When she saw the fleet of Aeneas on
its way to Italy, after the sack of Troy by the Greeks, she
planned to scatter it by means of strong winds. In her

determination to accomplish her task she cried out "Incepto Ne
Desistam!"
incertae sedis
of uncertain position
(seat)
A term used to classify a taxonomic group when its broader

relationships are unknown or undefined.
incredibile dictu
incredible to say
A variant on mirabile dictu.
Index Librorum
Prohibitorum
Index of Prohibited (or,

Forbidden) Books
A list of books considered heretical by the Roman Catholic

Church.
indigens Deo
being-in-need-of-God,
beggar before God
From Augustine, De Civitate Dei XII, 1.3: beatitudinem

consequatur nec expleat indigentiam suam, "since it is not
satisfied unless it be perfectly blessed."
indivisibiliter ac
inseparabiliter
indivisible and
inseparable
Motto of Austria-Hungary before it was divided and separated

into independent states in 1918.
Infinitus est
numerus
stultorum.
Infinite is the number of

fools.
infirma mundi
elegit Deus
God chooses the weak

of the world
The motto of Venerable Vital-Justin Grandin, the bishop of the

St. Albert Diocese, which is now the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Edmonton
infra
beneath one's dignity
dignitatem(infra dig)
instante
mense(inst.)
in the present month
Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the current

month, sometimes abbreviated as instant; e.g.: "Thank you for
your letter of the 17th inst." ult. mense = last month, prox.
mense = next month.
intaminatis fulget Untarnished, she shines

From Horace's Odes (III.2.18). Motto of Wofford College.
with honor
honoribus
unimpaired by life and

integer vitae
scelerisque purus clean of wickedness
intelligenti pauca
From Horace. Used as a funeral hymn.
Few words suffice for

he who understands
inter alia (i.a.)
among other things
A term used in formal extract minutes to indicate that the

minute quoted has been taken from a fuller record of other
matters, or when alluding to the parent group after quoting a
particular example.
inter alios
among others
Often used to compress lists of parties to legal documents.
inter arma enim

silent leges
Said by Cicero in Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked

political mobs that had virtually seized control of Rome in the
in a time of war, the law 60s and 50s BC. Famously quoted in the essay Civil
falls silent
Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau as "The clatter of arms
drowns out the voice of the law". This phrase has also been
jokingly translated as "In a time of arms, the legs are silent."
inter caetera
among others
inter mutanda
constantia
Steadfast in the midst of Motto for Rockwell College in Ireland and Francis Libermann
change
Catholic High School in Ontario, Canada.
inter spem et
metum
between hope and fear
inter urinas et
faeces nascimur
we are born between

urine and feces
Attributed to St Augustine.
inter vivos
between the living
Refers to property transfers between living persons, as opposed

to a testamentary transfer upon death such as an inheritance;
often relevant to tax laws.
intra muros
within the walls
Title of a papal bull
Not public; source of the word intramural. See also Intramuros,
Manila.
intra vires
within the powers
Within one's authority
invicta
Unconquered
Motto of the English county of Kent.
invictus maneo
I remain unvanquished
Motto of the Armstrong Clan.
Iohannes est
nomen eius
John is his name
Motto of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
ipsa scientia
potestas est
knowledge itself is
power
Famous phrase written by Sir Francis Bacon in 1597.
ipse dixit
he himself said it
Commonly said in Medieval debates and referring to Aristotle.

Used in general to emphasize that some assertion comes from
some authority, i.e., as an argument from authority, and the
term ipse-dixitism has come to mean any unsupported rhetorical
assertion that lacks a logical argument. A literal translation
by Cicero (in his De Natura Deorum 1.10) of the Greek
, an invocation by Pythagoreans when appealing to the
pronouncements of the master.
ipsissima verba
the very words

themselves
"Strictly word for word" (cf. verbatim). Often used in Biblical

Studies to describe the record of Jesus' teaching found in the
New Testament (specifically, the four Gospels).
ipsissima voce
in the very 'voice' itself
To approximate the main thrust or message without using the

exact words.
ipso facto
by the fact itself
By that very fact
wrath of the gods
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world,

the ancient Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it
important to achieve a state of pax deorum (peace of the gods)
instead of ira deorum (wrath of the gods): earthquakes, floods,
famine, etc.
ira deorum
ira furor brevis

est
Wrath (anger) is but a

brief madness
ita vero
thus indeed
A useful phrase, as the Romans had no word for "yes",

preferring to respond to questions with the affirmative or
negative of the question (e.g., "Are you hungry?" was answered
by "I am hungry" or "I am not hungry", not "Yes" or "No).
ite, missa est
Go, it is the dismissal
Loosely: "You have been dismissed". Concluding words

addressed to the people in the Mass of the Roman Rite.[37]
iter legis
The path of the law
The path a law takes from its conception to its implementation.
iugulare mortuos
to cut the throat of

corpses
From Gerhard Gerhards' (14661536) [better known as

Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). It can mean
attacking the work or personality of deceased person.
Alternatively, it can be used to describe criticism of an
individual already heavily criticised by others.
iuncta iuvant
together they strive
also spelled juncta juvant; from the legal principle quae non
valeant singula, iuncta iuvant ("What is without value on its
own, helps when joined")
iura novit curia
A legal principle in civil law countries of the Roman-German

tradition that says that lawyers need not to argue the law, as that
the court knows the law
is the office of the court. Sometimes miswritten as iura novat
curia (the court renews the laws).
iure matris
in right of his mother
Indicates a right exercised by a son on behalf of his mother.
iure uxoris
in right of his wife
Indicates a right exercised by a husband on behalf of his wife.
iuris ignorantia
est cum ius
nostrum
ignoramus
it is ignorance of the law

when we do not know
our own rights
ius accrescendi
right of accrual
Commonly referred to as "right of survivorship": a rule in

property law that surviving joint tenants have rights in equal
shares to a decedent's property.
ius ad bellum
law towards war
Refers to the laws that regulate the reasons for going to war.
Typically, this would address issues of self-defense or
preemptive strikes.
compelling law
Refers to a fundamental principle of international law

considered to have acceptance among the international
community of states as a whole. Typically, this would address
issues not listed or defined by any authoritative body, but arise
out of case law and changing social and political attitudes.
Generally included are prohibitions on waging aggressive war,
crimes against humanity, war crimes, piracy, genocide, slavery,
and torture.
ius in bello
law in war
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the conduct of combatants

during a conflict. Typically, this would address issues of who or
what is a valid target, how to treat prisoners, and what sorts of
weapons can be used. The word jus is also commonly
spelledius.
ius primae noctis
law of the first night
The droit de seigneur.
iustitia
fundamentum
regni
justice is the foundation Motto of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office of the Czech
of a reign
Republic.
iustitia omnibus
justice for all
The motto of Washington, D.C.
iuventuti nil
arduum
to the young nothing is

difficult
Motto of Canberra Girls' Grammar School.
iuventutis veho
fortunas
I bear the fortunes of

youth
Motto of Dollar Academy.
ius cogens
L[edit]
Latin
labor omnia
vincit
Translation
Hard work conquers all
laborare pugnare To work, (or) to fight; we

are ready
parati sumus
Notes
Popular as a motto; derived from a phrase

in Virgil's Eclogue (X.69: omnia vincit Amor "Love
conquers all"); a similar phrase also occurs in
his Georgics I.145. Motto of St. Xavier's Institution, Penang.
Motto of Brinkworth Area School, South Australia. Motto of
Princes Street Primary School, Tasmania, Australia.[38]
Motto of the California Maritime Academy
labore et honore
By labour and honour
Motto of several schools
laboremus pro
patria
Let us work for the

fatherland
Motto of the Carlsberg breweries
laboris gloria
Ludi
Games are the glory of

work,
Motto of the Camborne School of Mines, Cornwall, UK
lapsus
lapse, slip, error;

involuntary mistake made
while writing or speaking
lapsus calami
inadvertenttypographical
error, slip of the pen
lapsus linguae
inadvertent speech error,

slip of the tongue
lapsus memoriae slip of memory
source of the term memory lapse
laudator
temporis acti
One who is discontent with the present and instead prefers

things of the past ("the good old days").
praiser of time past
laudetur Jesus
Christus
Praise (Be) Jesus Christ
Often used as a salutation, but also used after prayers or the

reading of the gospel.
laus Deo
praise be to God
This is written on the East side at the peak of the Washington

Monument in Washington, D.C. Also is the motto of
the Viscount of Arbuthnott and Sydney Grammar School.
lectori salutem
greetings reader
Often abbreviated to L.S., used as opening words for a letter.
lege artis
according to the law of the

art
Denotes that a certain intervention is performed in a correct

way. Used especially in a medical context. The 'art' referred
to in the phrase is medicine.
legem terrae
the law of the land
leges humanae
nascuntur,
vivunt, et
moriuntur
laws of man are born, live

and die
leges sine
moribus vanae
laws without morals [are]

vain
From Horace's Odes: the official motto of the University of

Pennsylvania.
legio patria
nostra
The Legion is our

fatherland
Motto of the French Foreign Legion
legi, intellexi, et
condemnavi
I read, understood, and

condemned.
legitime
lawfully
In Roman and civil law, a forced share in an estate; the

portion of the decedent's estate from which the immediate
family cannot bedisinherited. From the French hritier
legitime (rightful heir).
lex artis
law of the skill
The rules that regulate a professional duty.
lex dei vitae

lampas
the law of God is the lamp

of life
lex ferenda
the law that should be borne The law as it ought to be.
Motto of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
lex hac edictali
the law here proclaims
The rule whereby a spouse cannot by deed inter vivos or

bequeath by testament to his or her second spouse more than
the amount of the smallest portion given or bequeathed to
any child.
lex in casu
law in the event
A law that only concerns one particular case. See law of the
case.
lex lata
the law that has been borne The law as it is.
lex loci
law of the place
lex non scripta
law that has not been

written
lex orandi, lex

credendi
the law of prayer is the law

of faith
lex paciferat
the law shall bring peace
Motto of the European Gendarmerie Force
lex parsimoniae
law of succinctness
also known as Occam's Razor.
lex rex
the law [is] king
A principle of government advocating a rule by law rather

than by men. The phrase originated as a double entendre in
the title ofSamuel Rutherford's controversial book Lex,
Rex (1644), which espoused a theory of limited
government and constitutionalism.
lex scripta
written law
Statutory law. Contrasted with lex non scripta.
Unwritten law, or common law.
lex talionis
the law of retaliation
Retributive justice (i.e., an eye for an eye).
libera te tutemet
Free yourself (from hell)
(ex inferis)
Used in the movie Event Horizon (1997), where it is

translated as "save yourself (from hell)". It is initially
misheard as liberate me (free me), but is later
corrected. Libera te is often mistakenly merged into liberate,
which would necessitate a plural pronoun instead of the
singular tutemet (which is an emphatic form of tu, you).
Libertas Justitia
Veritas
Motto of the Korea University and Freie Universitt Berlin.
Liberty Justice Truth
Libertas
Freedom will flood all
Perfundet Omnia
things with light
Luce
Motto of the Complutense University of Madrid.
Libertas Quae
Sera Tamen
freedom which [is] however Liberty even when it comes late; Motto of Minas
late
Gerais, Brazil.
Libera Scientia
Free knowledge.
Libertas
Liberty Security Justice
Securitas Justitia
Motto of the Frontex.
libra (lb)
balance; scales
Its abbreviation lb is used as a unit of weight, the pound.
loco citato (lc)
in the place cited
More fully written in loco citato. See also opere citato.
locum tenens
place holder
A worker who temporarily takes the place of another with

similar qualifications, for example as a doctor or a member
of the clergy. Sometimes shortened to locum.
locus classicus
a classic place
The most typical or classic case of something; quotation

which most typifies its use.
place of less resistance
A medical term to describe a location on or in a body that

offers little resistance to infection, damage, or injury. For
example, a weakened place that tends to be reinjured.
locus
poenitentiae
a place of repentance
A legal term, it is the opportunity of withdrawing from a

projected contract, before the parties are finally bound; or of
abandoning the intention of committing a crime, before it has
been completed.
locus standi
A right to stand
Standing in law (the right to have one's case in court).
lorem ipsum
sorrow itself; pain for its

own sake
A mangled fragment from Cicero's De Finibus Bonorum et

Malorum (On the Limits of Good and Evil, 45 BC), used
as typographer's filler to show fonts (a.k.a. greeking).
luceat lux vestra
Let your light shine
May be found in Matthew Ch. 5 V. 16. Popular as a school

motto.
lucem sequimur
We follow the light
Motto of the University of Exeter
luceo non uro
I shine, not burn
Motto of the Highland Scots Clan Mackenzie
luctor et emergo
I struggle and emerge
Motto of the Dutch province of Zeeland to denote its battle

against the sea, and the Athol Murray College of Notre
Dame.
lucus a non
lucendo
[it is] a grove by not being

light
From late 4th-century grammarian Honoratus Maurus, who

sought to mock implausible word origins such as those
proposed byPriscian. A pun based on the word lucus (dark
grove) having a similar appearance to the verb lucere (to
shine), arguing that the former word is derived from the latter
word because of a lack of light in wooded groves. Often used
as an example of absurd etymology.
ludemus bene in
compania
We play well in groups
Motto of the Barony of Marinus.
locus minoris
resistentiae
lupus in fabula
the wolf in the story
With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will come";

from Terence's play Adelphoe.
lupus non mordet

a wolf does not bite a wolf
lupum
lupus non timet a wolf is not afraid of a

canem latrantem barking dog
lux aeterna
eternal light
epitaph
lux et lex
light and law
Motto of the Franklin & Marshall College
lux et veritas
light and truth
A translation of the Hebrew Urim and Thummim. Motto of

several institutions.
lux ex tenebris
light from darkness
Motto of the 67th Network Warfare Wing.
lux hominum vita light the life of man
Motto of the University of New Mexico
lux in Domino
light in the Lord
Motto of the Ateneo de Manila University
lux in tenebris
lucet
The light that shines in the

darkness
Motto of Columbia University School of General Studies[39]
lux libertas
light, liberty
Motto of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lux mentis Lux

orbis
Light of the mind, Light of

the world
Motto of Sonoma State University
lux sit
let there be light
A more literal Latinization of the phrase; the most common

translation is fiat lux, from Latin Vulgate Bible phrase
chosen for the Genesisline "
;
,
- "
(And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light).
Motto of the University of Washington.
lux tua nos ducat Your Light Guides Us
Motto of St. Julian's School, Carcavelos, Portugal[40]
lux, veritas,
virtus
Motto of Northeastern University
light, truth, courage
M[edit]
Latin
Translation
Young, cheer up!

Macte animo!
Generose puer sic This is the way to
the skies.
itur ad astra
Notes
Motto of Academia da Fora Area (Air Force Academy) of the

Brazilian Air Force
magister dixit
the teacher has said Canonical medieval reference to Aristotle, precluding further
it
discussion
magister meus
Christus
Christ is my teacher
common Catholic edict and motto of a Catholic private

school, Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana
Magna Carta
Great Charter
Set of documents from 1215 between Pope Innocent III, King John
of England, and English barons.
magna cum laude with great praise
magna est vis

consuetudinis
great is the power of

habit
Magna Europa est Greater Europe is

Our Fatherland
patria nostra
magno cum
gaudio
Common Latin honor, above cum laude and below summa cum
laude
with great joy
Political motto of pan-Europeanists
magnum opus
great work
maior e longinquo greater reverence

from afar
reverentia
Said of someone's masterpiece
When viewed from a distance, everything is

beautiful. Tacitus, Annales 1.47
maiora premunt
greater things are

pressing
Used to indicate that it is the moment to address more important,

urgent, issues.
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.
Mala Ipsa Nova
Bad News Itself
Motto of the inactive 495th Fighter Squadron, US Air Force
mala tempora
currunt
bad times are upon

us
Also used ironically, e.g.: New teachers know all tricks used by
pupils to copy from classmates? Oh, mala tempora currunt!.
male captus bene

detentus
wrongly captured,
properly detained
An illegal arrest will not prejudice the subsequent detention/trial.
malo periculosam I prefer liberty with attributed to the Count Palatine of Posen before the Diet of Poland,
libertatem quam danger to peace with cited in "The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right" by
Jean Jacques Rousseau
quietum servitium slavery
malum discordiae apple of discord
Alludes to the apple of Eris in the Judgement of Paris, the

mythological cause of the Trojan War. It is also a pun based on the
near-homonymous word malum (evil). The word for "apple" has a
long vowel in Latin and the word for "evil" a short a vowel, but
they are normally written the same.
malum in se
wrong in itself
A legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong

(cf. malum prohibitum).
malum
prohibitum
wrong due to being

prohibited
A legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is

against the law.
malum quo
the more common
communius eo
peius
an evil is, the worse

it is
manu forte
literally translated
means 'with a strong
hand', often quoted Motto of the Clan McKay
as 'by strength of
hand'
manibus date lilia give lilies with full

hands
plenis
A phrase from Virgil's Aeneid, VI.883, mourning the death

of Marcellus, Augustus' nephew. Quoted by Dante as he leaves
Virgil inPurgatory, XXX.21, echoed by Walt Whitman in Leaves of
Grass III, 6.
manu militari
with a military hand Using armed forces in order to achieve a goal
manu propria(m.p.)
With the implication of "signed by one's hand". Its abbreviated form

is sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or
with one's own hand official notices, directly following the name of the person(s) who
"signed" the document exactly in those cases where there isn't an
actual handwritten signature.
Originally used as the name of a ship in the Marathon game series,

its usage has spread. In the PlayStation game, Blood Omen: Legacy
of Kain, the phrase was written in blood on the walls of a vampire's
feeding room. It is assumed that one of the dying victims wrote it
with his fingers. After the game's main character surveys the bloody
room, associative logic dictates that the phrase was to deify both the
vampire's wrath on shackled, powerless humans and the boundless
slaughter of his victims.
manus celer Dei
the swift hand of

God
manus manum
lavat
famous quote from The Pumpkinification of Claudius, ascribed

one hand washes the
to Seneca the Younger.[41] It implies that one situation helps the
other
other.
manus multae cor many hands, one

heart
unum
mare clausum
closed sea
Motto of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity.
In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all
others.
Mare Ditat, Rosa

Decorat
The sea enriches,

the rose adorns
Motto of Montrose, Angus and HMS Montrose
mare liberum
free sea
In law, a sea open to international shipping navigation.
mare nostrum
our sea
A nickname given to the Mediterranean Sea during the height of

the Roman Empire, as it encompassed the entire coastal basin.
Mater Dei
Mother of God
A name given to describe Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, who is

also called the Son of God.
mater familias
the mother of the

family
The female head of a family. See pater familias.
Mater semper
certa est
The mother is
always certain
a Roman-law principle which has the power of praesumptio iuris et

de iure, meaning that no counter-evidence can be made against this
principle (literally: Presumed there is no counter evidence and by
the law). Its meaning is that the mother of the child is always
known.
materia medica
medical matter
The branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs

used in the treatment of disease. Also, the drugs themselves.
me vexat pede
it annoys me at the
foot
Less literally, "my foot itches". Refers to a trivial situation or

person that is being a bother, possibly in the sense of wishing to
kick that thing away or, such as the commonly used expressions, a
"pebble in one's shoe" or "nipping at one's heels".
mea culpa
through my fault
Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently

flawed nature of mankind; can also be extended to mea maxima
culpa(through my greatest fault).
mea navis
My hovercraft is full A relatively common recent Latinization inspired by the Dirty
aricumbens
of eels
Hungarian Phrasebook sketch by Monty Python.
anguillis abundat
media vita in
In the midst of our
A well-known sequence, falsely attributed to Notker during the
morte sumus
lives we die
Middle Ages. It was translated by Cranmer and became a part of

the burial service in the funeral rites of the Anglican Book of
Common Prayer.
Mediolanum
captum est
Milan has been

captured
Used erroneously as Mediolanum Capta Est by the black metal

band Mayhem as an album title. Mediolanum was an ancient city in
present-day Milan, Italy.
meliora
better things
Carrying the connotation of "always better". The motto of

the University of Rochester.
Melita, domi
adsum
Honey, I'm home!
A relatively common recent Latinization from the joke

phrasebook Latin for All Occasions. Grammatically correct, but the
phrase would beanachronistic in ancient Rome.
memento mori
remember that [you

remember your mortality
will] die
memento vivere
remember to live
meminerunt
omnia amantes
lovers remember all
memores acti
prudentes futuri
mindful of what has

Thus, both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From
been done, aware of
the North Hertfordshire District Council coat of arms.
what will be
mens agitat
molem
From Virgil. Motto of Rossall School, the University of Oregon,

the mind moves the
the University of Warwick and the Eindhoven University of
mass
Technology.
mens et manus
mind and hand
Motto of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and also of

the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
mens rea
guilty mind
Also "culprit mind". A term used in discussing the mindset of an

accused criminal.
mens sana in
corpore sano
a sound mind in a
sound body
Or "a sensible mind in a healthy body".
metri causa
for the sake of

themetre
Excusing flaws in poetry "for the sake of the metre"
Glorious Soldier
Or "Boastful Soldier". Miles Gloriosus is the title of a play

of Plautus. A stock character in comedy, the braggart soldier. (It is
said that atSalamanca, there is a wall, on which graduates inscribe
their names, where Francisco Franco had a plaque installed reading
"Franciscus Francus Miles Gloriosus".)
Miles Gloriosus
he threatens the
minatur
innocentibus qui innocent who spares
parcit nocentibus the guilty
mirabile dictu
wonderful to tell
Virgil
mirabile visu
wonderful to see
A Roman phrase used to describe a wonderful event/happening.
He approves of the
miscerique probat
mingling of the
populos et foedera
peoples and their
jungi
bonds of union
Latin Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV, line 112, "he" referring to the
great Roman god, who approved of the settlement of Romans in
Africa. Old Motto of Trinidad and Tobago, and used in the novel A
Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul.
miserable is that
misera est servitus
state of slavery in
ubi jus est aut
which the law is
incognitum aut
unknown or
vagum
uncertain
Quoted by Samuel Johnson in his paper for James

Boswell on Vicious intromission.
miserabile visu
terrible to see
A terrible happening or event.
miserere nobis
have mercy upon us
A phrase within the Gloria in Excelsis Deo and the Agnus Dei, to be
used at certain points in Christian religious ceremonies.
Missio Dei
the Mission of God
A theological phrase in the Christian religion.
missit me
Dominus
the Lord has sent

me
A phrase used by Jesus.
mittimus
we send
A warrant of commitment to prison, or an instruction for a jailer to

hold someone in prison.
mobilis in mobili
"moving in a
moving thing" or,
poetically,
"changing through
the changing
medium"
The motto of the Nautilus from the Jules Verne novel Twenty
Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Dog Latin based on wordplay with modus ponens and modus

tollens, referring to the common logical fallacy that if P then
Q and not P, then one can conclude not Q (cf. denying the
antecedent and contraposition).
modus morons
(Dog Latin)
modus
operandi (M.O.)
method of operating Usually used to describe a criminal's methods.
modus ponens
method of placing
modus tollens
Loosely "method of denying", a logical rule of inference stating that

method of removing from propositions if P then Q and not Q, then one can conclude not
P.
modus vivendi
method of living
A monastery
Monasterium sine
without books is
libris est sicut
like a city without
civitas sine opibus
wealth
Loosely "method of affirming", a logical rule of inference stating

that from propositions if P then Q and P, then one can conclude Q.
An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow life to go

on. A practical compromise.
Used in the Umberto Eco novel The Name of the Rose. Part of a
much larger phrase: Monasterium sine libris, est sicut civitas sine
opibus, castrum sine numeris, coquina sine suppellectili, mensa sine
cibis, hortus sine herbis, pratum sine floribus, arbor sine foliis.
Translation: A monastery without books is like a city without
wealth, a fortress without soldiers, a kitchen without utensils, a
table without food, a garden without plants, a meadow without

flowers, a tree without leaves.
montani semper
liberi
mountaineers [are]
always free
Montis Insignia
Calpe
Badge of the Rock

ofGibraltar
more ferarum
like beasts
morior invictus
death before defeat
State motto of West Virginia, adopted in 1872.
used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
morituri nolumus we who are about to

From Terry Pratchett's The Last Hero
die don't want to
mori
morituri te
salutant
Used once in Suetonius' De Vita Caesarum 5, (Divus Claudius),

chapter 21,[42] by the condemned prisoners manning galleys about
those who are about
to take part in a mock naval battle on Lake Fucinus in AD 52.
to die salute you
Popular misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's salute. See
also: Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant and Naumachia.
mors certa, hora

incerta
death is certain, its

hour is uncertain
mors omnibus
death to all
mors tua, vita mea your death, my life
Signifies anger and depression.
From medieval Latin, it indicates that battle for survival, where

your defeat is necessary for my victory, survival.
"death conquers all"

An axiom often found on headstones.
mors vincit omnia or "death always
wins"
morte magis
metuenda
old age should

from Juvenal in his Satires
rather be feared than
senectus
death
mortui vivos
docent
The dead teach the

living
Used to justify dissections of human cadavers in order to

understand the cause of death.
mortuum flagellas
you are flogging a

dead
From Gerhard Gerhards' (14661536) [better known as Erasmus]

collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Criticising one who will not
be affected in any way by the criticism.
mos maiorum
the custom of our

ancestors
an unwritten code of laws and conduct, of the Romans. It

institutionalized cultural traditions, societal mores, and general
policies, as distinct from specific laws.
motu proprio
on his own initiative
Or "by his own accord." Identifies a class of papal documents,

administrative papal bulls.
mulgere hircum
to milk a male goat

collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Attempting the impossible.
"Part of a comic definition of woman" from the Altercatio Hadriani

mulier est hominis
woman is man's ruin Augusti et Secundi.[43] Famously quoted
confusio
by Chauntecleer in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
multa paucis
Say much in few

words
multis e gentibus
vires
from many peoples,

Motto of Saskatchewan
strength
a multitude of the
multitudo
From the Vulgate, Wisdom of Solomon 6:24. Motto of
sapientium sanitas wise is the health of
the University of Victoria.
the world
orbis
multum in parvo
much in little
Conciseness. The term "mipmap" is formed using the phrase's

abbreviation "MIP"; motto of Rutland, a county in central England.
Latin phrases are often multum in parvo, conveying much in few words.
mundus senescit
the world grows old
mundus vult
decipi
the world wants to

be deceived
mundus vult
decipi, ergo
decipiatur
the world wants to

be deceived, so let it
be deceived
munit haec et
altera vincit
this one defends and

the other one
Motto of Nova Scotia.
conquers
From James Branch Cabell's 1921 novel Figures of Earth
after changing what

"with the appropriate changes"
mutatis mutandis needed to be
changed
N[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
nanos gigantum
humeris insidentes
First recorded by John of Salisbury in the twelfth century and

Dwarfs standing on
attributed to Bernard of Chartres. Also commonly known by the
the shoulders of
letters of Isaac Newton: "If I have seen further it is by standing
giants
on the shoulders of giants".
nasciturus pro iam

nato habetur,
quotiens de
commodis eius agitur
The unborn is
deemed to have
been born to the
extent that his own
inheritance is
concerned
Refers to a situation where an unborn child is deemed to be

entitled to certain inheritance rights.
natura abhorret a
vacuo
nature abhors
vacuum
Pseudo-explanation for why a liquid will climb up a tube to fill

a vacuum, often given before the discovery of atmospheric
pressure.
natura artis magistra
Nature is the
teacher of art
natura nihil frustra

facit
nature does nothing Cf. Leucippus: "Everything that happens does so for a reason
in vain
and of necessity."
natura non
contristatur
nature is not
saddened
natura non facit

saltum ita nec lex
nature does not

Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex"
make a leap, thus
(just as nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law),
neither does the law referring to both nature and the legal system moving gradually.
natura non facit

saltus
nature makes no
leaps
Nature is
natura valde simplex exceedingly simple
and harmonious
est et sibi consona
with itself
The name of the zoo in the centre of Amsterdam; short: "Artis".
That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate.
A famous aphorism of Carl Linnaeus stating that all organisms

bear relationships on all sides, their forms changing gradually
from one species to the next. From Philosophia Botanica (1751).
Sir Isaac Newton's famous quote, defining foundation of all

modern sciences. Can be found in his Unpublished Scientific
Papers of Isaac Newton: A selection from the Portsmouth
Collection in the University Library, Cambridge, 1978 edition.
naturalia non sunt

turpia
What is natural is
not dirty
Based on Servius' commentary on Virgil's Georgics (3:96):

"turpis non est quia per naturam venit."
naturam expellas
furca, tamen usque
recurret.
You may drive out

Nature with a
You must take the basic nature of something into account.
pitchfork, yet she
- Horace, Epistles, Book I, epistle iv, line 24.
still will hurry back
to sail is necessary; Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, who,

navigare necesse est
to live is not
during a severe storm, commanded sailors to bring food from
vivere non est necesse
necessary
Africa to Rome.
ne plus ultra
nothing more
beyond
Also nec plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase

meaning the best or most extreme example of something.
The Pillars of Hercules, for example, were literally the nec plus
ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world. Holy Roman
Emperor Charles V's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a
depiction of this phrase inscribed on the Pillarsas plus ultra,

without the negation. The Boston Musical Instrument
Company engraved ne plus ultra on its instruments from 1869 to
1928 to signify that none were better.
Nec aspera terrent
They are not

terrified of the
rough things
They are not afraid of difficulties. Less literally "Difficulties be

damned." Motto for 27th Infantry Regiment (United States) and
theDuke of Lancaster's Regiment. Nec = not; aspera = rough
ones/things; terrent = they terrify / do terrify / are terrifying.
nec dextrorsum, nec

sinistrorsum
Neither to the right

nor to the left
Do not get distracted. Motto for Bishop Cotton Boys' School and
the Bishop Cotton Girls' School, both located in Bangalore,
India.
nec spe, nec metu
without hope,
without fear
nec tamen
consumebatur
and yet it was not

consumed
nec temere nec timide
neither reckless nor Motto of the Dutch 11th Air Manoeuvre Brigade and the city
timid
of Gdask, Poland.
nec vi, nec clam, nec

precario
Without permission,
without secrecy,
The law of adverse possession.
without interruption
Refers to the Burning Bush of Exodus 3:2. Motto of

many Presbyterian churches throughout the world.
neca eos omnes, deus kill them all, God

will know his own
suos agnoscet
alternate rendition of Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt

eius by Arnaud Amalric.
nemine
contradicente (nem.
with no one
speaking against
Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees,

where a matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously, or
withunanimous consent.
no one gives what

he does not have
Thus, "none can pass better title than they have".
con., N.C.D.)
nemo dat quod non

habet
nemo est supra legis
nobody is above the

law
Nemo igitur vir

magnus sine aliquo
adflatu divino
umquam fuit
No great man ever

existed who did not From Cicero's De Natura Deorum, Book 2, chapter LXVI,
enjoy some portion 167[44]
of divine inspiration
nemo iudex in causa

sua
no man shall be a
judge in his own
cause
Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in

which he holds a specific interest or bias.
nemo malus felix
peace visits not the

guilty mind
Also translated to "no rest for the wicked." Refers to the inherent
psychological issues that plague bad/guilty people.
nemo me impune
lacessit
No man may
"touch" me with
impunity
"No one attacks me with impunity". Motto of the Order of the

Thistle, and consequently of Scotland, found stamped on the
milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is the
motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story
"The Cask of Amontillado". Motto of the San Beda College Beta
Sigma Fraternity.
nemo mortalium
omnibus horis sapit
No mortal is wise at
The wisest may make mistakes.
all times
nemo nisi per

amicitiam
cognoscitur
No one learns
Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
except by friendship
nemo saltat sobrius
Nobody dances
sober
nemo tenetur se
ipsum accusare
The short and more common form of "Nemo enim fere saltat
sobrius, nisi forte insanit", "Nobody dances sober, unless he is
completely insane."
A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination. Nearsynonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo.
no one is bound to
Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium
accuse himself
contra se (no one is bound to arm an opponent against himself),
(theright to silence)
meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way assist the
prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta
contra se(no one is bound to produce documents against himself,
meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to

be used against himself (this is true in Roman law and has
survived in modern criminal law, but no longer applies in
modern civil law); and nemo tenere prodere se ipsum (no one is
bound to betray himself), meaning that a defendant is not
obligated to testify against himself.
nervos belli,
pecuniam infinitam
Endless money
In war, it is essential to be able to purchase supplies and to pay
forms the sinews of
troops (as Napoleon put it, "An army marches on its stomach").
war
nihil ad rem
nothing to do with
the point
That is, in law, irrelevant and/or inconsequential.
nihil boni sine labore
nothing achieved
without hard work
Motto of Palmerston North Boys' High School
nihil dicit
he says nothing
In law, a declination by a defendant to answer charges or put in a

plea.
nothing in the
The guiding principle of empiricism, and accepted in some form
nihil in intellectu nisi
intellect unless first by Aristotle, Aquinas, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. Leibniz,
prius in sensu
in sense
however, added nisi intellectus ipse (except the intellect itself).
nothing of the new
Or just "nothing new". The phrase exists in two versions: as nihil

novi sub sole (nothing new under the sun), from the Vulgate, and
as nihil novi nisi commune consensu (nothing new unless by the
common consensus), a 1505 law of the PolishLithuanian
Commonwealth and one of the cornerstones of its Golden
Liberty.
nihil obstat
nothing prevents
A notation, usually on a title page, indicating that a Roman

Catholic censor has reviewed the book and found nothing
objectionable to faith or morals in its content. See
also imprimatur.
nihil sine Deo
nothing without
God
Motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by

the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty (18781947).
nihil novi
nihil ultra
nothing beyond
Motto of St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
nil admirari
be surprised at
nothing
Motto of the Fitzgibbon family. See John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of

Clare
nil desperandum
nothing must be
despaired at
That is, "never despair".
Nil igitur mors est ad Death, therefore, is From Lucretius' De rerum natura (On the Nature of
nothing to us
Things), III.831
nos
nil mortalibus ardui

est
nothing is
impossible for
humankind
nil nisi bonum
Short for nil nisi bonum de mortuis dicere. That is, "Don't
(about the dead say) speak ill of anyone who has died". Also "Nil magnum nisi
nothing unless (it is) bonum" (nothing is great unless good), motto of St Catherine's
good
School, Toorak, Pennant Hills High School and Petit Seminaire
Higher Secondary School.
nil nisi malis terrori
no terror, except to
the bad
nil per os, rarely non

per os (n.p.o.)
nothing through the Medical shorthand indicating that oral foods and fluids should
mouth
be withheld from the patient.
From Horace's Odes. Motto of Rathkeale College, New Zealand

and Brunts School, England.
Motto of The King's School, Macclesfield
nothing [is] enough

Motto of Everton F.C., residents of Goodison Park, Liverpool.
nil satis nisi optimum unless [it is] the
best
nil sine labore
nothing without
labour
Motto of Fitzoy High School,Brisbane Grammar

School, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Greenwich Public
School, Victoria School, Victoria Junior College, Baines High
School, St Mungo's Academy and Heckmondwike Grammar
School
nil sine numine
Or "nothing without providence". State motto of Colorado,

adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil's Aeneid Book II,
nothing without the
line 777, "non haec sine numine divum eveniunt" (these things
divine will
do not come to pass without the will of Heaven). See
also numen.
nil volentibus
arduum
Nothing [is]
arduous for the
willing
Nothing is impossible for the willing
if not the Lord, [it

is] in vain
That is, "everything is in vain without God". Summarized

from Psalm 127 (126 Vulgate), "nisi Dominus aedificaverit
domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus
custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit" (unless the
Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build it;
unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain
who guards it). Motto of Edinburgh, St Thomas School,
Kolkata and St. Stephen's Episcopal School.
nisi prius
unless previously
In England, a direction that a case be brought up

to Westminster for trial before a single judge and jury. In the
United States, a court where civil actions are tried by a single
judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate
court.
nitimur in vetitum
We strive for the

forbidden
From Ovid's Amores, III.4:17. It means that when we are denied

of something, we will eagerly pursue the denied thing. Used
byFriedrich Nietzsche in his Ecce Homo to indicate that his
philosophy pursues what is forbidden to other philosophers.
nolens volens
unwilling, willing
That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes

rendered volens nolens, aut nolens aut volens or nolentis
volentis. Similar towilly-nilly, though that word is derived
from Old English will-he nil-he ([whether] he will or [whether]
he will not).
noli me tangere
do not touch me
Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel

of John, this was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after
hisresurrection.
noli turbare circulos
Do not disturb my
That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a

Roman soldier who, despite having been given orders not to,
nisi Dominus frustra
meos
circles!
"nolite te bastardes
carborundorum"
"Don't let the

bastards grind you
down
From The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood the

protagonist (Offred) finds the phrase inscribed on the inside of
her wardrobe. One of many variants of Illegitimi non
carborundum.
nolle prosequi
to be unwilling to
prosecute
A legal motion by a prosecutor or other plaintiff to drop legal

charges, usually in exchange for a diversion program or out-ofcourt settlement.
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. Nolo
contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence in another trial.
nomen dubium
doubtful name
A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.
nomen est omen
the name is a sign
Thus, "true to its name".
nomen nescio (N.N.)
I do not know the

name
Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.
nomen nudum
naked name
A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper

formal criteria and therefore cannot be used unless it is
subsequently proposed correctly.
non auro, sed ferro,

recuperanda est
patria
Not gold, but iron

redeems the native
land
According to some roman this sentence was said by Marcus

Furius Camillus to Brennus, the chief of the Gauls, after he
demanded more gold from the citizens of the recently
sacked Rome in 390 BC.
non bene pro toto

libertas venditur
auro
Motto of Republic of Ragusa, inscribed over the gates of St.

liberty is not well
Lawrence Fortress. From Gualterus Anglicus's version
sold for all the gold
of Aesop's fable "The Dog and the Wolf".
(Dog Latin)
killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse, Sicily. The

soldier was executed for his act.
non bis in idem
not twice in the

same thing
non causa pro causa
not the cause for the Also known as the "questionable cause" or "false cause". Refers
cause
to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
non compos mentis
See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui (not in

not in control of the control of himself). Samuel Johnson, author of the first English
mind
dictionary, theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from
this phrase.
A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy.
non constat
it is not certain
Used to explain scientific phenomena and religious advocations,

for example in medieval history, for rulers to issue a 'Non
Constat' decree, banning the worship of a holy figure. In legal
context, occasionally a backing for nulling information that was
presented by an attorney. Without any tangible proof, Non
constat information is difficult to argue for.
non ducor, duco
I am not led; I lead
Motto of So Paulo city, Brazil. See also pro Brasilia fiant

eximia.
non extinguetur
shall not be
extinguished
Motto of the Society of Antiquaries of London accompanying

their Lamp of knowledge emblem
non facias malum ut

inde fiat bonum
you should not

make evil in order
that good may be
made from it
More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite

of the phrase "the ends justify the means".
non impediti ratione

cogitationis
unencumbered by
motto of radio show Car Talk
the thought process
non in legendo sed in the laws depend not

on being read, but
intelligendo legis
on being understood
consistunt
non liquet
it is not proven
Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes

controversial decision handed down by a judge when they feel
that the law is not complete.
Motto of the University of Western Australia's Engineering

faculty student society.
non loqui sed facere
not talk but action
non mihi solum
not for myself alone Motto of Anderson Junior College, Singapore.
non multa sed

multum
not quantity but

quality
Non nobis Domine
Not to us (oh) Lord Christian hymn based on psalm 115.
non nobis nati
'Born not for

ourselves'
Motto of St Albans School (Hertfordshire)
non nobis solum
not for ourselves

alone
Appears in Cicero's De Officiis Book 1:22 in the form non nobis

solum nati sumus (we are not born for ourselves alone). Motto
ofLower Canada College, Montreal and University
College, Durham University, and Willamette University.
non obstante
veredicto
not standing in the

way of a verdict
A judgment notwithstanding verdict, a legal motion asking

the court to reverse the jury's verdict on the grounds that the jury
could not have reached such a verdict reasonably.
non olet
it doesn't smell
See pecunia non olet.
non omnis moriar
I shall not all die
"Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part
of the speaker will survive beyond death.
non plus ultra
nothing further
beyond
the ultimate
non possumus
not possible
non progredi est
to not go forward is
Motto of the Daniel Pearl Magnet High School
regredi
to go backward
non prosequitur
he does not proceed
non scholae, sed vitae We learn not for

school, but for life
discimus
A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to

take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
from Seneca; sometimes abbreviated "non scholae, sed vitae";

motto of many schools.
not who but what
Used in the sense "what matters is not who says it but what he
says" a warning against ad hominem arguments; frequently
used as motto, including that of Southwestern University.
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. As a logical
fallacy, a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.
non serviam
I will not serve
Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of

Jeremiah. Commonly used in literature as Satan's statement of
disobedience to God, though in the original context the quote is
attributed to Israel, not Satan.
non sibi
Not for self
A slogan used by many schools and universities.
non sibi, sed patriae
Not for self, but for Engraved on the doors of the United States Naval Academy
country
chapel; motto of the USS Halyburton (FFG-40).
non sibi, sed suis
Not for one's self

but for one's own
non sibi, sed omnibus
Not for one's self

but for all
non sic dormit, sed

vigilat
Sleeps not but is

awake
Martin Luther on mortality of the soul.
non quis sed quid
non sequitur
Not for self, but for

non silba, sed anthar;
others; God will
A slogan used by the Ku Klux Klan
Deo vindice
vindicate
non sum qualis eram
I am not such as I
was
Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change

in the speaker.
non teneas aurum

totum quod splendet
ut aurum
Do not hold as gold

Also, "All that glitters is not gold." Shakespeare in The
all that shines as
Merchant of Venice.
gold
non timebo mala
I will fear no evil
Printed on the colt in Supernatural.
non vestra sed vos
Not yours but you
Motto of St Chad's College, Durham.
non vi, sed verbo
Not through
violence, but
through the word
alone
Martin Luther on Catholic church reform. (see Protestant

Reformation)
nosce te ipsum
know thyself
From Cicero, based on the Greek (gnothi

seauton), inscribed on the pronaos of the Temple of
Apollo at Delphi, according to the Greek periegetic
writer Pausanias (10.24.1). A non-traditional Latin
rendering, temet nosce (thine own self know), is translated
in The Matrix as "know thyself".
noster nostri
Literally "Our ours" Approximately "Our hearts beat as one."
nota bene (n.b.)
mark well
That is, "please note" or "note it well".
novus ordo seclorum
new order of the

ages
From Virgil. Motto on the Great Seal of the United States.

Similar to Novus Ordo Mundi (New World Order).
nulla dies sine linea
Not a day without a Pliny the Elder attributes this maxim to Apelles, an ancient
line drawn
Greek artist.
nulla poena sine lege
Refers to the legal principle that one cannot be punished for

no penalty without a
doing something that is not prohibited by law, and is related
law
toNullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali.
nulla tenaci invia est

via
For the tenacious,

no road is
impassable
Motto of the Dutch car builder Spyker.
nullam rem natam
no thing born
That is, "nothing". It has been theorized that this expression is

the origin of Italian nulla, French rien,
and Spanish andPortuguese nada, all with the same meaning.
nulli secundus
second to none
Motto of the Coldstream Guards and Nine Squadron Royal

Australian Corps of Transport and the Pretoria Regiment.
nullius in verba
On the word of no
man
Motto of the Royal Society.
no crime, no
Legal principle meaning that one cannot be penalised for doing
nullum crimen, nulla
punishment without
something that is not prohibited by law; penal law cannot be
poena sine praevia
a previous penal
enacted retroactively.
lege poenali
law
nullum magnum
ingenium sine
mixtura dementiae
fuit
There has been no

great wisdom
without an element
of madness
nullus funus sine

fidula
No Funeral Without
Motto of the Guild of Funerary Violinists.
a Fiddle
numen lumen
God our light
The motto of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The motto

of Elon University.
numerus clausus
closed number
A method to limit the number of students who may study at a

university.
nunc aut nunquam
now or never
Motto of the Korps Commandotroepen, Dutch elite special

forces.
nunc dimittis
now you send
beginning of the Song of Simeon, from the Gospel of Luke.
nunc est bibendum
now is the time to

drink
Carpe-Diem-type phrase from the Odes of Horace, Nunc est

bibendum, nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus (Now is the time to
drink, now the time to dance footloose upon the earth).
nunc pro tunc
now for then
Something that has retroactive effect, is effective from an earlier

date.
nunc scio quid sit

amor
now I know what

love is
From Virgil, Eclogues VIII.
nunquam minus solus never less alone

than when alone
quam cum solus
nunquam non
paratus
never unprepared,
ever ready, always
ready
frequently used as motto
O[edit]
Latin
Translation
O Deus Ego Amo Te O God I Love You
Notes
attributed to Saint Francis Xavier
attributed (in Tacitus, Annales, III, 65) to the Roman

Emperor Tiberius, in disgust at the servile attitude of Roman
senators; said of those who should be leaders but instead
slavishly follow the lead of others
o homines ad
servitutem paratos
Men ready to be
slaves!
O tempora, o mores!
Oh, the times! Oh, the also translated "What times! What customs!";
morals!
from Cicero, Catilina I, 2
obiit (ob.)
one died
"He/she died", inscription on gravestones; ob. also sometimes

stands for obiter (in passing or incidentally)
obit anus, abit onus
The old woman dies,

the burden is lifted
Arthur Schopenhauer
obiter dictum
in law, an observation by a judge on some point of law not

directly relevant to the case before him, and thus neither
a thing said in passing requiring his decision nor serving as a precedent, but
nevertheless of persuasive authority. In general, any comment,
remark or observation made in passing
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
obscuris vera
involvens
the truth being

enveloped by obscure
things
from Virgil
obscurum per
obscurius
the obscure by means

of the more obscure
An explanation that is less clear than what it tries to explain;

synonymous with ignotum per ignotius
obtorto collo
with a twisted neck
unwillingly
oculus dexter (O.D.)
right eye
Ophthalmologist shorthand
oculus sinister (O.S.)
left eye
oderint dum
metuant
let them hate, so long

as they fear
odi et amo
I hate and I love
favorite saying of Caligula, attributed originally to Lucius

Accius, Roman tragic poet (170 BC); Motto of the Russian
noble family Krasnitsky
opening of Catullus 85; the entire poem reads, "odi et amo

quare id faciam fortasse requiris / nescio sed fieri sentio et
excrucior" (I hate and I love. Why do I do this, you perhaps
ask. / I do not know, but I feel it happening and am tormented)
odi profanum
vulgus et arceo
I hate the unholy

rabble and keep them
away
from Horace
odium theologicum
theological hatred
name for the special hatred generated in theological disputes
oleum camino
(pour) oil on the fire
from Erasmus' (14661536) collection of annotated Adagia
omne ignotum pro

magnifico
every unknown thing

[is taken] for great
or "everything unknown appears magnificent" The source

is Tacitus: Agricola, Book 1, 30 where the sentence ends with
'est'. The quotation is from Conan Doyle's Sherlock
Holmes story 'The Red-Headed League' where the 'est' is
missing.
omne initium
difficile est
every beginning is
difficult
omne vivum ex ovo
every living thing is

from an egg
foundational concept of modern biology, opposing the theory

of spontaneous generation
Omnes homines
sunt asini vel
homines et asini
sunt asini
All men are donkeys

or men and donkeys
are donkeys
a sophismata proposed and solved by Albert of Saxony

(philosopher)
omnes vulnerant,
all [the hours] wound,
postuma
usual in clocks, reminding the reader of death
necat oromnes
last one kills
feriunt, ultima necat
omnia cum deo
all with God
omnia dicta fortiora

everything said [is]
si dicta Latina
stronger if said in
motto for Mount Lilydale Mercy College, Lilydale, Victoria,

Australia
or "everything sounds more impressive when said in Latin"; a

more common phrase with the same meaning isquidquid Latine
dictum sit altum videtur (whatever said in Latin, seems
omnia extares!
Latin
profound)
Interpreted as "Let it
all hang out!", but in
fact incorrect Latin
construction with no
real meaning[45]
motto for The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington,

USA[46]
omnia in mensura et Thou hast ordered all

numero et pondere things in measure, and Book of Wisdom, 11:21
number, and weight.
disposuisti
omnia mutantur,
nihil interit
everything changes,
nothing perishes
Ovid (43 BC 17 AD), Metamorphoses, book XV, line 165
omnia omnibus
all things to all men
1 Corinthians 9:22
si omnia ficta
if all (the words of

poets) is fiction
Ovid, Metamorphoses, book XIII, lines 7334: "si non omnia

vates ficta"
omnia vincit amor
love conquers all
Virgil (70 BC 19 BC), Eclogue X, line 69
omnia munda
mundis
everything [is] pure to

from The New Testament
the pure [men]
omnia
praesumuntur
legitime facta donec
probetur in
contrarium
all things are presumed

to be lawfully done,
in other words, "innocent until proven guilty"
until it is shown [to be]
in the reverse
omnis vir enim sui
Every man for

himself!
omnibus idem
the same to all
motto of Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, usually accompanied by a

sun, which shines for (almost) everyone
omnibus locis fit

caedes
There is slaughter
everywhere (in every
place)
Julius Caesar's The Gallic War, 7.67
omnis traductor
traditor
every translator is a
traitor
every translation is a corruption of the original; the reader

should take heed of unavoidable imperfections
omnis vir tigris
everyone a tiger
motto of the 102d Intelligence Wing
omnium gatherum
gathering of all
miscellaneous collection or assortment; "gatherum" is English,

and the term is used often used facetiously
onus probandi
burden of proof
onus procedendi
burden of procedure
burden of a party to adduce evidence that a case is an exception

to the rule
opera omnia
all works
collected works of an author
opera posthuma
posthumous works
works published after the author's death
operari sequitur
esse
act of doing something scholastic phrase, used to explain that there is no possible act if
follows the act of
there is not being: being is absolutely necessary for any other
being
act
opere citato (op. cit.)
in the work that was

cited
used in academic works when referring again to the last source

mentioned or used
opere et viritate
in action and truth
doing what you believe is morally right through everyday

actions
opere laudato (op.

laud.)
See opere citato
operibus anteire
leading the way with

deeds
to speak with actions instead of words
ophidia in herba
a snake in the grass
any hidden danger or unknown risk
opinio juris sive

necessitatis
an opinion of law or
necessity
a belief that an action was undertaken because it was a legal

necessity; source of customary law
opus anglicanum
English work
fine embroidery, especially used to describe church vestments
Opus Dei
The Work of God
Catholic organisation
ora et labora
pray and work
This principle of the Benedictine monasteries reads in full:

"Ora et labora (et lege), Deus adest sine mora." "Pray and work
(and read), God is there without delay" (or to keep the rhyme:
"Work and pray, and God is there without delay")
ora pro nobis
pray for us
"Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis pecatoribus"
orando laborando
by praying, by
working
motto of the Rugby School
oratio directa
direct speech
expressions from Latin grammar
oratio obliqua
indirect speech
orbis non sufficit
the world does not

suffice or the world is
not enough
from Satires of Juvenal (Book IV/10), referring to Alexander

the Great; James Bond's adopted family motto in the novel On
Her Majesty's Secret Service; it made a brief appearance in the
film adaptation of the same name and was later used as the title
of the nineteenth James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough.
orbis unum
one world
seen in The Legend of Zorro
ordo ab chao
out of chaos, comes

order
Let us pray, one for

oremus pro invicem the other; let us pray
for each other
orta recens quam

pura nites
newly risen, how

brightly you shine
one of the oldest mottos of Craft Freemasonry.[47]
Popular salutation for Roman Catholic clergy at the beginning

or ending of a letter or note. Usually abbreviated OPI.
Motto of New South Wales
P[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
pace
peace
"With all due respect to", "with due deference to", "by leave
of", or "no offense to". Used to politely acknowledge
someone with whom the speaker or writer disagrees.
pace tua
with your peace
Thus, "with your permission".
Pacem in terris
Peace on Earth
pacta sunt servanda
agreements must be Also "contracts must be honoured". Indicates the binding

kept
power of treaties.
palma non sine pulvere
no reward without
effort
Also "dare to try"; motto of numerous schools.
palmam qui meruit

ferat
let he who merited

the palm bear it
also "achievement should be rewarded". Attached to the arms

of Lord Nelson in 1797. Later attached to the arms of Upper
Canada College and its motto. Also motto of the University
of Southern California, Nelson, NZ, the Lincoln Academy of
Illinois & Bay View High School, Milwaukee, WI.
panem et circenses
bread and circuses
From Juvenal, Satire X, line 81. 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
From "Si vis pacem para bellum": if you want peace, prepare
for warif a country is ready for war, its enemies are less
likely to attack. Usually used to support a policy of peace
through strength (deterrence).
Parare Domino plebem To prepare for God a

The motto of the St. Jean Baptiste High School
perfect people
perfectam
parens patriae
parent of the nation
A public policy requiring courts to protect the best

interests of any child involved in a lawsuit. See also Pater
Patriae.
pari passu
with equal step
Thus, "moving together", "simultaneously", etc.
parva sub ingenti
the small under the

huge
Implies that the weak are under the protection of the strong,
rather than that they are inferior. Motto of Prince Edward
Island.
When you are

steeped in little
parvis imbutus tentabis
things, you shall
grandia tutus
safely attempt great
things.
passim
pater familias
Motto of Barnard Castle School, sometimes translated as

"Once you have accomplished small things, you may attempt
great ones safely".
here and there,

everywhere
Less literally, "throughout" or "frequently". Said of a word,

fact or notion that occurs several times in a cited text. Also
used inproofreading, where it refers to a change that is to be
repeated everywhere needed.
father of the family
Or "master of the house". The eldest male in a family, who

held patria potestas ("paternal power"). In Roman law, a
father had enormous power over his children, wife, and
slaves, though these rights dwindled over time. Derived from
the phrase pater familias, an Old Latin expression preserving
the archaic -as ending for the genitive case.
Pater Omnipotens
Father Almighty
A more direct translation would be "omnipotent father".
Pater Patriae
father of the nation
Also rendered with the gender-neutral parens

patriae ("parent of the nation").
pater peccavi
father, I have sinned The traditional beginning of a Roman Catholic confession.
pauca sed bona
few, but good
Similar to "quality over quantity"; though there may be few

of something, at least they are of good quality.
pauca sed matura
few, but ripe
Said to be one of Carl Gauss's favorite quotations. Used

in The King and I by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
paulatim ergo certe
slowly therefore
surely
Former motto of Latymer Upper School in London. The

text latim er is concealed in the words.
pax aeterna
eternal peace
A common epitaph.
Pax Americana
American Peace
A euphemism for the United States of America and its sphere

of influence. Adapted from Pax Romana.
Pax Britannica
British Peace
A euphemism for the British Empire. Adapted from Pax

Romana.
Pax Christi
Peace of Christ
Used as a wish before the Holy Communion in the Catholic

Mass, also the name of the peace movement Pax Christi.
pax Dei
peace of God
Used in the Peace and Truce of God movement in 10thcentury France.
Peace of the gods
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the

Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to
achieve a state of Pax Deorum (The Peace of the gods)
instead of Ira Deorum (The Wrath of the gods).
Pax Deorum
peace, lord
lord or master; used as a form of address when speaking to

clergy or educated professionals.
pax et bonum
peace and the good
Motto of St. Francis of Assisi and, consequently, of his

monastery in Assisi; understood by Catholics to mean 'Peace
and Goodness be with you,' as is similar in the Mass;
translated in Italian as pace e bene.
pax et justitia
peace and justice
Motto of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
pax et lux
peace and light
Motto of Tufts University and various schools. Also written

as "Pax et Lvx".
Pax Europaea
European peace
A euphemism for Europe after World War II.
Pax Hispanica
Spanish Peace
A euphemism for the Spanish Empire. Specifically can mean

the twenty-three years of supreme Spanish dominance in
Europe (approximately 15981621). Adapted from Pax
Romana.
pax in terra
peace on earth
Used to exemplify the desired state of peace on earth.
Pax intrantibus, salus

exeuntibus
"Peace to those who Used as an inscription over the entrance of buildings

enter, health to those (especially homes, monasteries, inns). Often benedicto
who depart."
habitantibus(Blessings on those who abide here) is added.
pax maternum, ergo

pax familiarum
peace of mothers,
therefore peace of
families
If the mother is peaceful, then the family is peaceful.

The inverse of the Southern United States saying, "If mama
ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Pax Mongolica
Mongolian Peace
A period of peace and prosperity in Asia during the Mongol

Empire.
pax optima rerum
peace is the greatest Silius Italicus, Punica (11,595); motto of the university of
good
Kiel
Pax Domine
Pax Romana
Roman Peace
A period of relative prosperity and lack of conflict in the

early Roman Empire.
Pax Sinica
Chinese Peace
A period of peace in East Asia during times of

strong Chinese hegemony.
pax tecum
peace be with you
(singular).
Legend states that when the evangelist

went to the lagoon where Venice
would later be founded, an angel
Peace to you, Mark, came and said so.[48] The first part is
Pax tibi, Marce,
my Evangelist. Here depicted as the note in the book
evangelista meus. Hic
requiescet corpus tuum. will rest your body. shown opened by the lion of St Mark's
Basilica, Venice; registered trademark
of the Assicurazioni Generali,
Trieste.[49]
pax vobiscum
A common farewell. The "you" is plural ("you all"), so the

phrase must be used when speaking to more than one
peace [be] with you
person; pax tecum is the form used when speaking to only
one person.
Telegraph message and pun from Charles Napier, British

general, upon completely subjugating the Indian province of
Sindh in 1842. This is, arguably, the most terse military
despatch ever sent. The story is apocryphal.
peccavi
I have sinned
pecunia non olet
According to Suetonius' De vita Caesarum, when

Emperor Vespasian was challenged by his son Titus for
taxing the public lavatories, the emperor held up a coin
money doesn't smell before his son and asked whether it smelled or simply
said non olet ("it doesn't smell"). From this, the phrase was
expanded to pecunia non olet, or rarely aes non olet ("copper
doesn't smell").
pecunia, si uti scis,

ancilla est; si nescis,
domina
if you know how to

use money, money
is your slave; if you Written on an old Latin tablet in downtown Verona (Italy).
don't, money is your
master
pede poena claudo
punishment comes
limping
That is, retribution comes slowly but surely.

From Horace, Odes, 3, 2, 32.
pendent opera
interrupta
the work hangs

interrupted
From the Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV.
per
By, through, by
means of
See specific phrases below.
per angusta ad augusta
through difficulties
to greatness
Joining sentence of the conspirators in the

drama Hernani by Victor Hugo (1830). The motto of
numerous educational establishments.
per annum (pa.)
per year
Thus, "yearly"occurring every year.
per ardua
through adversity
Motto of the British RAF Regiment.
per ardua ad alta
Through hardship, great heights are reached. Motto

through difficulty to
of University of Birmingham, Methodist Ladies' College,
heights
Perth. Also the motto of Clan Hannay.
per ardua ad astra
Motto of the air force of several nations (including the Royal

through adversity to Air Force of the United Kingdom) and of several schools.
the stars
The phrase is used by Latin Poet Virgil in the Aeneid; also
used in H. Rider Haggard's novel The People of the Mist.
per aspera ad astra
From Seneca the Younger. Motto of NASA and the South

African Air Force. A common variant, ad astra per
aspera ("to the stars through hardships"), is the state
through hardships to
motto of Kansas. Ad Astra ("To the Stars") is the title of a
the stars
magazine published by the National Space Society. De
Profundis Ad Astra ("From the depths to the stars.") is the
motto of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society.
per capita
by heads
"Per head", i.e., "per person", a ratio by the number of

persons. The singular is per caput.
per capsulam
through the small

box
per contra
through the contrary Or "on the contrary" (cf. a contrario)
per crucem vincemus
through the cross we

Motto of St John Fisher Catholic High School, Dewsbury
shall conquer
Per Crucem Crescens
through the cross,

growth
Motto of Lambda Chi Alpha
per curiam
through the senate
Legal term meaning "by the court", as in a per

curiam decision
per definitionem
through the
definition
Thus, "by definition"
per diem (pd.)
by day
Thus, "per day". A specific amount of money an organization

allows an individual to spend per day, typically for travel
expenses.
per fas et nefas
through right or
wrong
By fair means or foul
per fidem intrepidus
fearless through
faith
per mare per terram
by sea and by land
Motto of the Royal Marines and (with small difference)

of Clan Donald and the Compagnies Franches de la Marine.
per mensem (pm.)
by month
Thus, "per month", or "monthly".
per os (p.o.)
through the mouth
Medical shorthand for "by mouth".
That is, "by letter"
by feet
Used of a certain place can be traversed or reached by foot,

or to indicate that one is travelling by foot as opposed to by a
vehicle.
through the agency
Also rendered per procurationem. Used to indicate that a

person is signing a document on behalf of another person.
Correctly placed before the name of the person signing, but
often placed before the name of the person on whose behalf
the document is signed, sometimes through incorrect
translation of the alternative abbreviation per pro. as "for and
on behalf of".
per quod
by reason of which
In a UK legal context: "by reason of which" (as opposed

to per se which requires no reasoning). In American
jurisprudence often refers to a spouse's claim for loss of
consortium.
per rectum (pr)
through the rectum
Medical shorthand. See also per os.
per rectum ad astra
via rectum to the

stars
a modern parody of per aspera ad astra, originating and most

commonly used in Russia, meaning that the path to success
took you through most undesirable and objectionable places
or environments; or that a found solution to a complex
problem is extremely convoluted.
per risum multum

poteris cognoscire
stultum
by excessive
laughter one can
recognise the fool
per se
through itself
Also "by itself" or "in itself". Without referring to anything

else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications etc. A
common example isnegligence per se. See also malum in se.
per stirpes
through the roots
Used in wills to indicate that each "branch" of the testator's

family should inherit equally. Contrasted with per capita.
per unitatem vis
through unity,
strength
Motto of Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets.
per pedes
per procura (p.p.)or (per

pro)
through truth,
strength
Motto of Washington University in St. Louis.
per volar sunata
born to soar
Motto of St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School and St Margaret's

Anglican Girls' School The phrase is not from Latin but from
Dante'sPurgatorio, Canto XII, 95, the Italian phrase "per
volar s nata".
periculum in mora
danger in delay
perinde
ac [si]cadaver [essent]
[well-disciplined]
like a corpse
Phrase written by St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Constitutiones

Societatis Iesu (1954)
perita manus mens

exculta
skilled hand,
cultivated mind
Motto of RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
perge sequar
advance, I follow
from Virgil's Aeneid IV 114; in Vergil's context: "proceed

with your plan, I will do my part."
perpetuum mobile
thing in perpetual
motion
A musical term. Also used to refer to hypothetical perpetual

motion machines.
per veritatem vis
[sic]
Perseverantia et Fide in Perseverance and

Faith in God
Deo
Motto of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim, India
persona non grata
person not pleasing
An unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person.

In diplomatic contexts, a person rejected by the host
government. The reverse,persona grata ("pleasing person"),
is less common, and refers to a diplomat acceptable to the
government of the country to which he is sent.
petitio principii
request of the
beginning
Begging the question, a logical fallacy in which a proposition

to be proved is implicitly or explicitly assumed in one of the
premises.
placet
it pleases
expression of assent.
pluralis majestatis
plural of majesty
The first-person plural pronoun when used by an important

personage to refer to himself or herself; also known as the
"royal we".
plus minusve(p.m.v.)
more or less
Frequently found on Roman funerary inscriptions to denote

that the age of a decedent is approximate.
plus ultra
further beyond
The national motto of Spain and a number of other

institutions. Motto of the Colombian National Armada.
pia desideria
pious longings
Or "dutiful desires".
pia fraus
pious fraud
Or "dutiful deceit". Expression from Ovid. Used to describe

deception which serves Church purposes.
pia mater
pious mother
Or "tender mother". Translated into Latin from Arabic. The

delicate innermost of the three membranes that cover the
brain and spinal cord.
pinxit
one painted
Thus, "he painted this" or "she painted this". Formerly used

on works of art, next to the artist's name.
piscem natare docem
teach fish to swim
Latin proverb, attributed by Erasmus to Greek origin (

); corollary Chinese idiom ()
Life was spared with a thumb tucked inside a closed fist,

pollice compresso favor goodwill decided by
simulating a sheathed weapon. Conversely, a thumb up
compressed thumb
iudicabatur
meant to unsheath your sword.
pollice verso
Used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated

gladiator. The type of gesture used is uncertain. Also the
with a turned thumb
name of a famous painting depicting gladiators by Jean-Lon
Grme.
Polonia Restituta
Rebirth of Poland
Any obstacle that stupid people find hard to cross. Originally

used of Euclid's Fifth Proposition in geometry.
pons asinorum
bridge of asses
Pontifex Maximus
Or "Supreme Pontiff". Originally an office in the Roman

Republic, later a title held by Roman Emperors, and later a
traditional epithet of the pope. The pontifices were the most
important priestly college of the religion in ancient Rome;
Greatest High Priest
their name is usually thought to derive from pons facere ("to
make a bridge"), which in turn is usually linked to their
religious authority over the bridges of Rome, especially
the Pons Sublicius.
[50]
posse comitatus
force of the county
Thus, to be able to be made into part of a retinue or force.

In common law, a sheriff's right to compel people to assist
law enforcement in unusual situations.
post aut propter
after it or by means
of it
Causality between two phenomena is not established (cf. post

hoc, ergo propter hoc).
post cibum (p.c.)
after food
Medical shorthand for "after meals" (cf. ante cibum).
post coitum
After sex
After sexual intercourse.
post coitum omne

animal triste est sive
gallus et mulier
After sexual
intercourse every
Or: triste est omne animal post coitum, praeter mulierem
animal is sad, except
gallumque. Attributed to Galen of Pergamum.[51]
the cock (rooster)
and the woman
post hoc ergo propter

hoc
after this, therefore

because of this
A logical fallacy where one assumes that one thing

happening after another thing means that the first thing
caused the second.
post festum
after the feast
Too late, or after the fact.
post meridiem(p.m.)
after midday
The period from noon to midnight (cf. ante meridiem).
post mortem (pm)
after death
Usually rendered postmortem. Not to be confused with post

meridiem.
Post mortem
auctoris (p.m.a.)
after the author's

death
The phrase is used in legal terminology in the context

of intellectual property rights, especially copyright, which
commonly lasts until a certain number of years after the
author's death.
post nubila phoebus
after the clouds, the

Motto of the University of Zulia, Venezuela.
sun
post prandial
after late breakfast
Refers to the time after any meal. Usually

rendered postprandial.
post scriptum (p.s.)
after what has been

written
A postscript. Used to mark additions to a letter, after the

signature. Can be extended to post post scriptum (p.p.s.), etc.
post tenebras lux,

or post tenebras spero
lucem
after darkness, [I
hope for] light
Motto of the Protestant Reformation inscribed on

the Reformation Wall in Geneva from Vulgata, Job 17:12.
Former motto of Chile; motto of Robert College of Istanbul.
postera crescam laude
we grow in the
esteem of future
generations
Motto of the University of Melbourne.
potest solum unum
There can be only

one
Highlander.
praemia virtutis
honores
honours are the

rewards of virtue
praemonitus
praemunitus
forewarned is
forearmed
praesis ut prosis ne ut
imperes
Lead in order to
Motto of Lancaster Royal Grammar School.
serve, not in order to
rule.
praeter legem
after the law
Legal terminology, international law
Praga Caput Regni
Prague, Head of the

Motto of Prague from Middle Ages
Kingdom
Praga Caput Rei

publicae
Prague, Head of the

Motto of Prague from 1991
Republic
Praga mater urbium
Prague, Mother of
Cities
Praga totius Bohemiae

domina
Prague, the mistress

of the whole of
Former motto of Prague
Bohemia
Motto of Prague from 1927
pretiumque et causa
laboris
The prize and the

cause of our labour
Motto of Burnley Football Club;

from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 4.739 (Latin)/English): "The
Tale of Perseus and Andromeda":resoluta catenis incedit
virgo, pretiumque et causa laboris. ("freed of her chains the
virgin approaches, cause and reward of the enterprise.")
prima facie
at first sight
Used to designate evidence in a trial which is suggestive, but

not conclusive, of something (e.g., a person's guilt).
prima luce
at dawn
Literally "at first light".
I am a primate;
primas sum: primatum nothing about
primates is outside
nil a me alienum puto
of my bailiwick
A sentence by the American anthropologist Earnest

Hooton and the slogan of primatologists and lovers of the
primates.
primum mobile
first moving thing
Or "first thing able to be moved". See primum movens.
primum movens
prime mover
Or "first moving one". A common theological term, such as

in the cosmological argument, based on the assumption
that God was the first entity to "move" or "cause"

anything. Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to
discuss the "uncaused cause", a hypothetical originatorand
violatorof causality.
primum non nocere
first, to not harm
A medical precept. Often falsely attributed to the Hippocratic

Oath, though its true source is probably a paraphrase
fromHippocrates' Epidemics, where he wrote, "Declare the
past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these
acts. As to diseases, make a habit of two things: to help, or at
least to do no harm."
primus inter pares
first among equals
A title of the Roman Emperors (cf. princeps).
principia probant non

probantur
principles prove;
they are not proved
Fundamental principles require no proof; they are assumed a

priori.
principiis obsta (et

respice finem)
resist the beginnings

(and consider the
Ovid, Remedia Amoris, 91
end)
principium
individuationis
Individuation
psychological term: the self-formation of the personality into

a coherent whole
prior tempore potior

iure
earlier in time,
stronger in law
A legal principle that older laws take precedent over newer

ones. Another name for this principle is lex posterior.
pro aris et focis
For God and country
The motto of the Royal Queensland Regiment, and many

other regiments.
pro bono publico
for the public good
Often abbreviated pro bono. Work undertaken voluntarily at

no expense, such as public services. Often used of a lawyer's
work that is not charged for.
let exceptional
pro Brasilia fiant eximia things be made for
Brazil
Motto of So Paulo state, Brazil.
pro Deo et Patria
For God and

Country
One of the mottos of Lyceum of the Philippines

University and many other institutions.
pro domo (sua)
for (ones own)

home or house
serving the interests of a given perspective or for the benefit

of a given group.
pro Ecclesia, pro

Texana
For Church, For

Texas
Motto of Baylor University, a private Christian Baptist

university in Waco, Texas.
pro fide et patria
for faith and

fatherland
Motto of the originally Irish Muldoon family and of several

schools, such as the Diocesan College (Bishops) in Cape
Town, South Africa, and All Hallows High School in the
Bronx, New York.
pro forma
for form
Or "as a matter of form". Prescribing a set form or procedure,

or performed in a set manner.
pro gloria et patria
for glory and

fatherland
Motto of Prussia
pro hac vice
for this occasion
Request of a state court to allow an out-of-state lawyer to

represent a client.
pro multis
for many
It is part of the Rite of Consecration of the wine in Western

Christianity tradition, as part of the Mass.
pro parte
in part
Frequently used in taxonomy to refer to part of a group.
for country
Pro Patria Medal: for operational service (minimum 55 days)

in defence of the Republic South Africa or in the prevention
or suppression of terrorism; issued for the Border War
(counter-insurgency operations in South West Africa 1966
89) and for campaigns in Angola (197576 and 198788).
Motto of The Royal Canadian Regiment, Royal South
Australia Regiment,Humpybong State School and Hurlstone
Agricultural High School.
pro patria
pro patria vigilans
watchful for the

country
Motto of the United States Army Signal Corps.
pro per
for self
to defend oneself in court without counsel; abbreviation

of propria persona. See also: pro se.
pro rata
for the rate
i.e., proportionately.
pro re nata (PRN, prn)
for a thing that has

been born
Medical shorthand for "as the occasion arises" or "as

needed". Also "concerning a matter having come into being".
Used to describe a meeting of a special Presbytery or
Assembly called to discuss something new, and which was
previously unforeseen (literally: "concerning a matter having
been born").
pro rege et lege
for king and the law Found on the Leeds coat of arms.
pro se
for oneself
to defend oneself in court without counsel. Some

jurisdictions prefer, "pro per".
pro scientia et patria
for science and

nation
Motto of the National University of La Plata.
pro studio et labore
for study and work
pro tanto
for so much
Denotes something that has only been partially fulfilled. A

philosophical term indicating the acceptance of a theory or
idea without fully accepting the explanation.
pro tempore
for the time
Equivalent to English phrase "for the time being". Denotes a

temporary current situation.
probatio pennae
testing of the pen
A Medieval Latin term for breaking in a new pen.
probis pateo
I am open for honest Traditionally inscribed above a city gate or above the front
people
To Accomplish
prodesse quam conspici Rather Than To Be
Conspicuous
entrance of a dwelling or place of learning.
Motto of Miami University.
propria manu (p.m.)
"by one's own

hand".
propter vitam vivendi

perdere causas
to destroy the
That is, to squander life's purpose just in order to stay alive,
reasons for living for and live a meaningless life. From Juvenal, Satyricon VIII,
the sake of life
verses 8384.
provehito in altum
launch forward into

Motto of Memorial University of Newfoundland.
the deep
proxime accessit
he came next
The runner-up.
proximo mense(prox.)
in the following
month
Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the next

month. Used with ult. ("last month") and inst. ("this month").
From Friedrich Nietzsche's 1895 book The Antichrist,

pulchrum est paucorum
Beauty is for the few
translated by H. L. Mencken as "Few men are noble".
hominum
pulvis et umbra sumus
we are dust and

shadow
From Horace, Carmina book IV, 7, 16.
punctum saliens
leaping point
Thus, the essential or most notable point. The salient point.
purificatus non
consumptus
purified, not
consumed
Motto of Washburn University, last charter school in the

United States of America, located in Topeka, Kansas.
Q[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
qua definitione
Thus: "by definition"; variant of per definitionem;

by virtue of definition sometimes used in German-speaking countries.
Occasionally misrendered as "qua definitionem".
qua patet orbis
as far as the world

extends
Motto of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
quae non prosunt

singula multa iuvant
what alone is not

useful helps when
accumulated
Ovid, Remedia amoris
quaecumque sunt vera
whatsoever is true
Mottos of Northwestern University and St. Francis Xavier

University. Also motto of the University of Alberta as
"quaecumque vera". Taken fromPhilippians 4:8 of the
Bible
quaecumque vera doce

me
teach me whatsoever
is true
Motto of St. Joseph's College, Edmonton at the University

of Alberta.
quaere
to seek
Or "you might ask..." Used to suggest doubt or to ask one

to consider whether something is correct. Often introduces
rhetorical or tangential questions.
quaerite primum
regnum Dei
seek ye first the

kingdom of God
Also quaerite primo regnum dei. Motto of Newfoundland

and Labrador. Motto of Shelford Girls' Grammar, St
Columb's College, andPhilharmonic Academy of Bologna.
qualis artifex pereo
As what kind of artist

do I perish?
Or "What a craftsman dies in me!" Attributed

to Nero in Suetonius' De vita Caesarum.
Qualitas potentia nostra Quality is our might
The motto of Finnish Air Force.
quam bene non quantum
how well, not how

much
quam bene vivas

referre (orrefert), non
it is how well you live Seneca, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium CI (101)

that matters, not how
Motto of Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada
quam diu
long
I.e., "[while on] good behavior." So for example the Act of

Settlement 1701 stipulated that judges' commissions are
valid quamdiu se bene gesserint (during good behaviour).
(Notice the different singular, "gesserit", and plural,
"gesserint", forms.) It was from this phrase that Frank
Herbert extracted the name for the Bene
Gesserit sisterhood in the Dune novels.
quamdiu (se) bene

gesserit
as long as he shall
have behaved well(legal
quantociusquantotius
the sooner, the better
or, as quickly as possible
quantum libet(q.l.)
as much as pleases
Medical shorthand for "as much as you wish".
quantum sufficit(qs)
as much as is enough
Medical shorthand for "as much as needed" or "as much as

will suffice".
quaque hora (qh)
every hour
Medical shorthand. Also quaque die (qd), "every

day", quaque mane (qm), "every morning", and quaque
nocte (qn), "every night".
quare clausum fregit
wherefore he broke
the close
An action of trespass; thus called, by reason the writ

demands the person summoned to answer to wherefore he
broke the close (quare clausum fregit), i.e. why he
committed such a trespass.
quater in die(qid)
four times a day
medical shorthand
Latin)
Whom the gods would

quem deus vult perdere,
destroy, they first
dementat prius
make insane
quem di diligunt
adulescens moritur
he whom the gods

love dies young
Other translations of diligunt include "prize especially" or

"esteem". From Plautus, Bacchides, IV, 7, 18. In this
comic play, a sarcastic servant says this to his aging
master. The rest of the sentence reads: dum valet sentit
sapit ("while he is healthy, perceptive and wise").
questio quid iuris
I ask what law?
From the Summoner's section of Chaucer's General

Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, line 648.
qui bene cantat bis orat
he who sings well

praises twice
From St. Augustine of Hippo's commentary on Psalm 74,

1: Qui enim cantat laudem, non solum laudat, sed etiam
hilariter laudat ("He who sings praises, not only praises,
but praises joyfully").
qui bono
who with good
Common nonsensical Dog Latin misrendering of the Latin

phrase cui bono ("who benefits?").
qui docet in doctrina
he that teacheth, on
teaching
Motto of the University of Chester. The more literal

translation is "Let those who teach, teach" or "Let the
teacher teach".
qui habet aures audiendi he who has ears to

hear shall hear
audiat
"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear"; Mark Mark 4:9
qui me tangit, vocem

meam audit
who touches me, hears

common inscription on bells
my voice
qui tacet consentire

videtur
he who is silent is
taken to agree
qui tam pro domino rege he who brings an

quam pro se ipso in hac action for the king as
well as for himself
parte sequitur
Thus, silence gives consent. Sometimes accompanied by

the proviso "ubi loqui debuit ac potuit", that is, "when he
ought to have spoken and was able to".
Generally known as 'qui tam,' it is the technical legal term

for the unique mechanism in the federal False Claims Act
that allows persons and entities with evidence of fraud
against federal programs or contracts to sue the wrongdoer
on behalf of the Government.
qui totum vult totum

perdit
he who wants
everything loses
everything
Attributed to Seneca
qui transtulit sustinet
he who transplanted
still sustains
Or "he who brought us across still supports us",

meaning God. State motto of Connecticut. Originally
written as sustinet qui transtulit in 1639.
Attributed to Julius Caesar by Plutarch, Caesar 10.

Translated loosely as "because even the wife of Caesar
may not be suspected". At the feast of Bona Dea, a sacred
festival for females only, which was being held at the
Domus Publica, the home of the Pontifex Maximus,
because he should
Caesar, and hosted by his second wife, Pompeia, the
quia suam uxorem etiam
wish even his wife to notorious politician Clodius arrived in disguise. Caught by
suspiciore vacare vellet
be free from suspicion the outraged noblewomen, Clodius fled before they could
kill him on the spot for sacrilege. In the ensuing trial,
allegations arose that Pompeia and Clodius were having an
affair, and while Caesar asserted that this was not the case
and no substantial evidence arose suggesting otherwise, he
nevertheless divorced, with this quotation as explanation.
What is going on?
What's happening? What's going on? What's the news?

What's up?
quid est veritas
What is truth?
In the Vulgate translation of John 18:38, Pilate's question

to Jesus (Greek: ;). A possible answer is
an anagram of the phrase:est vir qui adest, "it is the man
who is here."
quid infantes sumus
What are we, a bunch Commonly used by Nocera Clan. synonym - "to throw
of babies?
down ones gauntlet."
quid novi ex Africa
What of the new out

of Africa?
Less literally, "What's new from Africa?" Derived from

an Aristotle quotation.
What now?
Commonly shortened to quidnunc. As a noun,

a quidnunc is a busybody or a gossip. Patrick
Campbell worked for The Irish Times under
thepseudonym "Quidnunc".
quid pro quo
what for what
Commonly used in English, it is also translated as "this for

that" or "a thing for a thing". Signifies a favor exchanged
for a favor. The traditional Latin expression for this
meaning was do ut des ("I give, so that you may give").
quidquid Latine dictum

sit altum videtur
whatever has been

said in Latin seems
deep
quid agis
quid nunc
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". Similar to the less
common omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina.
quieta non movere
don't move settled

things
Commonly associated with Plato who in

the Republic poses this question; and from Juvenal's On
Women, referring to the practice of havingeunuchs guard
women and beginning with the word sed ("but"). Usually
translated less literally, as "Who watches the watchmen?"
This translation is a common epigraph, such as of
the Tower Commission and Alan
Moore's Watchmen comic book series.
Quis custodiet ipsos

custodes?
Who will guard the

guards themselves?
quis leget haec?
Who will read this?
quis separabit?
who will separate us?
Motto of the Order of St. Patrick. Motto of Northern

Ireland.
quis ut Deus
Who [is] as God?
Usually translated "Who is like unto God?" Questions who

would have the audacity to compare himself to a Supreme
Being.
quo errat demonstrator
where the prover errs
A pun on ''quod erat demonstrandum''.
quo fata ferunt
where the fates bear us

Motto of Bermuda.
to
quousque tandem?
From Cicero's first speech In Catilinam to the Roman

Senate regarding the conspiracy of Catiline: Quo usque
For how much longer?
tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? ("For how
much longer, Catiline, will you abuse our patience?").
Quo Vadimus?
Where are we going?
quo vadis?
Where are you going? According to Vulgate translation of John 13:36, Saint
Peter asked Jesus Domine, quo vadis ("Lord, where are
Title of the series finale of Aaron Sorkin's

TV dramedy Sports Night.
you going?"). The King James Version has the translation

"Lord, whither goest thou?"
quod abundat non obstat
what is abundant
doesn't hinder
It is no problem to have too much of something.
quod erat
demonstrandum(Q.E.D.)
what was to be
demonstrated
The abbreviation is often written at the bottom of

a mathematical proof. Sometimes translated loosely into
English as "The Five Ws", W.W.W.W.W., which stands for
"Which Was What We Wanted".
quod erat
faciendum (Q.E.F)
which was to be done
Or "which was to be constructed". Used in translations of

Euclid's Elements when there was nothing to prove, but
there was something being constructed, for example a
triangle with the same size as a given line.
quod est (q.e.)
which is
quod est necessarium est what is necessary is

lawful
licitum
quod gratis asseritur,

gratis negatur
what is asserted
If no grounds have been given for an assertion, then there
without reason may be
are no grounds needed to reject it.
denied without reason
what is permitted
quod licet Iovi, non licet
toJupiter is not
bovi
permitted to an ox
If an important person does something, it does not

necessarily mean that everyone can do it (cf. double
standard). Iovi (also commonly rendered Jovi) is
the dative form of Iuppiter ("Jupiter" or "Jove"), the chief
god of the Romans.
quod me nutrit me
destruit
what nourishes me
destroys me
Thought to have originated with Elizabethan

playwright Christopher Marlowe. Generally interpreted to
mean that that which motivates or drives a person can
consume him or her from within. This phrase has become
a popular slogan or motto for proana websites, anorexics and bulimics.
quod natura non dat
what nature does not

give,Salamancadoes
Refers to the Spanish University of Salamanca, meaning
Salmantica non praestat not provide
that education cannot substitute the lack of brains.
quod non fecerunt

barbari, fecerunt
Barberini
What the barbarians

did not do, the
Barberini did
A well-known satirical lampoon left attached to the

ancient "speaking" statue of Pasquino on a corner of
the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy.[52]
quod scripsi, scripsi
What I have written I

have written.
Pilate to the chief priests (John 19:22).
quod supplantandum,
prius bene sciendum
i.e. "You must thoroughly understand that which you hope

Whatever you hope to
to supplant". A caution against following a doctrine of
supplant, you will first
Naive Analogy when attempting to formulate a scientific
know thoroughly
hypothesis.
quod vide (q.v.)
which see
Quodcumque dixerit
vobis, facite.
More colloquially: "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you to

Whatever He tells you,
do." Instructions of Mary to the servants at the Wedding at
that you shall do.
Cana. (John 2:5).
quomodo vales
How are you?
quorum
of whom
quos amor verus tenuit

tenebit
Those whom true love

has held, it will go on Seneca.
holding
quot capita tot sensus
as many heads, so
many opinions
"There are as many opinions as there are heads." Terence
quot homines tot

sententiae
every man had his

sentence
Or "there are as many opinions as there are people".how

many people, so many opinions
Used after a term or phrase that should be looked up

elsewhere in the current document or book. For more than
one term or phrase, the plural is quae vide (qq.v.).
The number of members whose presence is required under

the rules to make any given meeting constitutional.
R[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
radix malorum est

cupiditas
the root of evils is

desire
Or "greed is the root of all evil". Theme of the "The

Pardoner's Tale" from The Canterbury Tales.
rara avis(Rarissima avis)
rare bird (very rare

bird)
An extraordinary or unusual thing.

From Juvenal's Satires: rara avis in terris nigroque
simillima cygno ("a rare bird in the lands, and very like a
black swan").
rari nantes in gurgite

vasto
Rare survivors in
the immense sea
Virgil, Aeneid, I, 118
ratio decidendi
reasoning for the

decision
The legal, moral, political, and social principles used by a

court to compose a judgment's rationale.
ratio legis
reasoning of law
A law's foundation or basis.
ratione personae
because of the
person involved
Also "Jurisdiction Ratione Personae" the personal reach of

the courts jurisdiction.[53]
ratione soli
by account of the
ground
Or "according to the soil". Assigning property rights to a

thing based on its presence on a landowner's property.
ratum etconsummatum
confirmed and
completed
in Canon law, a consummated marriage
ratum tantum
confirmed only
in Canon law, a confirmed but unconsummated marriage

(which can be dissolved super rato)
re
[in] the matter of
More literally, "by the thing". From

the ablative of res ("thing" or "circumstance"). It is a
common misconception that the "Re:" in correspondence is
an abbreviation for regarding or reply; this is not the case
for traditional letters. However, when used in an e-mail
subject, there is evidence that it functions as an

abbreviation of regarding rather than the Latin word
for thing. The use of Latin re, in the sense of "about,
concerning", is English usage.
rebus sic stantibus
with matters
standing thus
The doctrine that treaty obligations hold only as long as the

fundamental conditions and expectations that existed at the
time of their creation hold.
recte et fideliter
Upright and
Faithful
Also "just and faithful" and "accurately and faithfully".

Motto of Ruyton Girls' School
leading back to the

absurd
A common debate technique, and a method of proof in

mathematics and philosophy, that proves the thesis by
showing that its opposite is absurd or logically untenable.
In general usage outside mathematics and philosophy,
a reductio ad absurdum is a tactic in which the logic of an
argument is challenged by reducing the concept to its most
absurd extreme. Translated from Aristotle's "
" (hi eis atopon apagogi, "reduction to the
impossible").
reductio ad infinitum
leading back to the

infinite
An argument that creates an infinite series of causes that

does not seem to have a beginning. As a fallacy, it rests
upon Aristotle's notion that all things must have a cause,
but that all series of causes must have a sufficient cause,
that is, an unmoved mover. An argument which does not
seem to have such a beginning becomes difficult to
imagine.
regnat populus
the people rule
State motto of Arkansas, adopted in 1907. Originally

rendered in 1864 in the plural, regnant populi ("the peoples
rule"), but subsequently changed to the singular.
Regnum Mariae Patrona

Hungariae
Kingdom of Mary,
the Patron of
Hungary
Former motto of Hungary.
regressus ad uterum
return to the womb
Concept used in psychoanalysis by Sndor Ferenczi and the

Budapest School.
reductio ad absurdum
rem acu tetigisti
You have touched

the point with a
needle
repetita juvant
Usually said as a jocular remark to defend the speaker's (or

repeating does good writer's) choice to repeat some important piece of
information to ensure reception by the audience.
repetitio est mater

studiorum
repetition is the
mother of study
requiem aeternam
eternal rest
requiescat in pace (R.I.P.)
Or "may he rest in peace". A benediction for the dead.

Often inscribed on tombstones or other grave markers.
let him rest in peace
"RIP" is commonly mistranslated as "Rest In Peace", though
the two mean essentially the same thing.
rerum cognoscere causas
to learn the causes

of things
res firma mitescere nescit
a firm resolve does

Used in the 1985 film American Flyers where it is
not know how to
colloquially translated as "once you got it up, keep it up".
weaken
res gestae
res ipsa loquitur
things done
i.e., "You have hit the nail on the head"
Motto of the University of Sheffield, the University of

Guelph, and London School of Economics.
A phrase used in law representing the belief that certain

statements are made naturally, spontaneously and without
deliberation during the course of an event, they leave little
room for misunderstanding/misinterpretation upon hearing
by someone else ( i.e. by the witness who will later repeat
the statement to the court) and thus the courts believe that
such statements carry a high degree of credibility.
A phrase from the common law of torts meaning that

negligence can be inferred from the fact that such an
the thing speaks for accident happened, without proof of exactly how. A clause
sometimes (informally) added on to the end of this phrase
itself
is sed quid in infernos dicit ("but what the hell does it
say?"), which serves as a reminder that one must still
interpret the significance of events that "speak for
themselves".
A matter which has been decided by a court. Often refers to

the legal concept that once a matter has been finally
decided by the courts, it cannot be litigated again (cf. non
bis in idem and double jeopardy).
res judicata
judged thing
res, non verba
From rs ("things, facts") the plural of rs ("a thing, a fact")

"actions speak
+ nn ("not") + verba ("words") the plural of verbum ("a
louder than words",
word"). Literally meaning "things, not words" or "facts
or "deeds, not
instead of words" but referring to that "actions be used
words"
instead of words".
res nullius
nobody's property
Goods without an owner. Used for things or beings which

belong to nobody and are up for grabs, e.g., uninhabited
and uncolonized lands, wandering wild animals, etc.
(cf. terra nullius, "no man's land").
res publica
Pertaining to the
state or public
source of the word republic
respice adspice prospice
look behind, look

here, look ahead
i.e., "examine the past, the present and future". Motto

of CCNY.
respice finem
i.e., "have regard for the end" or "consider the end".

Generally a memento mori, a warning to remember one's
look back at the end
death. Motto of Homerton College, Cambridge, Trinity
College, Kandy and Turnbull High School, Glasgow
respondeat superior
let the superior

respond
Regarded as a legal maxim in agency law, referring to the

legal liability of the principal with respect to an employee.
Whereas a hired independent contractor acting tortiously
may not cause the principal to be legally liable, a hired
employee acting tortiously will cause the principal (the
employer) to be legally liable, even if the employer did
nothing wrong.
restitutio
ad (orin) integrum
restoration to
original condition
Principle behind the awarding of damages in common law

negligence claims
resurgam
I shall arise
I shall rise again, expressing Christian faith in

resurrection at the Last Day. It appears, inter alia, in
Charlotte Bront's Jane Eyre, as the epitaph written on
Helen Burns's grave; in a poem of Emily
Dickinson: Poems (1955) I. 56 ("Arcturus" is his other
name), I slew a worm the other day A Savant passing
by Murmured Resurgam Centipede! Oh Lordhow
frail are we!; and in a letter of Vincent van
Gogh.[54] The OED gives "1662 J. Trapp Annotations Old
& New Testament I. 142 Howbeit he had hope in his death,
and might write Resurgam on his grave" as its earliest
attribution in the English corpus.
retine vim istam, falsa

enim dicam, si coges
Restrain your
strength, for if you
compel me I will
tell lies
An utterance by the Delphic oracle recorded by Eusebius of

Caesarea in Praeparatio evangelica, VI-5, translated from
the Greek ofPorphyry (c.f. E. H. Gifford's
translation)[55] and used by William Wordsworth as a
subtitle for his ballad "Anecdote for Fathers".
rex regum fidelum et
king even of
faithful kings
Latin motto that appears on the crest of the Trinity

Broadcasting Network of Paul and Jan Crouch.
rigor mortis
stiffness of death
The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the

limbs to stiffen about 34 hours after death. Other signs of
death include drop in body temperature (algor mortis, "cold
of death") and discoloration (livor mortis, "bluish color of
death").
risum teneatis, amici?
Can you help

laughing, friends?
An ironic or rueful commentary, appended following a

fanciful or unbelievable tale.
risus abundat in ore

stultorum
laughter is abundant
excessive and inappropriate laughter signifies stupidity; see
in the mouth of
also LOL
fools
Roma invicta
Unconquerable
Rome
Inspirational motto inscribed on the Statue of Rome.
Romanes eunt domus
Romanes go the
house
An intentionally garbled Latin phrase from Monty Python's

Life of Brian. Its intended meaning is "Romans, go home!",
in Latin Romani ite domum.
rorate coeli
drop down ye
heavens
rosa rubicundior, lilio

candidior, omnibus
formosior, semper in te
glorior
redder than the

rose, whiter than
the lilies, fairer than From Veni, veni, venias (Carmina Burana).
all things, I do ever
glory in thee
rus in urbe
Generally used to refer to a haven of peace and quiet within

A countryside in the
an urban setting, often a garden, but can refer to interior
city
decoration.
aka The Advent Prose
S[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
saltus in
demonstrando
leap in explaining
a leap in logic, by which a necessary part of an equation is omitted.
salus in arduis
a stronghold (or
refuge) in
difficulties
a Roman Silver Age maxim, also the school motto

of Wellingborough School.
salus populi
suprema lex esto
the welfare of the

people is to be the
highest law
From Cicero's De Legibus, book III, part III, sub. VIII. Quoted
by John Locke in his Second Treatise, On Civil Government, to
describe the proper organization of government. Also the state
motto of Missouri.
salva veritate
with truth intact
Refers to two expressions that can be interchanged without

changing the truth value of the statements in which they occur.
Salvator Mundi
Savior of the World
Christian epithet, usually referring to Jesus. The title of paintings

by Albrecht Drer and Leonardo da Vinci.
salvo errore et
omissione(s.e.e.o.)
save for error and

omission
Appears on statements of "account currents".
salvo honoris
titulo (SHT)
save for title of

honor
Sancta Sedes
Holy Chair
literally, "holy seat". Refers to the Papacy or the Holy See.
sancta simplicitas
holy innocence
Or "sacred simplicity".
sancte et sapienter
with holiness and

with wisdom
Also sancte sapienter (holiness, wisdom), motto of several

institutions.
sanctum
sanctorum
Holy of Holies
referring to a more sacred and/or guarded place, within a lesser

guarded, yet also holy location.
sapere aude
dare to be wise
From Horace's Epistularum liber primus, Epistle II, line 40.

Popularized by its use in Kant's What is Enlightenment? to define
theEnlightenment. Frequently used in mottos; also the name of an
Australian Heavy Metal band.
sapiens qui
prospicit
wise is he who
looks ahead
Motto of Malvern College, England
sapienti sat
From Plautus. Indicates that something can be understood without

any need for explanation, as long as the listener has enough wisdom
enough for the wise or common sense. Often extended to dictum sapienti sat
est ("enough has been said for the wise", commonly translated as "a
word to the wise is enough").
sapientia et
doctrina
wisdom and
learning
sapientia et
eloquentia
wisdom and
eloquence
Motto of Fordham University, New York.
One of the mottos of the Ateneo schools in the Philippines.[56]
Motto of the Minerva Society

sapientia et veritas wisdom and truth
Motto of Christchurch Girls' High School, New Zealand.
sapientia et virtus wisdom and virtue
Motto of The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
sapientia melior
wisdom is better
Motto of University of Deusto, Bilbao, San Sebastin, Spain.
auro
than gold
sapientia, pax,
fraternitas
Wisdom, Peace,
Fraternity
That which has

sat celeriter fieri
been done well has
quidquid fiat satis
been done quickly
bene
enough
Motto of Universidad de las Amricas, Puebla, Cholula, Mexico.

One of the two favorite saying of Augustus. The other is "festina
lente".[57]
scientia ac labore
knowledge through
[hard] work, or: by
means of
knowledge and hard Motto of several institutions
work, or: through
knowledge and
[hard] work
scientia, aere
perennius
knowledge, more
lasting than bronze
unknown origin, probably adapted from Horace's ode III (Exegi

monumentum aere perennius).
scientia cum
religione
religion and
knowledge united
Motto of St Vincent's College, Potts Point
scientiae cedit
mare
The sea yields to

knowledge
Motto of the United States Coast Guard Academy.
scientiae et patriae
For science and

fatherland
Motto of University of Latvia
scientia et
sapientia
knowledge and
wisdom
motto of Illinois Wesleyan University
scientia imperii
decus et tutamen
knowledge is the
adornment and
protection of the
Empire
Motto of Imperial College London
scientia ipsa
potentia est
knowledge itself is
power
Stated originally by Sir Francis Bacon in Meditationes

Sacrae (1597), which in modern times is often paraphrased
as scientia est potestas or scientia potentia est (knowledge is
power).
scientia vincere
tenebras
conquering
Motto of several institutions, such as the Free University of
darkness by science Brussels.
scilicet (sc. or ss.)
it is permitted to
know
scio
I know
scio me nihil scire
I know that I know

nothing
scire quod
sciendum
knowledge which is
motto of now defunct publisher Small, Maynard & Company
worth having
scribimus indocti Each desperate

doctique poemata blockhead dares to
write
passim
scuto amoris
by the shield of
that is to say; to wit; namely; in a legal caption, it provides a

statement of venue or refers to a location.
as translated by Philip Francis. From Horace, Epistularum liber

secundus (1, 117)[58] and quoted in Fielding's Tom Jones; lit:
"Learned or not, we shall write poems without distinction."
The motto of Skidmore College
divini
God's love
seculo seculorum
forever and ever
But the same Spirit

sed ipse spiritus
intercedes
postulat pro nobis,
incessantly for us, Romans 8:26
gemitibus
with inexpressible
inenarrabilibus
groans
sed terrae
graviora manent
But on earth, worse

Virgil Aeneid 6:84.
things await
sede vacante
with the seat being

vacant
The "seat" is the Holy See, and the vacancy refers to

the interregnum between two popes.
sedes apostolica
apostolic chair
Synonymous with Sancta Sedes.
sedes incertae
seat (i.e. location)

uncertain
Used in biological classification to indicate that there is no

agreement as to which higher order grouping a taxon should be
placed into. Abbreviated sed. incert.
sedet,
aeternumque
sedebit
seat, be seated
forever
a Virgi's verse, means when you stop trying, then you lose
Concept expressed by various authors, such as Seneca, Saint

semel in anno licet once in a year one is
Augustine and Horace. It became proverbial during the Middle
allowed to go crazy
insanire
ages.
semper ad meliora
always towards
better things
Motto of several institutions
semper anticus
always forward
Motto of the 45th Infantry Division (United States) and its

successor, the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
semper ardens
always burning
Motto of Carl Jacobsen and name of a line of beers

by Danish brewery Carlsberg.
semper eadem
ever the same
personal motto of Elizabeth I, appears above her royal coat of arms.

Used as motto of Elizabeth College, Guernsey, Channel Islands,
which was founded by Elizabeth I, and of Ipswich School, to whom
Elizabeth granted a royal charter. Also the motto of the City of
Leicester and Prince George's County.
semper excelsius
always higher
Motto of the K.A.V. Lovania Leuven and the House of WrigleyPimley-McKerr[59]
semper fidelis
always faithful
Motto of several institutions, e.g. United States Marine Corps
semper fortis
always brave
Unofficial motto of the United States Navy
semper idem
always the same
Motto of Underberg
semper in excretia We're always in the

manure; only the
Lord de Ramsey, House of Lords, 21 January 1998[60]
sumus solim
profundum variat depth varies.
semper instans
always threatening
Motto of 846 NAS Royal Navy
semper invicta
always invincible
Motto of Warsaw
semper necessitas the necessity of
Latin maxim often associated with the burden of proof
probandi incumbit proof always lies

with the person who
ei qui agit
lays charges
semper liber
always free
Motto of the city of Victoria, British Columbia
semper paratus
always prepared
Motto of several institutions, e.g. United States Coast Guard
semper primus
always first
Motto of several US military units
semper
progrediens
Motto of the island of Sint Maarten, a constituent country of

always progressing the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and of King City Secondary
Schoolin King City, Ontario, Canada
semper
reformanda
always in need of
being reformed
A phrase deriving from the Nadere Reformatie movement in the

seventeenth century Dutch Reformed Church and widely but
informally used in Reformed and Presbyterian churches today. It
refers to the conviction of certain Reformed Protestanttheologians
that the church must continually re-examine itself in order to
maintain its purity of doctrine and practice. The term first appeared
in print in Jodocus van Lodenstein, Beschouwinge van
Zion (Contemplation of Zion), Amsterdam, 1674.[61]
semper sursum
always aim high
Motto of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Motto of St. Joseph's

College, Allahabad, India. Motto of Palmerston North Girls' High
School, Palmerston North, New Zealand
semper vigilans
always vigilant
Motto of several institutions (such as the US Air Force

Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol). Also the motto of the city of San Diego,
California.
semper vigilo
always vigilant
The motto of Scottish Police Forces, Scotland.
Senatus
Populusque
Romanus (SPQR)
The Senate and the

People of Rome
The official name of the Roman Republic. "SPQR" was carried on

battle standards by the Roman legions. In addition to being
anancient Roman motto, it remains the motto of the modern city of
Rome.
sensu lato
with the broad, or

general, meaning
Less literally, "in the wide sense".
sensu stricto cf.
"with the tight

meaning"
Less literally, "in the strict sense".
in the fuller
meaning
In biblical exegesis, the deeper meaning intended by God, not

intended by the human author.
stricto sensu
sensus plenior
sequere pecuniam follow the money
sero venientes
male sedentes
those who are late

are poorly seated
sero venientibus
ossa
those who are late

get bones
servabo fidem
Keeper of the faith
In an effort to understand why things may be happening contrary to

expectations, or even in alignment with them, this idiom suggests
that keeping track of where money is going may show the basis for
the observed behavior. Similar in spirit to the phrase cui bono (who
gains?) or cui prodest (who advances?), but outside those phrases'
historically legal context.
I will keep the faith.
serviam
I will serve
The answer of St. Michael the Archangel to the non serviam, "I will
not serve" of Satan, when the angels were tested by God on whether
they will serve an inferior being, a man, Jesus, as their Lord.
servus servorum
Dei
servant of the
servants of God
A title for the Pope.
sesquipedalia
verba
words a foot and a

half long
From Horace's Ars Poetica, "proicit ampullas et sesquipedalia

verba" ("he throws down his high-flown language and his foot-anda-half-long words"). A self-referential jab at long words and
needlessly elaborate language in general.
Si monumentum
requiris
circumspice
If you seek (his)

monument, look
around you
from the epitaph on Christopher Wren's tomb in St Paul's Cathedral.
si omnes... ego non if all ones... not I

si peccasse
negamus fallimur
et nulla est in
nobis veritas
if we deny having
made a mistake, we
are deceived, and
there's no truth in us
si quaeris
peninsulam
amoenam
circumspice
if you seek a
Said to have been based on the tribute to architect Christopher
delightful peninsula, Wren in St Paul's Cathedral, London: si monumentum requiris,
look around
circumspice (see above). State motto of Michigan, adopted in 1835.
si quid novisti
rectius istis,
candidus imperti;
si nil, his utere
mecum.
if you can better

these principles, tell
Horace, Epistles I:6, 6768
me; if not, join me
in following them
si tacuisses,
philosophus
mansisses
This quote is often attributed to the Latin philosopher Boethius of

the late fifth and early sixth centuries. It translates literally as, "If
If you had kept your
you had been silent, you would have remained a philosopher." The
silence, you would
phrase illustrates a common use of the subjunctive verb mood.
have stayed a
Among other functions it expresses actions contrary to fact. Sir
philosopher
Humphrey Appleby translated it to the PM as: "If you'd kept your
mouth shut we might have thought you were clever."
si vales valeo(SVV)
A common beginning for ancient Roman letters. An abbreviation

if you are well, I am of si vales bene est ego valeo, alternatively written as SVBEEV. The
well (abbr)
practice fell out of fashion and into obscurity with the decline in
Latin literacy.
si vis amari ama
If you want to be
loved, love
si vis pacem, para if you want peace,

prepare for war
bellum
sic
thus
From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor

Faustus, where the phrase is translated "if we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and there's no truth in us." (cf. 1 John 1:8
in the New Testament)
This is often attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca, found in

the sixth of his letters to Lucilius.
From Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, De Re Militari. Origin of
the name parabellum for some ammunition and firearms, such as
the Luger Parabellum. (Similar to igitur qui desiderat pacem,
praeparet bellum)
Or "just so". States that the preceding quoted material appears
exactly that way in the source, despite any errors of spelling,
grammar, usage, or fact that may be present. Used only for previous
quoted text; ita or similar must be used to mean "thus" when
referring to something about to be stated.

sic et non
thus and not
we gladly feast on
sic gorgiamus allos
those who would
subjectatos nunc
subdue us
More simply, "yes and no".

Mock-Latin motto of The Addams Family.
sic infit
so it begins
sic itur ad astra
thus you shall go to From Virgil, Aeneid book IX, line 641. Possibly the source of
the stars
the ad astra phrases. Motto of several institutions.
sic parvis magna
greatness from
small beginnings
sic passim
Thus here and there Used when referencing books; see passim.
Motto of Sir Francis Drake
Thus has it always

sic semper erat, et
been, and thus shall
sic semper erit
it ever be
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. Shorter version from original sic semper evello mortem
tyrannis ("thus always I pluck death from tyrants"). State
motto of Virginia, adopted in 1776.
sic transit gloria

mundi
thus passes the

glory of the world
A reminder that all things are fleeting. During Papal Coronations, a

monk reminds the Pope of his mortality by saying this phrase,
preceded by pater sancte ("holy father") while holding before his
eyes a burning paper illustrating the passing nature of earthly
glories. This is similar to the tradition of a slave in a Roman
triumphs whispering memento mori in the ear of the celebrant.
sic utere tuo ut

alienum non
laedas
use [what is] yours

so as not to harm
[what is] of others
Or "use your property in such a way that you do not damage

others'". A legal maxim related to property ownership laws, often
shortened to simply sic utere ("use it thus").
sic vita est
thus is life
Or "such is life". Indicates that a circumstance, whether good or

bad, is an inherent aspect of living.
sic semper
tyrannis
Though the
sidere mens eadem constellations
Latin motto of the University of Sydney.
change, the mind is
mutato
universal
signetur (sig) or(S/)
let it be labeled
Medical shorthand
signum fidei
Sign of the Faith
Motto of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
silentium est
aureum
silence is golden
Latinization of the English expression "silence is golden". Also

Latinized as silentium est aurum ("silence is gold").
similia similibus
curantur
similar things take

care of similar
things
similia similibus
curentur
let similar things

take care of similar
"like cures like" and "let like be cured by like"; the first form
("curantur") is indicative, while the second form ("curentur") is
subjunctive. The indicative form is found in Paracelsus (16th
century), while the subjunctive form is said by Samuel Hahnemann,
founder of homeopathy, and is known as the law of similars.
things
similia similibus
solvuntur
similar substances Used as a general rule in chemistry; "like dissolves like" refers to
will dissolve similar the ability of polar or non polar solvents to dissolve polar or non
substances
polar solutes respectively.[62]
simplex sigillum
veri
simplicity is the
sign of truth
expresses a sentiment akin to Keep It Simple, Stupid
sine anno (s.a.)
without a year
Used in bibliographies to indicate that the date of publication of a

document is unknown.
sine die
without a day
Originally from old common law texts, where it indicates that a

final, dispositive order has been made in the case. In modern legal
context, it means there is nothing left for the court to do, so no date
for further proceedings is set, resulting in an "adjournment sine
die".
sine ira et studio
without anger and

fondness
Thus, impartially. From Tacitus, Annals 1.1.
sine labore non

erit panis in ore
without labour there

will be no bread in
mouth
sine loco (s.l.)
without a place
Used in bibliographies to indicate that the place of publication of a

document is unknown.
sine metu
"without fear"
Motto of Jameson Irish Whiskey
sine nomine (s.n.)
"without a name"
Used in bibliographies to indicate that the publisher of a document

is unknown.
sine poena nulla

lex
Without penalty,
there is no law
Refers to the ineffectiveness of a law without the means of

enforcement
sine prole
Without offspring
Frequently abbreviated to "s.p." or "d.s.p." (decessit sine prole

"died without offspring") in genealogical works.
sine prole
superstite
Without surviving
children
Without surviving offspring (even in abstract terms)
sine timore aut

favore
Without Fear or
Favor
St.George's School, Vancouver, Canada motto
sine qua non
without which not
Used to denote something that is an essential part of the whole. See

also condicio sine qua non.
sine remediis
medicina debilis
est
without remedies
medicine is
powerless
Inscription on a stained glass in the conference hall of a

pharmaceutical mill in Kaunas, Lithuania.
sine scientia ars

nihil est
without knowledge,
Motto of The International Diving Society
skill is nothing
sisto activitatem
I cease the activity
sit nomine digna
may it be worthy of
Motto of Rhodesia
the name
sit sine labe decus
let honour stainless

Motto of the Brisbane Boys' College (Brisbane, Australia).
be
Phrase, used to cease the activities of the Sejm upon the liberum
veto principle
sit tibi terra levis
may the earth be

light to you
Commonly used on gravestones, often contracted as S.T.T.L., the

same way as today's R.I.P.
sit venia verbo
may there be
forgiveness for the
word
Similar to the English idiom "pardon my French".
sol iustitiae
illustra nos
sun of justice, shine

Motto of Utrecht University.
upon us
sol lucet omnibus
the sun shines on

everyone
Petronius, Satyricon Lybri 100.
sol omnia regit
the sun rules over

everything
Inscription near the entrance to Frombork Museum
sola fide
by faith alone
The material principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of

the five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bibleteaches
that men are saved by faith even without works.
sola gratia
by grace alone
A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas,

referring to the Protestant claim that salvation is an unearned gift
(cf. ex gratia), not a direct result of merit.
sola lingua bona

est lingua mortua
the only good

language is a dead
language
Example of dog Latin humor.
sola scriptura
by scripture alone
The formal principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of

the five solas, referring to the Protestant idea that the Bible alone is
the ultimate authority, not the Pope or tradition.
sola nobilitat
virtus
virtue alone
ennobles
glory to God alone

referring to the idea that God is the creator of all good things and
deserves all the praise for them. Johann Sebastian Bach often
signed his manuscripts with the abbreviation S.D.G. to invoke this
phrase, as well as with AMDG (ad maiorem Dei gloriam). The motto
of the MasterWorks Festival, an annual Christian performing arts
festival.
solus Christus
Christ alone

referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches thatJesus is
the only mediator between God and mankind. Also rendered solo
Christo ("by Christ alone").
solus ipse
I alone
solvitur
ambulando
it is solved by
walking
The problem is solved by taking a walk, or by simple experiment.
Spartam nactus
es; hanc exorna
your lot is cast in

Sparta, be a credit
to it
from Euripides's Telephus, Agamemnon to Menelaus.[63]
specialia
generalibus
derogant
special departs from

general
soli Deo
gloria(S.D.G.)
speculum
speculorum
mirror of mirrors
spem reduxit
he has restored hope Motto of New Brunswick.
spero meliora
I hope for better

things
spes bona
good hope
Motto of University of Cape Town.
spes vincit
thronum
hope conquers
(overcomes) the
throne
Refers to Revelation 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to

sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down
with my Father in his throne." On the John Winthrop family
tombstone, Boston, Massachusetts.
spirit of the world
From The Second Coming (poem) by William Butler Yeats. Refers

to Yeats' belief that each human mind is linked to a single vast
intelligence, and that this intelligence causes certain universal
symbols to appear in individual minds. The idea is similar toCarl
Jung's concept of the collective unconscious.
spiritus ubi vult

spirat
the spirit spreads

wherever it wants
Refers to The Gospel of Saint John 3:8, where he mentions how

Jesus told Nicodemus "The wind blows wherever it wants, and even
though you can hear its noise, you don't know where it comes from
or where it goes. The same thing happens to whomever has been
born of the Spirit." It is the motto of Cayetano Heredia
University[64]
splendor sine
occasu
brightness without
setting
Loosely "splendour without diminishment" or "magnificence

without ruin". Motto of British Columbia.
stamus contra
malo
The motto of the Jungle Patrol in The Phantom. The phrase actually
violates Latin grammar because of a mistranslation from English, as
we stand against by
the preposition contra takes the accusative case. The correct Latin
evil
rendering of "we stand against evil" would be "stamus contra
malum".
stante pede
with a standing foot "Immediately".
stare decisis
to stand by the
decided things
stat sua cuique

dies
There is a day [turn]

Virgil, Aeneid, X 467
for everybody
statim (stat)
"immediately"
Medical shorthand used following an urgent request.
status quo
the situation in
which
The current condition or situation. Also status quo ante ("the

situation in which [things were] before"), referring to the state of
affairs prior to some upsetting event (cf. reset button technique).
status quo ante

bellum
the state before the

war
A common term in peace treaties.
stet
let it stand
Marginal mark in proofreading to indicate that something

previously deleted or marked for deletion should be retained.
stet fortuna domus
let the fortune of the First part of the motto of Harrow School, England, and inscribed
house stand
upon Ricketts House, at the California Institute of Technology.
spiritus mundi
stipendium peccati the reward of sin is

death
mors est
To uphold previous rulings, recognize precedent.
From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor

Faustus. (See Rom 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.")

strenuis ardua
cedunt
the heights yield to

endeavour
stricto sensu cf. sensu with the tight

stricto
meaning
Motto of The University of Southampton.

Less literally, "in the strict sense".
stupor mundi
the wonder of the

world
A title given to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. More literally

translated "the bewilderment of the world", or, in its original, preMedieval sense, "the stupidity of the world".
sua sponte
by its own accord
Legal term when a court takes up a motion on its own initiative, not
because any of the parties to the case has made the motion. The
regimental motto of the 75th Ranger Regiment of the U.S. Army.
sub anno
under the year
Commonly abbreviated sa, it is used in citing annals, which record

events by year.
sub cruce lumen
Motto of the University of Adelaide, Australia. Refers to the

The Light Under the
figurative "light of learning" and the Southern Cross
Cross
constellation,Crux.
sub divo
Also, "under the sky", "in the open air", "out in the open" or
under the wide open
"outdoors". Ablative "divo" does not distinguish divus, divi, a god,
sky
from divum, divi, the sky.
sub finem
toward the end
Used in citations to refer to the end of a book, page, etc., and

abbreviated 's.f.' Used after the page number or title. E.g., 'p. 20s.f. '
sub Iove frigido
under cold Jupiter
At night; from Horace's Odes 1.1:25
sub judice
under a judge
Said of a case that cannot be publicly discussed until it is finished.

Also sub iudice.
under penalty
Commonly rendered subpoena. Said of a request, usually by a

court, that must be complied with on pain of punishment. Examples
include subpoena duces tecum ("take with you under penalty"), a
court summons to appear and produce tangible evidence,
and subpoena ad testificandum ("under penalty to testify"), a
summons to appear and give oral testimony.
sub rosa
under the rose
"In secret", "privately", "confidentially", or "covertly". In

the Middle Ages, a rose was suspended from the ceiling of a
council chamber to indicate that what was said in the "under the
rose" was not to be repeated outside. This practice originates
in Greek mythology, where Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros,
and he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to ensure
that his mother's indiscretionsor those of the gods in general, in
other accountswere kept under wraps.
sub nomine (sub
under the name
"in the name of", "under the title of"; used in legal citations to
indicate the name under which the litigation continued.
sub silentio
under silence
implied but not expressly stated.
sub specie
aeternitatis
under the sight of

eternity
Thus, "from eternity's point of view". From Spinoza, Ethics.
sub specie Dei
under the sight of

God
"from God's point of view or perspective".
sub poena
nom.)
sub tuum
praesidium
Beneath thy
compassion
Name of the oldest extant hymn to the Theotokos (Blessed Virgin

Mary). Also "under your protection". A popular school motto.
Sub umbra floreo
Under the shade I

flourish
National Motto of Belize, referring to the shade of

the mahogany tree.
sub verbo; sub

voce
sublimis ab unda
Under the word or heading, as in a dictionary; abbreviated s.v.

Raised from the
waves
Motto of King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham
subsiste sermonem stop speaking

immediately
statim
One doesn't sing on
Saying from Hanakia
Sudetia non cantat theSudeten
Mountains
sui generis
Of its own kind
In a class of its own.
sui iuris
Of one's own right
Capable of responsibility. Has both legal and ecclesiastical use.

Commonly rendered sui juris.
sum quod eris
I am what you will

be
A gravestone inscription to remind the reader of the inevitability of

death (cf. memento mori). Also rendered fui quod sis ("I have been
what you are") and tu fui ego eris ("I have been you, you will be I").
sum quod sum
I am what I am
from Augustine's Sermon No. 76.[65]
summa cum laude with highest praise

summa potestas
sum or totality of
power
It refers to the final authority of power in government. For example,

power of the Sovereign.
summa
summarum
all in all
Literally "sum of sums". When a short conclusion is rounded up at

the end of some elaboration.
summum bonum
the supreme good
Literally "highest good". Also summum malum ("the supreme

evil").
summum ius,
summa iniuria
supreme justice,
supreme injustice
From Cicero (De officiis, I, 10, 33). An acritical application of law,

without understanding and respect of laws's purposes and without
considering the overall circumstances, is often a means of supreme
injustice. A similar sentence appears
in Terence(Heautontimorumenos, IV, 5): Ius summum saepe
summa est malitia ("supreme justice is often out of supreme
malice (or wickedness)").
sunt lacrimae
rerum
there are tears for

things
From Virgil, Aeneid. Followed by et mentem mortalia

tangunt ("and mortal things touch my mind"). Aeneas cries as he
seesCarthaginian temple murals depicting the deaths of the Trojan
War. See also hinc illae lacrimae.
sunt omnes unum they are all one

sunt pueri pueri,
pueri puerilia
tractant
Children are
children, and
anonymous proverb
children do childish
things
suo jure
in one's own right
Used in the context of titles of nobility, for instance where a wife
may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage.
Also rendered suo moto. Usually used when a court of law, upon its
own initiative, (i.e., no petition has been filed) proceeds against a
person or authority that it deems has committed an illegal act. It is
used chiefly in South Asia.[citation needed]
suo motu
upon one's own

initiative
suos cultores
scientia coronat
Knowledge crowns
The motto of Syracuse University, New York.
those who seek her
super fornicam
on the lavatory
superbia in proelia pride in battle
Where Thomas More accused the reformer, Martin Luther, of going

to celebrate Mass.
Motto of Manchester City F.C.
supero omnia
I surpass everything A declaration that one succeeds above all others.
surdo oppedere
to belch before the

deaf
From Erasmus' collection of annotated Adagia (1508): a useless

action.
surgam
I shall rise
Motto of Columbia University's Philolexian Society.
sursum corda
Lift up your hearts
sutor, ne ultra
crepidam
Thus, don't offer your opinion on things that are outside your
competence. It is said that the Greek painter Apelles once asked the
Cobbler, no further advice of a cobbler on how to render the sandals of a soldier he was
than the sandal!
painting. When the cobbler started offering advice on other parts of
the painting, Apelles rebuked him with this phrase in Greek, and it
subsequently became a popular Latin expression.
suum cuique
tribuere
to render to every
man his due
One of Justinian I's three basic precepts of law. Also shortened

to suum cuique ("to each his own").
Abbreviation for sub verbo or sub voce (see above).
s.v.
T[edit]
Latin
tabula
gratulatoria
Translation
Notes
congratulatory tablet A list of congratulations.
tabula rasa
scraped tablet
Thus, "blank slate". Romans used to write on wax-covered wooden

tablets, which were erased by scraping with the flat end of
thestylus. John Locke used the term to describe the human mind at
birth, before it had acquired any knowledge.
talis qualis
just as such
"Such as it is" or "as such".
taliter qualiter
somewhat
talium Dei
regnum
for of such (little

children) is the
kingdom of God
from St Mark's gospel 10:14 "talium (parvuli) est enim regnum

Dei"; similar in St Matthew's gospel 19:14 "talium est enim regnum
caelorum" ("for of such is the kingdom of heaven"); motto of The
Cathedral School, Townsville.
tanquam ex
ungue leonem
we know the lion by

his claw
Said in 1697 by Johann Bernoulli about Isaac Newton's

anonymously submitted solution to Bernoulli's challenge regarding
theBrachistochrone curve.
tarde venientibus To the late are left

the bones
ossa
Te occidere
possunt sed te
edere non
possunt nefas est
They can kill you,

but they cannot eat
you, it is against the
law.
The motto of the fictional Enfield Tennis Academy in the David

Foster Wallace novel Infinite Jest. Translated in the novel as "They
can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier".
technica impendi Technology impulses

Motto of Technical University of Madrid
nations
nationi
temet nosce
know thyself
tempora heroica Heroic Age
tempora
mutantur et nos
mutamur in illis
the times are

changing, and we
change in them
tempus edax
rerum
time, devourer of all

things
A reference to the Greek (gnothi seauton), inscribed

on the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, according to the
Greek periegetic writer Pausanias (10.24.1). Rendered also
with nosce te ipsum, temet nosce ("thine own self know") appears
inThe Matrix translated as "know thyself".
Literally "Heroic Times"; refers to the period between the

mythological Titanomachy and the (relatively) historical Trojan
War.
Variant of omnia mutantur et nos mutamur in illis, attributed

to Lothair I. See entry for details.
Also "time, that devours all things", literally: "time, gluttonous of

things", edax: adjectival form of the verb edo to eat. From Ovid,
Metamorphoses, 15, 234-236.
tempus fugit
time flees
Commonly mistranslated as "time flies" due to the similar

phrase tempus volat hora fugit ("time flies, the hour flees").
tempus rerum
imperator
time, commander of
all things
"Tempus Rerum Imperator" has been adopted by the Google Web

Accelerator project. It is shown in the "About Google Web
Accelerator" page.
tempus vernum
spring time
Name of song by popular Irish singer Enya
tempus volat
hora fugit
time flies, the hour

flees
Or "time speeds while the hour escapes".
teneo te Africa
I hold you, Africa!
Suetonius attributes this to Julius Caesar, from when Caesar was on

the African coast.
tentanda via
The way must be

tried
motto for York University
ter in die (t.i.d.)
thrice in a day
Medical shorthand for "three times a day".
terminat hora
diem; terminat
auctor opus.
The hour finishes the

day; the author
Phrase concluding Christopher Marlowe's play Doctor Faustus.[66]
finishes his work.
terminus ante
quem
limit before which
In archaeology or history, refers to the date before which an artifact

or feature must have been deposited. Used with terminus post
quem ("limit after which"). Similarly, terminus ad quem ("limit to
which") may also refer to the latest possible date of a non-punctual
event (period, era, etc.), while terminus a quo ("limit from which")
may refer to the earliest such date.
terra australis
incognita
unknown southern
land
First name used to refer to the Australian continent.
terra firma
solid land
terra incognita
unknown land
Often used to refer to the ground.
terra nova
new land
Latin name of Newfoundland (island portion of Canadian province

of Newfoundland and Labrador, capital- St. John's), also root of
French name of same, Terre-Neuve
terra nullius
land of none
That is, no man's land. A neutral or uninhabited area, or a land not

under the sovereignty of any recognized political entity.
terras irradient
let them illuminate

the lands
Or "let them give light to the world". An allusion

to Isaiah 6.3: plena est omnis terra gloria eius ("the whole earth is
full of his glory"). Sometimes mistranslated as "they will illuminate
the lands" based on mistaking irradiare for a future indicative thirdconjugation verb, whereas it is actually a present subjunctive firstconjugation verb. Motto of Amherst College; the college's original
mission was to educate young men to serve God.
tertium non
datur
no third (possibility) A logical axiom that a claim is either true or false, with no third
is given
option.
tertium quid
a third something
1. Something that cannot be classified into either of two groups

considered exhaustive; an intermediate thing or factor. 2. A third
person or thing of indeterminate character.
testis unus, testis one witness is not a

witness
nullus
A law principle expressing that a single witness is not enough to

corroborate a story.
We consecrate to
Tibi cordi
your immaculate
immaculato
heart and entrust to
concredimus nos
you (Mary) for
ac consecramus
safekeeping
The inscription found on top of the central door of the Minor

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, otherwise known as
the Manila Cathedral in the Philippines
timeo Danaos et
dona ferentes
Danaos being a term for the Greeks. In Virgil's Aeneid, II, 49, the
I fear Greeks even if
phrase is said by Laocon when warning his fellow Trojans against
they bring gifts
accepting the Trojan Horse. The full original quote is quidquid id
est timeo Danaos et dona ferentis, quidquid id est meaning
"whatever it is" and ferentis being an archaic form of ferentes.

Commonly mistranslated "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".
timidi mater non A coward's mother

does not weep
flet
proverb; occasionally appears on loading screens in the

game Rome: Total War.
timor mortis
conturbat me
the fear of death

confounds me
Refrain originating in the response to the seventh lesson in

the Office of the Dead. In the Middle Ages, this service was read
each day by clerics. As a refrain, it appears also in other poems and
can frequently be found inscribed on tombs.
totus tuus
totally yours
Offering one's life in total commitment to another. The motto was

adopted by Pope John Paul II to signify his love and servitude
toMary the Mother of Jesus.
tres faciunt
collegium
three makes company
It takes three to have a valid group; three is the minimum number of

members for an organization or a corporation.
translatio
imperii
transfer of rule
Used to express the belief in the transfer of imperial authority from

the Roman Empire of antiquity to the Medieval Holy Roman
Empire.
treuga Dei
Truce of God
A decree by the medieval Church that all feuds should be cancelled

during the Sabbatheffectively from Wednesday or Thursday night
until Monday. See also Peace and Truce of God.
tu autem Domine But Thou, O Lord,

have mercy upon us
miserere nobis
tu fui ego eris
I was you; you will

be me
you should not give

tu ne cede malis,
in to evils, but
sed contra
proceed ever more
audentior ito
boldly against them
Phrase said at the end of biblical readings in the liturgy of the

medieval church. Also used in brief, "tu autem", as a memento
moriepitaph.
Thus, "what you are, I was; what I am, you will be.". A memento
mori gravestone inscription to remind the reader that death is
unavoidable (cf. sum quod eris).
From Virgil, Aeneid, 6, 95.
tu quoque
you too
The logical fallacy of attempting to defend one's position merely by

pointing out the same weakness in one's opponent.
tuebor
I will protect
Found on the Great Seal on the flag of the state of Michigan.
tunica propior
est pallio
A tunic is closer to
the body than a cape
turris fortis mihi God is my strong

tower
Deus
Motto of the Kelly Clan
U[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
uberrima fides
most abundant faith
Or "utmost good faith" (cf. bona fide). A legal maxim of insurance

contracts requiring all parties to deal in good faith.
ubertas et
fidelitas
fertility and
faithfulness
Motto of Tasmania.
ubi amor, ibi

dolor
where [there is] love,

there [is] pain
ubi bene ibi

patria
where [it is] well,

there [is] the
fatherland
ubi caritas et
amor Deus ibi
est
where there is
charity and love,
God is there
ubi dubium ibi

libertas
where [there is]

doubt, there [is]
freedom
Or "Home is where it's good"; see also ubi panis ibi patria.
Anonymous proverb.
ubi jus ibi

remedium
Where [there is] a

right, there [is] a
remedy
where [there is]

ubi mel ibi apes honey, there [are]
bees
similar to " you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar" ..
treat people nicely and they will treat you nice back
ubi libertas ibi

patria
where [there is]

liberty, there [is] the Or "where there is liberty, there is my country". Patriotic motto.
fatherland
ubi nihil vales,

ibi nihil velis
where you are worth

From the writings of the Flemish philosopher Arnold Geulincx; also
nothing, there you
quoted by Samuel Beckett in his first published novel, Murphy.
will wish for nothing
ubi non
accusator ibi
non iudex
where [there is] no Thus, there can be no judgment or case if no one charges a defendant
accuser, there [is] no with a crime. The phrase is sometimes parodied as "where there are
judge
no police, there is no speed limit".
ubi panis ibi

patria
where there is bread,

there is my country
ubi pus, ibi

evacua
where there is pus,

there evacuate it
ubi re vera
when, in a true thing
Or "whereas, in reality..." Also rendered ubi revera ("when, in fact"

or "when, actually").
ubi societas ibi

ius
if there's a society,
law will be there
By Cicero.
ubi solitudinem
faciunt pacem
appellant
They make a desert

and call it peace
from a speech by Calgacus reported/constructed

by Tacitus, Agricola, ch. 30.
ubi sunt
where are they?
Nostalgic theme of poems yearning for days gone by. From the
line ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt ("Where are they, those who have
gone before us?").
Motto of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and most other Artillery

ubique, quo fas everywhere, where corps within the armies of the British Commonwealth (for example,
et gloria ducunt right and glory leads the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery and Royal Regiment of
New Zealand Artillery).
ultima ratio
last method
the final argument
the last resort (as
force)
The last resort. Short form for the metaphor

"The Last Resort of Kings and Common
Men" referring to the act of declaring war;
used in the names the French sniper
rifle PGM Ultima Ratioand the
fictional Reason weapon system. Louis XIV
of France had Ultima Ratio Regum ("last
argument of kings") cast on the cannons of his
armies; motto of the 1st Battalion 11th
Marines; motto of the Artilleriregementet.
ultimo
mense (ult.)
in the last month
Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the previous

month. Used with inst. ("this month") and prox. ("next month").
ultra vires
beyond powers
"Without authority". Used to describe an action done without proper

authority, or acting without the rules. The term will most often be
used in connection with appeals and petitions.
No one is
ultra posse nemo
obligatedbeyond
obligatur
what he is able to do.
ululas Athenas
(to send) owls to

Athens
una hirundo non one swallow does

not make summer
facit ver
una salus victis

nullam sperare
the only safety for

the conquered is to

collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Latin translation of a classical
Greek proverb. Generally means putting large effort in a necessarily
fruitless enterprise. Compare "selling coal to Newcastle".
A single example of something positive does not necessarily mean

that all subsequent similar instances will have the same outcome.
Less literally, "the only safe bet for the vanquished is to expect no
safety". Preceded by moriamur et in media arma ruamus ("let us die
even as we rush into the midst of battle") in Virgil's Aeneid, book 2,
salutem
hope for no safety
lines 353354. Used in Tom Clancy's novel Without Remorse, where

character John Clark translates it as "the one hope of the doomed is
not to hope for safety". It was said several times in "Andromeda" as
the motto of the SOF units.
unitas per
servitiam
unity through service Motto for the St. Xavier's Institution Board of Librarians.
uno flatu
in one breath
Used in criticism of inconsistent pleadings, i.e. "one cannot

argue uno flatu both that the company does not exist and that it is
also responsible for the wrong."
unus multorum
one of many
An average person.
Unus papa
Romae, unus
portus Anconae,
una turris
Cremonae, una
ceres Raconae
One pope in Rome,

one port in Ancona,
one tower in
Cremona, one beer
in Rakovnk
Motto of the Czech Brewery in Rakovnk.[67]
Urbi et Orbi
to the city and the

circle [of the lands]
Meaning "To Rome and the World". A standard opening of Roman

proclamations. Also a traditional blessing by thepope.
urbs in horto
city in a garden
Motto of the City of Chicago.
usque ad finem
to the very end
Often used in reference to battle, implying a willingness to keep

fighting until you die.
usus est
magister
optimus
practice is the best

teacher.
In other words, practice makes perfect. Also sometimes translated

"use makes master."
ut biberent
quoniam esse
nollent
so that they might

drink, since they
refused to eat
Also rendered with quando ("when") in place of quoniam. From a

book by Suetonius (Vit. Tib., 2.2) and Cicero (De Natura Deorum,
2.3). The phrase was said by Roman admiral Publius Claudius
Pulcher right before the battle of Drepana, as he threw overboard the
sacred chickens which had refused to eat the grain offered theman
unwelcomeomen of bad luck. Thus, the sense is, "if they do not
perform as expected, they must suffer the consequences".
ut cognoscant te
so that they may

know You.
ut desint vires,
tamen est
laudanda
voluntas
though the power be

lacking, the will is to
From Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto (III, 4, 79).
be praised all the
same
ut dicitur
as has been said; as

above
ut incepit fidelis as she began loyal,

so she persists
sic permanet
ut infra
Motto of Boston College High School.
Thus, the state remains as loyal as ever. Motto of Ontario.
as below
ut mare quod ut
to sea and into wind Motto of USNS Washington Chambers
ventus
ut prosim
that I may serve
Motto of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
ut proverbium you know what they

Lit: As the old proverb says...
loquitur vetus... say...
ut res magis
valeat quam
pereat
that the matter may

have effect rather
than fail[68]
ut retro
as backwards
ut Roma cadit,
sic omnis terra
as Rome falls, so
[falls] the whole
world
Or "as on the back side"; thus, "as on the previous page" (cf. ut
supra).
ut sit finis litium
A traditional brocard. The full form is Interest reipublicae ut sit finis

so there might be an
litium, "it is in the government's interest that there be an end to
end of litigation
litigation." Often quoted in the context of statutes of limitation.
ut supra
as above
ut tensio sic vis
as the extension, so
the force
Robert Hooke's expression of his discovery of his law of linear

elasticity. Also: Motto of cole Polytechnique de Montral. Motto of
the British Watch and Clockmaker's Guild.
utilis in
ministerium
usefulness in service
Comes from 2 Timothy 4:11. Motto of Camberwell Girls Grammar

School.
utraque unum
both into one
Also translated as "that the two may be one." Motto found in 18th
century Spanish dollar coins. Motto of Georgetown University.
utrinque
paratus
ready for anything
Motto of The British Parachute Regiment. Motto of the Belize

National Coast Guard.
V[edit]
Latin
Translation
Notes
vade ad formicam
go to the ant
A Biblical phrase from the Vulgate, Proverbs 6:6. The full

quotation translates as "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its
ways and be wise!"[Pro 6:6]
vade mecum
go with me
A vade-mecum or vademecum is an item one carries around,

especially a handbook.
Go back, Satan!
An exhortation for Satan to begone, often used in response

to temptation. From a popular Medieval
Catholic exorcism formula, based on a rebuke
by Jesus to Peter in the Vulgate, Mark 8:33: vade retro me
Satana ("get behind Me, Satan!").[Mark 8:33] The older
phrase vade retro ("go back!") can be found
in Terence's Formio I, 4, 203.
vade retro Satana
vae victis
Attributed by Livy to Brennus, the chief of the Gauls, while he

Woe to the conquered! demanded more gold from the citizens of the recently
sacked Rome in 390 BC.
vanitas vanitatum
omnia vanitas
vanity of vanities;
everything [is] vanity
More simply, "vanity, vanity, everything vanity". From

the Vulgate, Ecclesiastes 1:2;12:8.
vaticinium ex
eventu
prophecy from the

event
A prophecy made to look as though it was written before the

events it describes, while in fact being written afterwards.
vel non
or not
Summary of alternatives, e.g. "this action turns upon whether

the claimant was the deceased's grandson vel non."
velle est posse
"To be willing is to be
able." (non-literal: "Where
Motto of Hillfield, one of the founding schools of Hillfield

Strathallan College.
there's a will, there's a way.")
faster
velocius quam
than asparaguscan be
asparagi coquantur
cooked
Or simply "faster than cooking asparagus". Ascribed

to Augustus by Suetonius (The Twelve Caesars, Book 2
(Augustus), para. 87). Can refer to anything done very quickly.
A very common variant is celerius quam asparagi
cocuntur ("faster than asparagus iscooked").
velut arbor aevo
As a tree with the

passage of time
Motto of the University of Toronto
veni, vidi, vici
I came, I saw, I
conquered
The message supposedly sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman

Senate to describe his battle against King Pharnaces
II near Zela in 47 BC.
venisti remanebis
donec denuo
completus sis
From whence you

The phrase that the wizard said to the Devil in the
came, you shall remain,
film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny which trapped him in
until you are complete
hell as long as he was missing his tooth.
again
venturis ventis
To the coming winds
Motto of Braslia, capital of Brazil.
vera causa
true cause
verba docent
exempla trahunt
Words instruct,
illustrations lead
On the relevance to use illustrations for example when

preaching.
words are to be
verba ita sunt
understood such that
When explaining a given subject, it is important to clarify
intelligenda ut res
the subject matter may
rather than confuse.
magis valeat quam
be more effective than
pereat
wasted
verba vana aut

risui non loqui
Not to speak words in

Rule number 56 of the Rule of Saint Benedict.
vain or to start laughter
verba volant,
scripta manent
words fly away,

writings remain
From a famous speech of Caius Titus at the Roman senate.
verbatim
word for word
Refers to perfect transcription or quotation.
verbatim et
litteratim
word for word and

letter by letter
verbi divini
minister
servant of the divine

Word
A priest (cf. Verbum Dei).
verbi gratia
for example
literally: "for the sake of a word"
Verbum Dei
Word of God
See religious text.
verbum Domini
manet in
aeternum (VDMA)
The Word of the Lord

Endures Forever
Motto of the Lutheran Reformation
verb. sap.,
A word to the wise is
The hearer can fill in the rest; enough said. Short for Verbum
(v.gr. or VG)
verbum sap.
sufficient
sapienti sat[is] est.
veritas
truth
Motto of many educational institutions, including Bishop

Lynch High School.
veritas aequitas
Truth and justice
veritas, bonitas,
pulchritudo,
sanctitas
Truth, Goodness,
Beauty, and Holiness
Current motto of Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan
veritas Christo et
ecclesiae
Truth for Christ and

Church
The de jure motto of Harvard University, dating to its

foundation; it is often shortened to Veritas to dispose of its
original religious meaning.
veritas curat
truth cures
Motto of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical

Education and Research
Veritas Dei vincit
God's Truth prevails.
Motto of the Hussites
Devil's truth remain

veritas diaboli
manet in aeternum eternally
veritas et fortitudo Truth and Courage
One of the mottoes of Lyceum of the Philippines University
veritas et virtus
Truth and virtue
Motto of University of Pittsburgh, Methodist

University, Mississippi College
veritas, fides,
sapientia
Truth, Faith, Wisdom
Current motto of Dowling Catholic High School
veritas in caritate
Truth Through Caring
Motto of Bishop Wordsworth's School and St Munchin's

College
Veritas Iustitia
Libertas
Truth Justice Liberty
Motto of Free University of Berlin
Veritas Liberabit
Vos
Truth Shall Set You

Free
Motto of Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan
veritas lux mea
Truth is my light.
A common non-literal translation is "Truth enlightens me."

Motto of Seoul National University
veritas numquam
perit
Truth never expires
Seneca the Younger
veritas odit moras
Truth hates delay
Seneca the Younger
veritas omnia vincit Truth conquers all
Motto of Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario; Satyameva

Jayate; Triangle Fraternity
veritas unitas
caritas
Truth, Unity, Love
Motto of Villanova University
veritas vincit
truth conquers
Motto of the Scottish clan Keith. Used to be motto

of Protektorate of Bohemia and Moravia and in Czech
translation motto ofCzechoslovakia and Czech Republic
Veritas. Virtus.
Libertas.
Truth. Courage.
Freedom.
Motto of the University of Szeged in Hungary
veritas vit
magistra
Another plaussible translation is 'Truth is Life's Mistress'.

Truth is Life's Teacher. Unofficial Motto of University of Puerto Rico, Ro Piedras,
appearing in its Tower.
veritas vos liberabit
the truth will set you

free
veritate duce
Advancing (with)
Motto of Johns Hopkins University
Motto of University of Arkansas
progredi
Truth Leading.
[in] veritate et
caritate
with truth and love
Motto of Catholic Junior College, Singapore; of St Xavier's

School, Hazaribagh, India
veritate et virtute
with truth and courage
Motto of Sydney Boys High School. Also "virtute et veritate",

motto of Walford Anglican School for Girls.
Under the guidance of

Motto of Institut d'tudes politiques de Lyon, also motto of
Virtute duce comite
valor, accompanied by
the Accorretti family (it)
fortuna
good fortune
veritatem dilexi
I delight in (or, I have

chosen) the truth.
veritatem fratribus to bear witness to the

truth in brotherhood
testari
Motto of Bryn Mawr College
Motto of Xaverian Brothers High School
vero nihil verius
nothing truer than truth Motto of Mentone Girls' Grammar School
vero possumus
Yes, we can
A variation of the campaign slogan used by thenSenator Barack Obama on a Great Seal variation during
the 2008 US presidential campaign.[69][dead link]
versus (vs) or (v.)
towards
Literally "in the direction". Mistakenly used in English as

"against" (probably from "adversus"), particularly to denote
two opposing parties, such as in a legal dispute or a sports
match.
veto
I forbid
The right to unilaterally stop a certain piece of legislation.

Derived from ancient Roman voting practices.
vexilla regis
prodeunt inferni
Used by Dante in Canto XXXIV of the Inferno, the phrase is an

Forth go the banners of allusion to and play upon the Latin Easter hymn Vexilla Regis,
the king of hell
and is itself repeatedly referenced in the works of Walter M.
Miller, Jr.
vi coactus
under constraint
used to indicate an agreement signed under duress
vi et animo
With heart and soul
Or "Strength with Courage". Motto of Ascham School and the

McCulloch clan crest.
vi veri universum
vivus vici
by the power of truth, I,

while living, have
Magickal motto of Aleister Crowley.
conquered the universe
via
by the road
"by way of" or "by means of"; e.g. "I'll contact you via e-mail."
via media
middle road
Can refer to the radical center political stance.
via, veritas, vita
The Way, the Truth

and the Life
From the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John 14:6; motto of

many institutions including Glasgow University.
vice
in place of
"one who acts in place of another"; can be used as a separate

word, or as a hyphenated prefix: "Vice President" and "ViceChancellor".
vice versa
versa vice
with position turned
Thus, "the other way around", "conversely", etc. Historically

and in British English, vice is pronounced as two syllables, but
inAmerican English the one-syllable pronunciation is extremely
common. Classical Latin pronunciation dictates that the letter C
can only make a hard sound, like K, thus vee-keh vehr-sah.
Morever, it also dictates that the letter V, when consonantal,
represents /w/; i.e. in classical times, the V was pronounced like
a W; hence wee-keh wehr-sah.[70]
victoria aut mors
Victory or death!
similar to aut vincere aut mori.
victoria concordia
crescit
Victory comes from

harmony
The official club motto of Arsenal F.C.
victrix causa diis

placuit sed victa
the victorious cause

pleased the gods, but
the conquered cause
For other uses, see vice versa
Lucan, Pharsalia 1, 128. Dedication on the south side of the

Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Catoni
pleased Cato
vide
"see" or "refer to"
vide infra (v.i.)
"see below"
vide supra (v.s.)
"see above"
Or "see earlier in this writing". Also shortened to just supra.
videlicet (viz.)
"namely", "that is to
say", "as follows"
Contraction of videre licet: "permitted to see".
video et taceo
I see and keep silent
The motto of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
I see and approve of

video meliora
proboque deteriora the better, but I follow
the worse
sequor
From the Metamorphoses VII. 2021 of Ovid. A summary of

the experience of akrasia.
video sed non credo
I see it, but I don't

believe it
Caspar Hofmann after being shown proof of the circulatory

system by William Harvey.
videre licet
"it is permitted to see",

"one may see"
vim promovet
insitam
promotes one's innate

power
Motto of University of Bristol taken from Horace Ode 4.4.
vince malum bono
Overcome Evil with

Good
Partial quotation of Romans 12:21 also used as a motto for Old

Swinford Hospital and Bishop Cotton School, Shimla.
vincere scis
Hannibal victoria
uti nescis
you know [how] to

According to Livy, a cavalry colonel told Hannibal this after
win,Hannibal; you do
the victory at Cannae in 216 BC, meaning that Hannibal should
not know [how] to use
have marched on Rome directly.
victory
vincit omnia veritas Truth conquers all
Motto of Augusta State University in Augusta, GA
he conquers who
endures
First attributed to Roman scholar and satirst Persius; frequently

used as motto.
vincit qui se vincit
he/she conquers who

conquers
himself/herself
Motto of many educational institutions. Also "bis vincit qui se

vincit" ("he/she who prevails over himself/herself is twice
victorious"). Also the motto of The Beast in Disney's Beauty
and the Beast as seen on the castle's stained glass window near
the beginning of the film. It is also the motto of North Sydney
Boys High School
vinculum juris
"the chain of the law",

i.e. legally binding
"A civil obligation is one which has a binding operation in law,

vinculum juris." Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 1856, "Obligation."
vinum et musica
laetificant cor
Wine and music

gladden the heart
Asterix and Caesar's Gift; a variation on "vinum bonum

laetificat cor hominis".
vir prudens non

contra ventum
mingit
"[A] wise man does not

urinate [up] against the
wind"
vir visque vir
"Every man a man"
Motto of the U.S. collegiate fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha.
virile agitur
"The manly thing is

being done"
As used in the motto of Knox Grammar School
viriliter agite
"Act in a manly way"
As used in the motto of St Muredach's College
vincit qui patitur
viriliter agite estote "Quit ye like men, be

strong"
fortes
As used in the motto of Culford School
virtus et labor
virtue and hard work
The motto of Don Bosco Liluah, India.
virtus et scientia
virtue and knowledge
Frequently used as a motto, preeminently as that of La Salle
University of Philadelphia, PA.
virtus in media stat
Virtue stands in the

middle.
Idiomatically: Good practice lies in the middle path. There is

disagreement as to whether "media" or "medio" is correct.
virtus junxit mors

non separabit
that which virtue

unites, let not death
separate
Masonic (Scottish Rite) motto
virtus sola nobilitas virtue alone [is] noble
Christian Brothers College, St Kilda's school motto
virtus tentamine
gaudet
Strength rejoices in the

The motto of Hillsdale College.
challenge.
virtus unita fortior
virtue united [is]

stronger
State motto of Andorra.
virtute et armis
by virtue and arms
Or "by manhood and weapons". State motto of Mississippi.

Possibly derived from the motto of Lord Gray De
Wilton, virtute non armis fido ("I trust in virtue, not in arms").
Also virtute et labore, as by manhood and by work motto of
Pretoria Boys High School
vis legis
power of the law
visio dei
Vision of a god
vita ante acta
a life done before
Thus, a previous life, generally due to reincarnation.
vita, dulcedo, spes
[Mary our] life,

sweetness, hope
Motto of University of Notre Dame.
vita incerta, mors

certissima
Life is uncertain, death

In simpler English, "The most certain thing in life is death".
is most certain
vita mutatur, non

tollitur
Life is changed, not

taken away.
The phrase is in the preface of the first Catholic rite of the Mass
for the Dead.
vita patris
During the life of the

father
Hence the term "decessit vita patris" (d.v.p) or "died v.p." seen
in genealogy works such as Burke's Peerage.
vita summa brevis

spem nos vetat
incohare longam
the shortness of life

prevents us from
entertaining far-off
hopes
A wistful refrain, sometimes used ironically. From the first line

of Horace's Ode I; later used as the title of a short poem
by Ernest Dowson.
vitai lampada
tradunt
From Lucretius' poem De rerum natura II.7779; the normal

spelling "vitae" (two syllables) had to be changed to "vita"
They hand on the torch
(three syllables) to fit the requirements of the poem's dactylic
of life
hexameters. Motto of the Sydney Church of England Grammar
School and others.
viva voce
living voice
vivat crescat floreat
may it live, grow, and

flourish!
vivat rex
May the King live!
vive memor leti
live remembering death Persius. Compare with "memento mori"
vive ut vivas
live so that you may

live
The phrase suggests that one should live life to the fullest and
without fear of possible consequences.
vivere est cogitare
to live is to think
Cicero. Compare with "cogito ergo sum".
vivere est vincere
to live is to conquer
Captain John Smith's personal Motto.
vivere militare est
to live is to fight
Seneca (Epist. 96,5). Compare with the allegory of Miles

Christianus based on militia est vita hominis in
An oral, as opposed to a written, examination of a candidate.
Usually translated "Long live the King!" Also Vivat

Regina ("Long live the Queen!").
the Vulgate, Book of Job 7:1.
vocatus atque non called and not called,

vocatus Deus aderit God will be present
or "called and even not called, God approaches"; attributed to

the Oracle at Delphi. Used by Carl Jung as a personal motto
adorning his home and grave.
volenti non fit

injuria
or "to him who consents, no harm is done"; used in tort law to

to one willing, no harm delineate the principle that one cannot be held liable for injuries
is done
inflicted on an individual who has given his consent to the
action that gave rise to the injury.
votum separatum
separate vow
An independent, minority voice.
vox clamantis in
deserto
the voice of one

shouting in the desert
or traditionally, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness";

from the Vulgate, Isaiah 40:3, and quoted by John the Baptist in
theGospels (Mark 1:3 and John 1:23). It is the motto
of Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire.
vox nihili
voice of nothing
Applied to a useless or ambiguous phrase or statement.
vox populi
voice of the people
Short non-prearranged interview with an ordinary person (e.g.

on the street); sometimes shortened to "vox pop".
Notes[edit]
1. Jump up^ William Blakestone. Book 3 Chapter 10: Of Injuries to
Real Property, And First of Dispossession, or Ouster, of The
Freehold footnote 47
a b
2. ^ Jump up to: James T. Bretzke, Consecrated phrases: a Latin
theological dictionary : Latin expressions commonly found in
theological writings (Liturgical Press, 1998), p. 10. ISBN 0-81465880-6, ISBN 978-0-8146-5880-2
3. Jump up^ Peter Jones (2006). Reading Ovid: Stories from the
Metamorphoses. Cambridge University Press. p. 223. ISBN 0-52184901-2.
4. Jump up^ See Google books.
5. Jump up^ Ovidi Nasonis Epistvlae Heroidvm, XIII. Laodamia
Protesilao
6. Jump up^ cacothes. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A
Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
7. Jump up^ . Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A
GreekEnglish Lexicon at thePerseus Project
8. Jump up^ "Epistula XI". Epistularum Q. Horatii Flacci Liber

Primus. The Society for Ancient Languages. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
9. Jump up^ Saint Augustine. "Liber Quartusdecimus". Opera Omnia
of St. Augustine. Rome: Citt Nuova. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
10. Jump up^ "De rosis nascentibus", Bibliotheca Augustina
11. Jump up^ ""Abbreviations"". Yaelf.com. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
12. Jump up^ "Abbreviations", University of Sussex
13. Jump up^ Jon R. Stone, More Latin for the Illiterati, Routledge,
1999, p. 53.
14. Jump up^ Giles Jacob, A Law Grammar, W. Clarke & Sons,
1817, p. 3.
15. Jump up^ http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/miller/history.html
16. Jump up^ Ablative of present participle vivens + pater
17. Jump up^ Actus non facit reum, nisi mens sit rea: An Investigation
into the Treatment of Mens Rea in the Quest to Hold Individuals
Accountable for Genocide Mens Rea: The Mental Element quoting
and citing William A. Schabas, "The Jelisic Case and the Mens
Rea of the Crime of Genocide," Leiden Journal of International Law
14 (2001): 129.
18. Jump up^ Clan Fergus(s)on Society Retrieved on 14 December
2007
19. Jump up^ Sancti Aurelii Augustini Opera, vol. IV, p. 412
20. Jump up^ "University of Minnesota Style Manual: Correct Usage".
.umn.edu. 2010-11-22. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
21. Jump up^ Lee, Chelsea (3 November 2011). "The Proper Use of
Et Al. in APA Style". APA Style. American Psychological
Association.
22. Jump up^ Gray, John (2006), "Lawyer's Latin (a vade-mecum)",
Hale, London, ISBN 9780709082774.
23. Jump up^ "Pliny the Elder: the Natural History, Liber VIII".
Penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
24. Jump up^ Exempli gratia (e.g.) and id est (i.e.) are commonly
confused and misused in colloquial English. The former, exempli
gratia, means "for example", and is used before giving examples of
something ("I have lots of favorite colors, e.g., blue, green, and hot
pink"). The latter, id est, means "that is", and is used before
clarifying the meaning of something, when elaborating, specifying,
or explaining rather than when giving examples ("I have lots of
favorite colors; i.e., I can't decide on just one"). In British style, the
stops may be omitted: "I have lots of favourite colours, eg blue,
green and hot pink". "I have lots of favourite colours; ie I can't
decide on just one"
25. Jump up^ American style guides tend to recommend that "e.g."
and "i.e." should generally be followed by a comma, just as "for
example" and "that is" would be; UK style tends to omit the
comma. See Dictionary.com and their discussion of commas for
more information. Search "comma after i.e." for other opinions.
26. Jump up^ Rapini, Ronald P. (2005). Practical dermatopathology.
Elsevier Mosby. ISBN 0-323-01198-5.
27. Jump up^ Webb-Johnson AE (May 1950). "Experientia
docet". Rev Gastroenterol 17 (5): 33743.PMID 15424403.
28. Jump up^ Boswell, James (1768). An Account of Corsica: The
Journal of a Tour to that Island; and Memoirs of Pascal
Paoli (second ed.). London: Edward and Charles Dilly. p. 10.
29. Jump up^ The Diwan of Abu'l-Ala at Project Gutenberg

30. Jump up^ Rutilius Namatianus: De reditu suo, Liber primus at The
Latin Library
31. Jump up^ Jon R. Stone (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Latin
Quotations. Routledge NY. p. 253. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
32. Jump up^ Gravis Dulcis Immutabilis at classicpoetryaloud.com
33. Jump up^ P. Ovidius Naso: Epistulae Ex Ponto, Liber Quartus, X.
Albinovano at The Latin Library
34. Jump up^ Res Rusticae De agri cultura
35. Jump up^ Does a comma go after i.e. or e.g.?, Dictionary.com
Word FAQs
36. Jump up^ I.e. Versus E.g., QuickAndDirtyTips.com
37. Jump up^ "Ite Missa Est" from the Catholic Encyclopedia
38. Jump up^ http://education.tas.edu.au/princesstreetprimary
39. Jump up^ School of General Studies at a glance
40. Jump up^ Home page of St. Julian's School
41. Jump up^ Harbottle, Thomas Benfield (1906). Dictionary of
Quotations (Classical). The Macmillan Co.
42. Jump up^ The Latin Library: SVETONI TRANQVILII VITA DIVI
CLAVDI
43. Jump up^ Larry D. Benson, ed. The Riverside Chaucer. 3rd ed.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987. p. 939, n. 3164.
44. Jump up^ LXVI. "De Natura Deorum". http://archive.org.
Cambridge University Press. 1880.
45. Jump up^ Chamberlin, Yves. "Omnia Extares, seriously?". Cooper
Point Journal. Archived fromthe original on 2012-08-27. Retrieved
2012-07-29.
46. Jump up^ Rosenow, Ty (2009-06-01). "Myths Unveiled: The
Social History of The Evergreen State College" (Unpublished
manuscript). The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA. Archived
from the original on 2010-07-28.
47. Jump up^ "Masonic mottoes"
48. Jump up^ St Mark's Square
49. Jump up^ Trademark registration
50. Jump up^ Solodow, Joseph Latin Alive: The Survival of Latin in
English and the Romance Languages, Cambridge University
Press, 2010 p.160 "out of the phrase posse comitatus the force of
the county arose our present use of posse for a group of men
whom the sheriff calls upon in a crisis."
51. Jump up^ Kinsey, Alfred Charles (1998) [1953]. Sexual Behavior
in the Human Female. Indiana University Press. p. 638. ISBN 9780-253-33411-4. (Kinsey Reports)
52. Jump up^ Hibbard, Howard (1991). Bernini. New York: Penguin.
p. 78. ISBN 978-0-14-013598-5.
53. Jump up^ Blakesley, Christopher L. (2009). "18. Jurisdiction
Ratione Personae or the personal reach of the courts
jurisdiction". The Legal Regime of the International Criminal Court.
Martinus Nijhoff. pp. 421454. ISBN 9789004180635.
54. Jump up^ "228 (227, 193): To Theo van Gogh. The Hague, on or
about Tuesday, 16 May 1882. - Vincent van Gogh Letters".
Vangoghletters.org. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
55. Jump up^ E.H. Gifford. "Eusebius of Caesarea: Praeparatio

Evangelica (Preparation for the Gospel). Tr. E.H. Gifford (1903) Book 6". Tertullian.org. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
56. Jump up^ John Nery. "The Jesuits' Fault". Philippine Daily
Inquirer.
57. Jump up^ "Glory In Stability And Moderation". Retrieved 21 June
2013.
58. Jump up^ Quintus Horatius Flaccus (14 BC). "Q. Horati Flacci
Epistvlarvm Liber Secvndvs" (in Latin). The Latin Library. Retrieved
10 September 2008.
59. Jump up^ "Osborne Wrigley-Pimley-McKerr III", United States
Heraldic Registry
60. Jump up^ Column 1532, Lords Hansard, 21 January 1998
61. Jump up^ Michael Bush, "Calvin and the Reformanda Sayings", in
Herman J. Selderhuis, ed.,Calvinus sacrarum literarum interpres:
Papers of the International Congress on Calvin
Research (Gttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008) p.
286. ISBN 978-3-525-56914-6
62. Jump up^ Hildebrand, J. H. and Scott, R. L. (1950),The Solubility
of Nonelectrolytes, 3rd ed.,American Chemical Society Monograph
No. 17, Reinhold Publishing Corporation.
63. Jump up^ "Spartam nactus es; hanc exorna", note
from Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790) by Edmund
Burke
64. Jump up^ "University motto". Cayetano-pae.org. 1989-10-14.
Retrieved 2012-01-03.
65. Jump up^ "Augustini Sermo LXXVI". Hiphi.ubbcluj.ro. Retrieved
2012-01-03.
66. Jump up^ The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus by Christopher
Marlowe (at Wikisource)
67. Jump up^ "Czech Brewery Rakovnk The Brewery".
Rakovnikbeer.cz. 1906-04-01. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
68. Jump up^ "Trans-Lex.org" (in (German)). Trans-Lex.org. 1991-0527. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
69. Jump up^ Image at York University, Department of Languages,
Literatures & Linguistics.
70. Jump up^ Covington, Michael A. (December 31, 2005). "Latin
Pronunciation Demystified".Program in Linguistics. University of
Georgia.
References[edit]
Adeleye, Gabriel G. (1999). World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions.

Ed. Thomas J. Sienkewicz and James T. McDonough, Jr. Wauconda,
IL: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0865164223.
Hardon, John, Fr. Modern Catholic Dictionary.
Stone, Jon R. (1996). Latin for the Illiterati. London & New York:
Routledge. ISBN 0415917751.
[hide]
V
T
Latin phrases
Latin phrases
Others
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
Complete list
Latin abbreviations
Latin words with English derivatives
Legal Latin terms
English words from Latin verb forms
Latin proverbs
Categories:
Lists of Latin phrases
Navigation menu
Create account
Log in
Read
Edit
View history
Go
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Article
Talk
Wikimedia Shop
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Create a book
Download as PDF
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Data item
Cite this page

Print/export
Printable version
Languages

Romn
Edit links
This page was last modified on 26 January 2014 at 20:51.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional

terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit
organization.
Privacy policy
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Contact Wikipedia
Developers
Mobile view
Latin Word List Latin Words A

through Z
Below is a list of Latin Words filtered by their first letter
Latin words are the foundation of most all modern languages. Think about it, without Latin where
would you be, you wouldn't have nearly half the words in the modern English dictionary. So then you
ask, "well if Latin words served as the foundation for modern language, what's the point of knowing it?"
- Answer: Too many to list! Here are the most popular reasons to utilize the Latin vocabulary:
o
o
o
o
o
Crossword puzzles and Scrabble

Creating a unique domain name and/or business name
Sounding intelligent in conversations
Impress the opposite sex with your cultured dialect
Growing your vocabulary in general
Share this great Latin Word resource with others AND don't forget
to Bookmark Us
Latin words that start with A
Addo
to give, bring, place, / inspire, cause, / add, join
Animus
courage, vivacity, bravery, will, spirit, soul
Adficio
to affect, afflict, weaken, sap, exhaust, drain
Adhuc
till then, till now, still, even now, besides, also, yet
Aequus Equus
level, even, calm, equal, favorable, just
Alo (alui Altum)

nourish, cherish, support, sustain, maintain, keep
Agnosco
to know again, recognize, report, understand, admit
Animus
character, intellect, memory, consciousness, often mind
Attero
to weaken, ruin, rub against, rub away, erode
Adflicto Affligo
to injure, weaken, discourage, damage, break
Amplitudo
size, breadth, dignity, grandeur, greatness
Attero
destroy, waste, weaken, impair
Auxilium
aid, help, assistance, support
Autem
moreover, however, but, also
Acquiro
to acquire, gain, get, obtain
Antepono
(+ dat) put before, prefer, favor, promote
Acer
sharp, keen, eager, severe, fierce
Arx Arcis
citadel, stronghold, fortress, keep, donjon
Autus
increase, enlargement, growth
Amo
to love, like, be fond of, cherish
Attollo
to raise, lift up, elevate / excite, exalt
Aperio
to uncover, lay bare, reveal, make clear
Adeo
to approach, visit, come to, undertake
Amplexus
amplio : to enlarge, increase, improve
Adfero Affero
to cause, bring about, contribute
Agnosco
to recognize, understand, perceive
Accipio
to consider oneself indebted, receive, learn, take
Adduco
to lead, induce, persuade
Abduco
to lead, or take away / detach, withdraw
Adepto
to obtain, get, acquire
Arguo
to show, make clear, attempt to show
Aptus
suitable, appropriate, fitting
Adiuvo
to help, aid, assist
Animadverto
to turn the mind to, take notice of, see, perceive
View more latin words that start with A
Latin words that start with B
Bellus
beautiful, pretty, charming, handsome
Bibo
to drink, quaff
Berlinmonte
Berlaimont, near Le Quesnoy
Beneficium
benefit, favor, service, privilege, right
Beatus
blessed, fortunate, sometimes "saint"
Blanditia
blandishments, attractions, allurement, charm
Bene Melior Optime

well, better, best
Bonus Melior Optimus

good, better, best
Benevolentia
benevolence, kindness, good will
Bardus
stupid, slow, dull
Bellicus
martial, military, war-like
Brevis
short, small, brief
Brocherota
Broqueroi
Breviter
briefly
Brevitas
shortness, brevity
Benigne
kindly, generously
Bellum
war
Bestia
animal, beast
Bos (bovis )
cow, ox, bull
Brachants
Brabant
Brabatensium
Brabant
Bis
twice
Blesense
Blois
Basium
kiss
Blandior
to flatter, caress, (+ dat) coax
Barba
beard, whiskers
Balbus
stammering, stuttering, fumbling
Baiulus
porter, pall-bearer, carrier of a burden
Boloniense
Bouillon
View more latin words that start with B
Latin words that start with C
Constituo
to arrange, decide, appoint, settle, found, set up
Consumo
to spend, employ, use up, finish, waste away, destroy
Consilium
advice, suggestion, wisdom, plan, purpose, judgment
Cogito
to think, ruminate, ponder, consider, plan
Contineo
to keep in, surround, contain, confine, include
Constituo
to set up, place, establish, post, station
Concedo
to concede, yield, allow, grant, withdraw, give up
Contineo
to touch, reach, grasp, affect, infect
Consulo
to reflect, consider, ponder, reflect
Coerceo
surround, enclose, restrain, confine
Clarus
clear, bright / renowned, famous, illustrious
Cupido
passion, desire, wanting, yearning, longing
Corrumpo
to break up, destroy, annihilate / spoil, weaken
Conspicio
to catch sight of, perceive, behold, understand
Conservo
to preserve, conserve, maintain, keep, hold to
Casso
to bring to naught, destroy, annul, make void
Cresco (cretum)
to grow, increase, expand
Comminuo
to scatter, weaken, damage
Commodum
suitable time, opportunity, convenience, use
Commisceo
to intermingle, join, mix
Crebro
repeatedly, often, one after the other, time after time
Cum
(with subjunctive) when, as, while, since, although
Condico
to agree, fix, settle, make arrangements
Cohibeo
confine, restrain, hold back, repress
Commodum
convenience, advantage, opportunity, comfort
Celeritas
speed, swiftness, rapidity, quickness
Circumvenio
to come around, surround, cheat, defraud
Certo
to contend, settle, dispute, to settle by combat
Conscientia
conscience, consciousness, knowledge
Contego
to cover, shield, protect, defend
Constringo Constrixi Constrictum

to bind, confine, restrain
Cerno
to separate, sift, distinguish / decide, resolve, determine
Capio
to seize, take, choose / attack, injure / comprehend
Colo Colui Cultum

cultivate, cherish
View more latin words that start with C
Latin words that start with D
Decorus
beautiful, graceful, charming, proper, fit, becoming
Do Dare Dedi Datum

to give, offer, convey, offer, donate, furnish
Decretum
decree, judgment, edict, order
Dignitas
merit, worth, prestige, dignity
Duco
to lead, draw, esteem, consider
Duco
to charm, influence, mislead, draw in
Duco
to lead on the march, marry a wife, command
Defero
to hand over, carry down, communicate, offer, refer
Donum
gift, present, donation
Deinde
next, then, thereafter, from that place
Dexter
right, on the right
Defluo
to flow down, waste, disappear
Defendo
to defend, ward off, protect, shelter
Dico
(dictum ) to say, tell, speak, name, call, pronounce
Detrimentum
damage, loss, detriment
Dimitto
to break up, dismiss, leave, abandon
Discedo (discessum )
to break up, depart, go away, pass away
Diripio
to separate, tear apart / pillage, devastate, lay waste
Directus
plain, simple, direct, open, straightforward
Denuncio
declare, give notice, announce
Dilato
to spread out, extend, expand, increase
Diruo
to demolish, destroy, ruin
Duco
to calculate, count, reckon, esteem, considered
Duco
to draw, shape, construct / (time) spend, delay
Send Large Files For Free - Unlimited usage - 2GB max per file - No Login Required
Dilabor
to break up, scatter, dissolve, slip away, fall apart
Dedecus
shame, dishonor, disgrace, crime, dishonorable act
Demonstro
to indicate, show, describe, explain
Dominatus
rule, mastery, tyranny, domination
Debilito
to weaken, enervate, sap, exhaust
Deficio (defectum)
to fail, to weaken, to be in want
Dido Dididi Didtum

to separate, divide, distribute
Delectatio
delight, pleasure, enjoyment
Desino
cease, stop, end, desist
Denique
at last, finally, again, in short
View more latin words that start with D
Latin words that start with E
Exhibeo Exibeo
to produce, show, display, offer, allow, cause
Exhibeo
to show, present, allow, display, present, offer
Exigo
complete, finish, determine, decide, settle
Exitus
going out, going forth, exit, end, finish
Excellentia
excellence, merit, worth
Effero Extuli Elatum

to carry out, bury, lift up, exalt
Expleo Explevi Expletum

to fill, fill up, complete, finish
Expugno
to capture, overcome, subdue, take by storm, gain
Eo Ire Itum
to go, advance, proceed, travel, move along, progress
Egredior
to go out, leave, depart, exit
Exsequor
to maintain, keep up, carry out, fulfill, accomplish
Eximius
extraordinary, excellent, fine, superb
Expedio
to release, set free, clear, set straight
Eximo
to free, release, take out, remove, waste
Exigo
drive out, force out, exact, demand, sell
Exsequor
to execute, avenge, punish / relate, describe, explain
Expedio
to free from a snare, disentangle, set free, ready
Experior (experiri Expertus )

to try, test, experience, prove
Eventus
consequence, issue, result, occurrence, experience
Efficio
to do, produce, effect, make / bring about, cause / prove
Exquisitus
sought after, exquisite, excellent, fine, delicate
Excolo
to honor (a deity), polish, adorn, refine, serve
Excito
call forth, bring about, wake, raise up
Effectus
doing, execution, performance, effect, result
Extollo
to lift up, raise up, erect / elevate, exalt
Exsto
to stand out, be extant, appear, project, show itself
Exorior
to rise, spring up, issue, appear, come forward
Expono (exposui Expositum )

to set forth, explain, expose
Excessum
departure, death, digression
Evoco
to draw out, draw on, produce, recall to the colors
Expello (expuli Expulsum )

to drive out, expel, force out, banish
Emineo
to stand out, project, be remarkable, conspicuous
Expeto
to demand, require / desire, strive after, make for
Exsertus Exertus
project, thrust forward
View more latin words that start with E
Latin words that start with F
Facultas
power, means, opportunity, capacity, ability, stock
Flatus
blowing, blast, breathing, arrogance, haughtiness
Fatigo
worry, fatigue, vex, harass, tease
Faveo
(+ dat) be favorable to, aid, support, help
Facio
to sacrifice, suit, help, be of service
Felix Felicis
lucky, fortunate, happy
Fortunatus
fortunate, lucky, happy
Fatum
fate, destiny, doom, lot, weird
Ferus
fierce, wild, savage, untamed
Fateor
to confess, admit, allow, reveal, make known
Facundia Facultas
feasibility, opportunity, resources, abundance
Facina -oris
bad deed, crime, villainy / deed, action
Festinatio
speed, haste
Fortuna
fortune, luck, fate, chance
Fidelis
faithful, loyal, true
Fors Fortis
chance, luck, fortune
Facio
(trans) to make, do, act, perform, cause, bring about
Fides
promise, assurance, word of honor, engagement
Forma
form, shape, beauty
Fundo
(milit) to rout, scatter, defeat, put to flight
Firmus
firm, strong, reliable, solid
Fides
trust, confidence, reliance, belief, faith
Fero Tuli Latum

to carry, bring, tell, relate, and much else
Fortitudo
physical strength, courage, moral bravery
Fama
talk, report, rumor, tradition
Factum
deed, accomplishment, work, act, achievement
Fructus Fructus
fruit, profit, enjoyment, produce
Fortis
strong, brave
Fungor Fungi Functus

to occupy oneself, perform, do, execute
Fugio
to flee, escape, run away / avoid, shun
Formo
to shape, form, fashion
Frustra
in vain, mistakenly, wantonly, without reason
Furor
madness, rage, frenzy
Fimus
dung, dirt, filth, manure
View more latin words that start with F
Latin words that start with G
Grassor
go about, go ahead, proceed, attack
Gaudium
joy, delight, happiness
Gregatim
adv, In flocks, herds, troops, crowds
Gens
clan, race, nation, people, tribe
Gratia
gratitude, favor
Gratia
(in the abl) on account of
Gregatim
in troops, or crowds
Gratia
in order to, for the sake of, to
Gravitas
weight, seriousness, dignity, importance
Genus
kind, sort, class, category
Gero
to carry, bear, wear / bear, give birth to / to carry about
Gigno
to bring forth, bear, beget, father
Gravatus
sick, oppressed, ill
Gravis
heavy, weighty, serious, important / severe, grievous
Gravo
to oppress, burden, make suffer
Gesto
to carry, bear about
Gestum
carriage, bearing / having borne
Gestum
carrying about, conduct (oneself)
Gladius
sword
Gloria
fame, renown, glory
Glacialis
icy, frozen, full of ice
Gemo
to sigh, groan, wail
Gusto
to taste
Gratus
pleasing, agreeable / grateful
Graviter
heavily, seriously
Gratulor
to wish a person joy, congratulate (+dat),give thanks
Grando Onis
hailstorm
Galea
helmet
Gratia Agere
(+ dat) to thank
Glorior
to glory, boast, pride oneself
Gandavum
Ghent
Gemblacensis
Gembloux
View more latin words that start with G
Latin words that start with H
Haud
no, not at all, by no means
Honor
honor, esteem, public office
Hesito (haesito)
to be unsure, uncertain, wavering
Humus
ground, earth, soil / land, country
Hic Haec (hec ) Hoc

this, the latter / he, she, it
His
(neut pl dat) Listen TO THESE (orders)
His
(fem pl abl) A life is enriched BY THESE (friendships)
Hospes
guest, host, stranger
Humanitas
kindness, culture, refinement
Hoc
(neut sing nom) THIS (monastery) is well-built
Hac
this side, this way, here
Huic
(fem sing dat) There is a statue IN THIS (abbey)
His
(fem pl dat) She gave her property TO THESE (churches)
Hortor
exhort, incite, encourage
Habeo Habui Habitum

to have, hold, possess / consider, regard
Hoc
(neut sing acc) Break THIS! (fetter)
Hoc
(neut sing abl) Do not hesitate BECAUSE OF THIS! (doubt)
Huius
(fem sing gen) They are fond OF THIS (change)
Hic
(masc nom sing) THIS (house) is filthy
Hereditas
inheritance, often simply "property"
Humilis
lowly, humble
Hortus Ortus
garden / pl grounds, park
Hos
(masc pl acc) They burned THESE (houses) to the ground
Hordeum Ordeum
barley
Hi
(masc pl nom) THESE (men) are loyal to the king
Has
(fem pl acc) They gave THESE (their lives) for the Faith
Hunc
(masc sing acc) He ate THIS (fruit)
Hanc
(fem sing acc) She wasted THIS (her youth)
Hunnam
Bunna
Hostis
an enemy of the state
Honorabilis
respectful
Hodiernus
of today
Heniis Harniis
Hames
Hoienses
Huy, Belgium, between Liege and Namur
View more latin words that start with H
Latin words that start with I
Impedio
entangle, ensnare, obstruct, surround, hinder, prevent
Iam
moreover, henceforth, indeed, just, further
Inritus Irritus
void, invalid, in vain, useless, ineffectual
Irritus
vain, useless, ineffectual, of not effect
Irritus
undecided, void, unfixed, of no effect
Iam
now, by now, already / presently, immediately, soon
Iudicium
judgment, decision, opinion, trial
Iacio
to throw, cast, hurl, lay, scatter, diffuse
Impetus
attack, onset, rapid motion / impulse, passion, force
Invado
to assail, usurp, seize, attack, fall upon
Iustus
just, right, equitable
Inanis
empty, vain, inane
Induco Indux Inductum

to lead in, introduce, induce, influence
Iudico
to judge, consider
Imperium
power to command, authority, command, rule, control
Intumesco
to swell up, increase, swell with anger
Insequor
to follow, pursue, assail, reproach, rebuke, attack
Importo
to bring in, introduce, import / bring upon, cause
Induco
bring in, introduce, induce, persuade / decide
Indo (past Indidi)

to establish, cause, occasion
Impetro
to get, accomplish, effect, obtain (by asking)
Iuvo
to help, aid, assist / to please
Incurro
to run into, assail, attack, raid into, come upon
Idoneus
proper, worthy, fitting, deserving, capable
Improbus
inferior, bad, wicked, persistent, perverse, bold
Ille Illa Illud

that, the former, the famous / he, she, it
Iniuria
injury, damage, hurt / injustice, wrong
Instruo
to built in, set up, construct, furnish / train
Intellego Intellexi Intellectum

to understand, comprehend, see
Interficio Interfeci Interfectum

to kill, murder, slay
Igitur
therefore, consequently, for this reason
Inclutus / Inclitus
celebrated, famous, renowned
Ita
so, thus
Impendeo
to hang over, threaten, menace, be imminent
View more latin words that start with I
Latin words that start with J
Judicium
trial, legal investigation, judgement, decision
Jaculum
dart, javelin
Juvenis
young man, youth
Jugis
adj continual, ceaseless, perennial, constant
Juventus
the age of youth (20-40 years)
Jumentum
draft animal
Jugiter
continually, perpetually, constantly / instantly
View more latin words that start with J
Latin words that start with L
Laedo Ledo
strike, hit, hurt, damage, offend, annoy, violate
Levo
to raise, lift up / relieve, ease / diminish, weaken, impair
Laetificus Letificus
gladdening, joyous, spreading happiness
Levis
light, slight, trivial / beardless, bald / light-armed
Libero
to set free, deliver, liberate, release / exempt
Leviculus
empty-headed, vain, silly
Liber Libera Liberum

free, independent, unrestricted
Laevus Levus
foolish, silly / unlucky, unpropitious
Laqueus
snare, trap, noose
Lamia
witch, vampire
Laboro
(trans) work out, prepare, arrange, form, elaborate
Laboro
(intrans) to work, toil, suffer, be afflicted, be troubled
Lepidus
charming, witty, pleasant, elegant
Letum
death, ruin, annihilation
Locus
place, location, situation, spot
Lepor Lepos
charm, wit, elegance
Labor Laboris
labor, work, toil
Lucrum
gain, profit
Lego
to gather, choose, collect, pass through, read,
Lucror
to gain, profit, win
Labes Labis
stain, blemish, disgrace, infamy / misfortune
Levidensis
thin, slight, poor
Loquor Locutus
to say, speak, tell
Labefacto
to weaken, disturb / shake violently
Levamentum
comfort, easing, alleviation, consolation
Lex Legis
law, statute / covenant, agreement
Leto
to kill, slay
Lapsus
fall, fault, error, sliding, graduate movement
Letalis
mortal, deadly, fatal
Lenimentus
alleviation, improvement, mitigation
Letifer
deadly, mortal
Laevus Levus
the left hand, left side, left-handed
Labefacio Labefeci Labefactum

to shake, loosen / impair
Lacus
a hollow / lake, pool, pond, trough, tank, tub
View more latin words that start with L
Latin words that start with M
Malum
evil, misfortune, misdeed, crime, injury, damage
Mos Moris
will, inclination / custom, wont, usage, rule
Modo
now, just now, only
Maneo
to remain, stay, stay the night, last, endure, abide by
Macto
to magnify, glorify, honor / slay, fight, punish, afflict
Mereo
deserve, gain, obtain, serve as a soldier
Mansuetus
mild, soft, gentle
Macero
to soften, weaken, reduce, torment
Mundus
clean, neat, elegant
Moveo Moti Motum

to move, arouse, affect, influence
Meditor Meditatus
to reflect upon, consider, ponder / practice
Munero / Munerior
to give, present
Mando
to commit, entrust, order, command
Mores Morium
ways, conduct, character, morals
Memoria
memory, remembrance, recall, recollection
Monstro
to show, appoint, point out, ordain
Morsus
a biting, bite, also, sting, pain
Muto
punish, fine, mulct
Molior
to build, erect, construct, contrive, toil, struggle
Malus Peior Pessimus

bad, wicked, evil
Metus
fear, dread, anxiety
Mox
soon, presently, then, thereupon
Mutatio
change, alteration, transformation
Macula
stain, mark, spot / blemish, fault, flaw
Mandatum
order, decree, mandate, instruction
Mora
delay
Munus Muneris
service, office, function, duty / gift
Male Peius Pessime

badly, ill, wrongly
Ministro
to serve, wait upon, provide, supply
Munio
to fortify, defend, protect / build a road
Mactabilis
deadly, lethal
Multus
much, great
Maeror Meror
mourning, grief, sorrow
Macellarius
butcher, slaughter-house
View more latin words that start with M
Latin words that start with N
Novus
novel, unusual, extraordinary / news, novelty, a new thing
Nusquam
nowhere, in no place, nothing, for nothing, never
Nutus
a nodding, nod, command, will
Novus
new, fresh, young, inexperienced, revived, refreshed
Novitas
newness, novelty, strangeness
Nunc
now, at the present time
Nutrio
to suckle, nourish, bring up, rear
Nota
mark, token, note, sign
Numerus
total, category, class, number
Nequaquam
by no means, not at all
Narro
to make known, say, speak, narrate
Nimirum
of course, undoubtedly, certainly (sometimes ironical)
Nutus
a nod, command, will / gravitation, movement down
Nitor
to strive, exert oneself, make an effort, persevere
Nitor
brilliance, brightness, glow, elegance, splendor
Nuntio
to announce, report, relate
Nitor
to rest, lean, support oneself / trust in, depend upon
Novo
to make anew, refresh, revive, change, alter, invent
Nocens
bad, wicked, injurious, culpable, evil
Niteo
to shine, glitter, be bright, glow, be sleek, flourish
Neco
to kill, slay, put to death
Nefas
wrong, sin
Negotium
employment, business, task, occupation, pains
Natio
nation, people
Nequitia Nequities
worthlessness, badness, wickedness
No (nare Navi)
to swim, float, fly, sail
Niveus
white, snowy
Nuntius
messenger, message
Natura
nature
Nutrimens
food, nourishment
Nimis
(adv) too much, overmuch, excessively
Nimium
(adv) too much, overmuch, excessively
Nullus
not any, no, none
Nemo
no one, nobody
View more latin words that start with N
Latin words that start with O
Obduro
to be hard, persist, endure, last, hold out
Ordinatio
rule, government, order, arrangment, regulation
Officium
duty, service, job
Ostendo
show, reveal, present, make plain, declare
Offero
to bring forward, place before, present, offer, expose
Obtineo
to hold, keep, possess, maintain / to continue
Opinio
opinion, report, rumor, conjecture, report
Ops Singular
power, power to aid, power to help
Oppugno
to fight against, attack, assault, assail
Occurro
to fall upon, attack, work against, counteract
Opes
(pl) means, wealth, abundance, riches, resources
Oportunitas
convenience, fitness, advantage, opportunity
Occupo
to take possession, grasp, seize, enjoy, get a start on
Otium
free time, leisure, ease, peace, repose
Opus Operis
work, labor, work done, completed work, building
Opera
work, pains, labor
Omnino
altogether, entirely, wholly, certainly, completely
Obstinatus
firm, resolved, staunch
Operor
to work, labor, toil, take pains
Opportunus
opportune, fit, convenient, suitable
Olim
at that time, formerly, once, for a long time now
Onero
to load, burden, oppress, fill up
Opportunitas
fitness, suitability, convenience, advantage
Orno
to equip, furnish, supply / decorate, adorn
Oro
to speak, argue, plead, orate, beg, entreat
Obsequium
indulgence, pliancy, submission
Onus
load, burden, weight, trouble / charge, public road tax
Opportunus
fit, suitable / (time) favorable / (+dat) liable to
Omnis
all, every
Obtestor
to implore, entreat, beg, call as a witness
Otium
ease, leisure, inactivity
Ornatus
dress, attire, equipment, ornament, embellishment
Oratio
speech, address, oration
Occido Occidi Occasum
to fall, fall down, (for the sun) to set
View more latin words that start with O
Latin words that start with P
Puto
to clear, settle up, consider, think, believe, suppose, judge
Plenus
full, complete, full, satisfied, rich, mature, plump
Praesto Presto
to do, perform, display, fulfill, offer, present
Praeda Preda
plunder, booty, spoils of war, loot, gain, prey
Perdo
to destroy, ruin, waste, scatter, squander
Pendo
to weigh, value, consider, judge, esteem
Proficio
advance, assist, help, aid, be of use
Prope
near, nearly, not far from, just now, closely
Progressus
advance, going forward, increase, a royal circuit
Proventus
a growing up, increase, crop, yield, or issue
Prohibeo
to prevent, hinder, restrain, prohibit, forbid
Pertinax
persistent, firm, mean, stubborn, obstinate
Percipio Percepi Perceptum

to gain, learn, perceive, understand
Praeclarus Preclarus
excellent, famous, beautiful, striking
Pulcher Pulchra Pulchrum

beautiful, handsome, fine
Placitum
judgment, case / plea, litigation / defense
Perfectus
complete, finished, done / perfect, without flaw
Progredior
to go forth, advance, proceed, go out
Prehendo
to seize, snatch, grasp, detain, arrest
Pessum Do
to destroy, ruin, wreck
Progressio
advance, progress, increase
Peracto
to carry through, complete, accomplish
Procedo
to go ahead, proceed, advance, continue
Praesentia Presencia
power, effect
Propono
display, publish, relate, tell, propose, promise
Patior
to suffer, endure, permit
Proveho
to carry on, carry forward, advance, promote,
Positus
position, place, arrangment
Pono Posui Positum

to lay, place, put, set / (milit) post, station
Patrocinor
to protect, defend, support, patronize
Potestas
power, ability, authority / opportunity
Prudentia
foresight, wisdom, discretion
Polleo
to be strong, powerful, able
Prohibitio
prohibition, restrain, forbidding
View more latin words that start with P
Latin words that start with Q
Quasi
as if, just as, just as if, as it were / a sort of
Qualiter
as, just as
Quies Quietis
quiet, rest, peace
Quatenus / Quatinus
since, as, in order that, that
Quod
(beginning sentence) and, but, now
Quod
because, whereas, the point that, the fact that
Quaero Quero
to miss, want / seek to know / obtain, get
Quippe
certainly, to be sure, indeed, of course
Quoniam
since, whereas, because
Quatenus / Quatinus
how far, to what extent, where, seeing that
Quin
but come now, rather, indeed,
Quandoquidem
since, because
Quod
(with time) since, as far as, to the extent that
Quin Etiam
why even, in fact, moreover
Quibus
(masc pl abl) his sons, BY WHOM he was attacked when old
Quaero Quero
to seek, search for / ask, enquire, search for
Qui Quae Que Quod

which, what, that
Quoque
also, too
Quondam
formerly, once, at one time, erstwhile
Quaestus Questus
profit, a source of profit, gaining, getting
Quasso
to shake violently, shake to pieces, break, shatter
Quaestuosus Questuosus
profitable, fond of gain, rich
Quid (neut Of Quis )

what
Quamquam
nevertheless, and yet (beginning a sentence) / though
Quaesitio Quesitio
investigation, interrogation
Quantus Quantus
as great as, as much as
Quantum
how much?, how much!, as much as
Quereia Querella
complaint, complaining
Quilibet
anyone, anything
Quisquam
anyone, anything
Quare
wherefore, why, because of which thing
Queribundus
complaining, plaintive, whining
Quantuscumque Quantacumque Quantumcumque

however great
Querimonia
complaint, a charge in court
View more latin words that start with Q
Latin words that start with R
Rectus
right, correct, proper, upright, natural, plain
Reddo
to repeat, recite, represent, imitate, pay up, deliver
Reddo
to give back, restore, return, answer, translate, render
Reprehendo
to blame, reprove, refute, hold back, check, catch
Ratio
system, manner, method, procedure, manner
Requiro
to ask for, look for, demand, desire, miss
Rubor
redness, blush, modesty, shame, disgrace
Repeto
to return to, begin again, deduce, recall, recollect
Retineo
to hold back, restrain, detain, keep, maintain
Ratio
reckoning, account / reason, judgment, consideration
Reperio
to get again, find, ascertain, discover, invent
Relaxo
to loosen, enlarge, relax, ease, lighten
Recolo
reflect upon, consider, recall
Repleo
to replenish, fill up, fill up again, fill, satisfy
Repens
sudden, unexpected, fresh, recent
Res Rei
thing, matter, business, affair
Renuntio
to declare, announce, report, give notice
Rectum
virtue, right
Recordatio
recollection, memory, recall
Rumor
rumor, gossip
Rideo Risi Risum

to laugh at, laugh
Regnum
rule, authority, kingdom, realm
Recognosco
to recognize, recollect, recall
Recolo
to recall, reflect upon, rework, resume, rehabilitate
Rudimentum
trial, attempt, essay
Recro
to recreate, restore, revive
Recedo
to go back, retreat, retire, disappear
Rapio Rapui Ratum

to seize, snatch, carry away
Reverto
to go back, return, revert
Remaneo
to remain behind, stay, continue
Restituo
restore, put back, replace, reinstate, repair
Recipio Recepi Receptum

to go back, retire, recede, retreat
Recordor
to remember, think of, recollect, ponder over
Redeo
to go back, come back, return / (revenue) to come in
View more latin words that start with R
Latin words that start with S
Suscipio
to raise up, maintain, support, accept, receive, undertake
Super
(adv) over, above, besides, beyond, moreover, remaining
Solvo
to loosen, untie, release, free, dissolve, break up
Servo
to watch over, keep, protect, observe, save, reserve
Singularis
alone, unique, extraordinary, individual, singular
Scisco
investigate, ask, inquire / vote, ordain, resolve
Sino
allow, suffer, permit, let
Sentio
feel, perceive, experience, hold an opinion,
Somnium
dream, fancy, day-dream / foolishness, nonsense
Scelus Sceleris
crime, sin, evil deed, wickedness
Saluto
to wish well, greet, visit, reverence, pay respect to
Speciosus
beautiful, handsome, imposing / specious plausible
Securus
safe, secure, free from care, unworried, unconcerned
Sepelio
to ruin, destroy, bury
Silentium
silence, stillness, quiet, repose, obscurity
Sicut
as, just as, as it were, (+verb in subj) just as if
Suffragium
vote, franchise / approval support, aid, assistance
Salus
health, safety, well-being, salvation / salutation
Siquidem
since, indeed
Sentio
to judge, suppose, vote
Subvenio
to come to the aid, succor, relieve, help, assist
Succurro
to run up under / aid, assist, help
Sane
rationally, sensibly, really, indeed, to be sure
Subiungo
to yoke beneath, join, attach, subdue, subjugate
Solus
alone, only, the only
Similis
similar, like, resembling
Sanitas
health, soundness of mend, sanity
Statuo
to cause to stand, establish, place, set up
Sustineo
to hold up, sustain, endure
Sermo
talk, common talk, rumor, report, discussion
Suggero
to bring up, supply, provide, add, attach place next
Salvus
safe, sound
Spargo Sparsi Sparsum

scatter, strew, spread
Sic
so, thus / yes, that is so, that is right
View more latin words that start with S
Latin words that start with T
Tribuo
to give out, divide, allot, assign, grant, give, allow
Tamquam Tanquam
as, just as, like as, just as if
Tamen
notwithstanding, nevertheless, yet, still, for all that
Tendo
to direct, try, attempt, stretch, extend, present, give
Tego Texi Tectum

to cover, bury, conceal, hide, protect, shield
Totus
whole, entire, complete, all
Terra
earth, ground, land, country, soil
Turpis
foul, ugly, disgraceful, morally corrupt
Teneo
to hold, keep, possess, maintain
Teneo
to grasp, know, understand
Tersus
clean, neat, correct
Tergum
skin, hide
Teneo
to keep on, persist, persevere, endure
Tolero
to tolerate, bear, endure, sustain
Torqueo
to twist, curl, rack, torture, torment, distort, test
Teres
rounded, polished, smooth, fine, elegant
Timor
fear, dread, object causing fear
Tunc
then, at that time
Tam
to such a degree, so, so far
Tergus
the back / skin, hide, leather
Tutis
protected, safe, secure
Tenuis
thin, slight, feeble, slim, slender
Texo
to weave, twine together, plait, construct, build

Terror
fright, fear, terror
Tollo Sustuli Sublatum

to lift up, raise, elevate, carry away
Trucido
to kill cruelly, slay, butcher, massacre, slaughter
Terminus
a boundary mark, limit, end, border
Termino
restrict, define, close, set a limit to
Terga Dare
to flee, retreat, run away
Tracto
to drag, handle / treat, discuss, deal with
Tergeo Tergo Tersi Tersum

to wipe, scour, clean
Toties
often, so many times
Tardus
slow, late, tardy
Tutamen Tutaminis
defense, protection
View more latin words that start with T
Latin words that start with U
Utilitas
utility, usefulness
Utilis
useful, advantageous, helpful
Usus
use, experience, skill, advantage
Universitas
the whole, total, universe, world / university
Universum
universe, the world
Ut
(+ subj) (purpose) in order that, to, that
Utor Uti Usus

to use, employ, possess, enjoy / associate with, find
Utpote
adv namely, seeing that, inasmuch as, since
Utique
at any rate, certainly, at least
Utpote
seeing that, inasmuch as
Uterque
(gen utriusque) both, each side, each party
Utrimque
from both sides, on both sides
Ubi
when, as soon as / wherein, whereby, whereas
Unus
one, only one, at the same time / single, alone
Ultra
(+ acc) beyond, on the far side of
Universus
combined in one, whole, entire
Ustulo
to burn, scorch, singe
Umquam
ever, at any time
Undique
from all sides, everywhere, on all sides, altogether
Universe
generally, in general
Usitas
customary, usual
Ultio Ultionis
avenging, punishment, revenge
Uxor
wife, spouse
Us
foreign, acquired
Umbra
shade, shadow
Urbs Urbis
city
Ulciscor
to take vengeance for, avenge / take vengeance on
Ulterius
farther, more advanced, more remote
Urbanus
urban, urbane, pertaining to the city
Umerus Humerus
shoulder, upper arm
Ultra
farther (than), more (than)
Uberrime
most luxuriantly, most abundantly, most fruitfully
Unde
whence, from where / how, from whom
Uredo
a plant blight
View more latin words that start with U
Latin words that start with V
Volo
to wish, want, will, ordain, suppose, maintain that, be willing
Vis Vires
(pl) force, power, strength, might, influence
Valde
intensely, very much, extremely, greatly
Voluntas
wish, will, inclination / good will
Velut
adv just as, like, even as
Video Vidi Visum

to see, observe, understand, comprehend
Vox Vocis
voice, word / (med) power, right, authority
Valens
strong, powerful, healthy / able, worthwhile
Vindico
to avenge, punish, liberate, deliver, protect
Venia
grace, indulgence, favor, pardon, forgiveness
Velox
quick, rapid, swift, fast
Voco
to call, summon, name invite
Vergo
to bend, incline, verge, to draw to an end
Vomica
ulcer, sore, boil / plague, curse
Videlicet
it is clear / (adv) clearly, plainly, namely

Virtus
manliness, excellence, character, worth, courage
Verus
true, real, proper, right
Vindico (vindicatum)
claim, arrogate, assume, appropriate
Volo
to fly, speed, move rapidly
Ventus
wind, rumor, favor
Vindico
to liberate, deliver / punish, avenge / claim, assume
Validus
strong, mighty, powerful, exceeding
Vinco Vici Victum

conquer, overcome, master, win, surpass, excel
Vero
in truth, indeed, to be sure / however
Venustas
loveliness, charm, attractiveness, beauty
Vicissitudo
change, alteration
Vereor
to respect, fear, be in dread of, to be afraid
Votum
prayer, wish, desire / promise to God
Vere
truly, really, actually, rightly
Via
road, way, street
Velum
sail, covering, awning, curtain
Vacuus
empty, devoid of, free from
Vestis
clothing, garment, covering, blanket, carpet, tapestry
Valeo Valui Valiturus

to be strong, have power, be well
View more latin words that start with V
Latin words that start with W
Werumensium
Wittewierum
View more latin words that start with W
Latin words that start with X
Xiphias
sword-fish
View more latin words that start with X
HOME
LATIN FOR...
POPULAR
COMMON
A-M Words
N-X Words
A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X
Like this template?

This website was designed and programmed by Streamlined Fusion - world leaders in Custom Website
Design, Search Engine Optimizationand Search Engine Marketing.
Send Multiple Files Free

Want to send multiple files up to 20GB at once? Then check out SizableSend.com, its 100% free!
Web Hosting by Hosted Fusion Web Design by Streamlined Fusion Send Large Files Free with SizableSend.com
Copyright 2007-2014 LatinWordList.com
Legal Service India
Latin Legal Maxims
Legal maxim, Latin maxim
Ask Our legal Experts, on issues related to

Divorce
Chat with us (2 PM - 9 PM IST)
Famous Trials Court Room Humour Articles World leaders Forum Lawyer Search
Immigration laws
Search On:
Laws in India
Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services
Legal maxim
A Legal Maxim is an established principle or proposition. The Latin term, apparently a variant on maxima, is not to be found in Roman law
with any meaning exactly analogous to that of a legal maxim in the Medieval or modern sense of the word, but the treatises of many of the
Roman jurists on Regular definitions, and Sententiae juris are, in some measure, collections of maxims. Most of the Latin maxims developed
in the Medieval era in European countries that used Latin as their language for law and courts.
A
A mensa et thoro - From bed and board.
A vinculo matrimonii - From the bond of matrimony.
Ab extra - From outside.
Ab initio - From the beginning.
Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget - An absolute judgment needs no expositor.
Abundans cautela non nocet - Abundant caution does no harm.
Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale - An accessory does not draw, but follows its principal.
Accessorius sequitur - One who is an accessory to the crime cannot be guilty of a more serious crime than the principal
offender.
Acta exteriora iudicant interiora secreta - Outward acts indicate the inward intent.
Actio non accrevit infra sex annos - The action has not accrued within six years.
Actio non datur non damnificato - An action is not given to one who is not injured.
Actio personalis moritur cum persona - A personal action dies with the person.
Actiones legis - Law suits.
Actori incumbit onus probandi - The burden of proof lies on the plaintiff.
Actus nemini facit injuriam - The act of the law does no one wrong.
Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea - The act does not make one guilty unless there be a criminal intent.
Actus reus - A guilty deed or act.
Ad ea quae frequentius acciduunt jura adaptantur - The laws are adapted to those cases which occur more frequently.
Ad hoc - For this purpose.
Ad infinitum - Forever, without limit, to infinity.
Ad perpetuam rei memoriam - For a perpetual memorial of the matter.
Ad quaestionem facti non respondent judices; ad quaestionem legis non respondent juratores - The judges do not answer to a
question of fact; the jury do not answer to a question of Law.
Aedificare in tuo proprio solo non licet quod alteri noceat - It is not lawful to build on one's own land what may be injurious to
another.
Aequitas legem sequitur - Equity follows the law.
Aequitas nunquam contravenit legem - Equity never contradicts the law.
Alibi - At another place, elsewhere.
Alienatio rei praefertur juri accrescendi - Alienation is preferred by law rather than accumulation.
Aliunde - From elsewhere, or, from a different source
Allegans contraria non est audiendus - One making contradictory statements is not to be heard.
Allegans suam turpitudinem non est audiendus - One alleging his own infamy is not to be heard.
Allegatio contra factum non est admittenda - An allegation contrary to a deed is not to be heard.
Ambiguitas contra stipulatorem est - An ambiguity is most strongly construed against the party using it.
Ambiguitas verborum patens nulla verificatione excluditur - A patent ambiguity is never helped by averment.
Amicus curiae - A friend of the Court.
Angliae jura in omni casu libertati dant favorem - The laws of England are favorable in every case to liberty.
Animo furandi - With an intention of stealing.
Animo testandi - With an intention of making a will.
Annus luctus - The year of mourning.
Ante - Before.
Aqua currit et debet currere, ut currere solebat - Water runs and ought to run.
Arbitrium est judicium - An award is a judgment.
Arbor dum crescit; lignum cum crescere nescit - A tree while it grows, wood when it cannot grow.
Argumentum ab auctoritate fortissimum est in lege - An argument drawn from authority is the strongest in law.
Argumentum ab impossibilii plurimum valet in lege - An argument from impossibility is very strong in law.
Argumentum ad hominem - An argument directed a the person.

Argumentum ad ignoratiam - An argument based upon ignorance (i.e. of one's adversary).
Arma in armatos sumere jura sinunt - The laws permit the taking up of arms against the armed.
Assentio mentium - The meeting of minds, i.e. mutual assent.
Assignatus utitur jure auctoris - An assignee is clothed with rights of his assignor.
Audi alteram partem - Hear the other side.
Aula regis - The King's Court.
B
Benignior sententia in verbis generalibus seu dubiis est preferenda - The more favorable construction is to be placed on general
or doubtful words.
Bis dat qui cito dat - He gives (pays) twice who pays promptly.
Bona fide - Sincere, in good faith
Bona vacantia - Goods without an owner
Boni judicis est ampliare jurisdictionem - It is the part of a good judge to enlarge his jurisdiction, i.e. remedial authority.
Boni judicis est judicium sine dilatione mandare executioni - It is the duty of a good judge to cause execution to issue on a
judgment without delay.
Boni judicis lites dirimere est - It is the duty of a good judge to prevent litigation.
Bonus judex secundum aequum et bonum judicat et aequitatem stricto juri praefert - A good judge decides according to justice
and right and prefers equity to strict law.
Breve judiciale non cadit pro defectu formae - A judicial writing does not fail through defect of form.
C
Cadit quaestio - The matter admits of no further argument.
Cassetur billa (breve) - Let the writ be quashed.
Casus fortuitus non est spectandus; et nemo tenetur divinare - A fortuitous event is not to be foreseen and no person is bound
to divine it.
Catalla reputantur inter minima in lege - Chattels are considered in law among the minor things.
Causa proxima, non remota spectatur - The immediate, and not the remote cause is to be considered.
Caveat emptor - Let the purchaser beware.
Caveat venditor - Let the seller beware.
Cepi corpus et est languidum - I have taken the body and the prisoner is sick.
Cepi corpus et paratum habeo - I have taken the body and have it ready.
Ceteris paribus - Other things being equal.
Consensu - Unanimously or, by general consent.
Consensus ad idem - Agreement as to the same things.
Consuetudo loci observanda est - The custom of the place is to be observed.
Contemporanea expositio est optima et fortissima in lege - A contemporaneous exposition is best and most powerful in law.
Contra - To the contrary.
Contra bonos mores - Against good morals.
Contra non valentem agere nulla currit praescriptio - No prescription runs against a person not able to act.
Contractus est quasi actus contra actum - A contract is an act as it were against an act.
Conventio et modus vincunt legem - A contract and agreement overcome the law.
Conventio privatorum non potest publico juri derogare - An agreement of private persons cannot derogate from public right.
Coram Domino Rege - In the presence of our Lord the King.
Coram non judice - Before one who is not a judge.
Corpus - Body.
Corpus delicti - The body, i.e. the gist of crime.
Corpus humanum non recipit aestimationem - A human body is not susceptible of appraisement.
Crescente malitia crescere debet et poena - Vice increasing, punishment ought also to increase.
Crimen omnia ex se nata vitiat - Crime vitiates every thing, which springs from it.
Crimen trahit personam - The crime carries the person.
Cujus est dare, ejus est disponere - He who has a right to give has the right to dispose of the gift.
Cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad coelam; et ad inferos - He who owns the soil owns it up to the sky; and to its depth.
Cum duo inter se pugnantia reperiuntur in testamentis ultimum ratum est - When two things repugnant to each other are found
in a will, the last is to be confirmed.
Cursus curiae est lex curiae - The practice of the court is the law of the court.
Custos morum - A guardian of morals.
D
Damnum sine injuria - damage without legal injury.
De bonis asportatis - Of goods carried away.
De bonis non administratis - Of goods not administered.
De die in diem - From day to day.
De facto - In fact.
De futuro - In the future.
De integro - As regards the whole.
De jure - Rightful, by right.
De minimis lex non curat - The law does not notice trifling matters.
De novo - Starting afresh.
Debile fundamentum fallit opus - Where there is a weak foundation, the work fails.
Debita sequuntur personam debitoria - Debts follow the person of the debtor.
Debitor non praesumitur donare - A debtor is not presumed to make a gift.
Debitum et contractus sunt nullius loci - Debt and contract are of no particular place.
Debitum in praesenti, solvendum in futuro - A present debt is to be discharged in the future.
Delegata potestas non potest delegari - A delegated authority cannot be again delegated.
Derivativa potestas non potest esse major primitiva - The power which is derived cannot be greater than that from which it is
derived.
Deus solus haeredem facere potest, non homo - God alone, not man, can make an heir.
Dies Dominicus non est juridicus - Sunday is not a day in law.
Discretio est discernere per legem quid sit justum - Discretion is to discern through law what is just.
Doli incapax - Incapable of crime.
Dominium - Ownership.
Domus sua cuique est tutissimum refugium - Every man s house is his safest refuge.
Dona clandestina sunt semper suspiciosa - Clandestine gifts are always suspicious.
Dormiunt leges aliquando, nunquam moriuntur - The laws sometimes sleep, but never die.
Doti lex favet; praemium pudoris est; ideo parcatur - The law favors dower; it is the reward of chastity, therefore let it be
preserved.
Dubitante - Doubting the correctness of the decision.

Duo non possunt in solido unam rem possidere - Two cannot possess one thing each in entirety.
E
Ei incumbit probatio qui - The onus of proving a fact rests upon the man.
Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat - The burden of the proof lies upon him who affirms, not he who denies.
Error, qui non resistitur approbatur - An error not resisted is approved.
Et cetera - Other things of that type.
Ex cathedra - With official authority.
Ex concessis - In view of what has already been accepted/
Ex dolo malo actio non oritur - A right of action cannot arise out of fraud.
Ex facie - On the fact of it.
Ex gratia - Out of kindness, voluntary.
Ex nihilo nil fit - From nothing nothing comes.
Ex nudo pacto actio non oritur - No action arises on a contract without a consideration.
Ex parte - Proceeding brought by one person in the absence of another.
Ex post facto - By reason of a subsequent act.
Ex praecedentibus et consequentibus optima fit interpretatio - The best interpretation is made from things preceding and
following.
Ex turpi causa non oritur actio - No action arises on an immoral contract.
Exceptio probat regulam - An exception proves the rule.
Executio est executio juris secundum judicium - Execution is the fulfillment of the law in accordance with the judgment.
Executio est finis et fructus legis - An execution is the end and the fruit of the law.
Executio legis non habet injuriam - Execution of the law does no injury.
Extra legem positus est civiliter mortuus - One out of the pale of the law (i.e. an outlaw) is civilly dead.
F
Faciendum - Something which is to be done.
Factum - An act or deed.
Facultas probationum non est angustanda - The right of offering proof is not to be narrowed.
Falsa demonstratio non nocet - A false description does not vitiate.
Fatetur facinus qui judicium fugit - He who flees judgment confesses his guilt.
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas - Happy is he who has been able to understand the causes of things.
Felonia implicatur in qualibet proditione - Felony is implied in every treason.
Festinatio justitiae est noverca infortunii - The hurrying of justice is the stepmother of misfortune.
Fictio cedit veritati; fictio juris non est, ubi veritas - Fiction yields to truth. Where truth is, fiction of law does not exist.
Fides servanda est - Good faith is to be preserved.
Fieri facias (abreviated fi. fa.) - That you cause to be made.
Filiatio non potest probari - Filiation cannot be proved.
Firmior et potentior est operatio legis quam dispositio hominis - The operation of law is firmer and more powerful than the will of
man.
Forma legalis forma essentialis est - Legal form is essential form.
Fortior est custodia legis quam hominis - The custody of the law is stronger than that of man.
Fractionem diei non recipit lex - The law does not regard a fraction of a day.
Fraus est celare fraudem - It is a fraud to conceal a fraud.
Fraus est odiosa et non praesumenda - Fraud is odious and is not to be presumed.
Fraus et jus nunquam cohabitant - Fraud and justice never dwell together.
Fructus naturales - Vegetation which grows naturally without cultivation.
Frustra probatur quod probatum non relevat - That is proved in vain which when proved is not relevant.
Furor contrahi matrimonium non sinit, quia consensus opus est - Insanity prevents marriage from being contracted because
consent is needed.
G
Generale nihil certum implicat - A general expression implies nothing certain.
Generalia praecedunt, specialia sequuntur - Things general precede, things special follow.
Generalia specialibus non derogant - Things general do not derogate from things special.
Generalis regula generaliter est intelligenda - A general rule is to be generally understood.
Gravius est divinam quam temporalem laedere majestatem - It is more serious to hurt divine than temporal majesty.
I
Id est (i.e) - That is.
Id quod commune est, nostrum esse dicitur - That which is common is said to be ours.
Idem - The same person or thing.
Idem nihil dicere et insufficienter dicere est - It is the same to say nothing as not to say enough.
Ignorantia facti excusat, ignorantia juris non excusat - Ignorance of fact excuses, ignorance of law does not excuse.
Imperium in imperio - A sovereignty within a sovereignty.
Impotentia excusat legem - Impossibility is an excuse in the law.
Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat - Impunity always leads to greater crimes.
In aequali jure melior est conditio possidentis - When the parties have equal rights, the condition of the possessor is better.
In alta proditione nullus potest esse acessorius; sed principalis solum modo - In high treason no one can be an accessory; but a
principal only.
In Anglia non est interregnum - In England there is no interregnum.
In camera - In private.
In casu extremae necessitatis omnia sunt communia - In a case of extreme necessity everything is common.
In criminalibus probationes debent esse luce clariores - In criminal cases the proofs ought to be cleared than the light.
In curia domini regis, ipse in propria persona jura discernit - In the King s Court, the King himself in his own person dispenses
justice.
In delicto - At fault.
In esse - In existence.
In extenso - At full length.
In fictione legis aequitas existit - A legal fiction is consistent with equity.
In foro conscientiae - In the forum of conscience.
In futoro - In the future.
In jure non remota causa sed proxima spectatur - In law not the remote but the proximate cause is looked at.
In limine - At the outset, on the threshold.
In loco parentis - In place of the parent.
In mortua manu - In a dead hand.
In novo casu novum remedium apponendum est - In a new case a new remedy is to be applied.
In omni re nascitur res quae ipsam rem exterminat - In everything is born that which destroys the thing itself.
In omnibus - In every respect.
In pari delicto potior est conditio possidentis - When the parties are equally in the wrong the condition of the possessor is better.
In personam - Against the person.
In pleno - In full.
In quo quis delinquit in eo de jure est puniendus - In whatever thing one offends in that he is to be punished according to law.
In re dubia magis inficiatio quam affirmatio intelligenda - In a doubtful matter the negative is to be understood rather than the
affirmative.
In republica maxime conservanda sunt jura belli - In a State the laws of war are to be especially observed.
In situ - In its place.
In terrorem - As a warning or deterrent.
In testamentis plenius testatoris intentionem scrutamur - In wills we seek diligently the intention of the testator.
In traditionibus scriptorum non quod dictum est, sed quod gestum est, inspicitur - In the delivery of writings (deeds), not what is
said but what is done is to be considered.
In verbis, non verba sed res et ratio quaerenda est - In words, not words, but the thing and the meaning are to be inquired into.
Indicia - Marks, signs.
Injuria non excusat injuriam - A wrong does not excuse a wrong.
Intentio inservire debet legibus, non leges intentioni - Intention ought to be subservient to the laws, not the laws to the intention.
Inter alia - Amongst other things.
Interest reipublicae res judicatas non rescindi - It is in the interest of the State that things adjudged be not rescinded.
Interest reipublicae suprema hominum testamenta rata haberi - It is in the interest of the State that men s last wills be sustained.
Interest reipublicae ut quilibet re sua bene utatur - It is in the interest of the State that every one use properly his own property.
Interest reipublicase ut sit finis litium - It is in the interest of the State that there be an end to litigation.
Interim - Temporary, in the meanwhile.
Interpretare et concordare leges legibus est optimus interpretandi modus - To interpret and harmonize laws is the best method
of interpretation.
Interpretatio fienda est ut res magis valeat quam pereat - Such a construction is to be made that the thing may have effect rather
than it should fail.
Interruptio multiplex non tollit praescriptionem semel obtentam - Repeated interruption does not defeat a prescription once
obtained.
Invito beneficium non datur - A benefit is not conferred upon one against his consent.
Ipsissima verba - The very words of a speaker.
Ipso facto - By that very fact.
Ira furor brevis est - Anger is brief insanity.
Iter arma leges silent - In war the laws are silent.
J
Judex est lex loquens - A judge is the law speaking.
Judex non potest esse testis in propira causa - A judge cannot be witness in his own cause.
Judex non potest injuriam sibi datam punire - A judge cannon punish a wrong done to himself.
Judex non reddit plus quam quod petens ipse requirit - A judge does not give more than the plaintiff himself demands.
Judiciis posterioribus fides est adhibenda - Faith must be given to later decisions.
Judicis est judicare secundum allegata et probata - It is the duty of a judge to decide according to the allegations and the proofs.
Judicium non debet esse illusorium, suum effectum habere debet - A judgment ought not to be illusory; it ought to have its
proper effect.
Juduces non tenentur exprimere causam sententiae suae - Judges are not bound to explain the reason of their judgment.
Jura naturae sunt immutabilia - The laws of nature are immutable.
Jura publica anteferenda privatis juribus - Public rights are to be preferred to private rights.
Juramentum est indivisibile et non est admittendum in parte verum et in parte falsum - An oath is indivisible and it is not to be
held partly true and partly false.
Jurare est Deum in testem vocare, et est actus divini cultus - To swear is to call God to witness and is an act of divine worship.
Jus - A right that is recognised in law.
Jus accrescendi praefertur oneribus - The right of survivorship is preferred to incumbrances.
Jus ad rem; jus in re - A right to a thing; a right in a thing.
Jus dicere, non jus dare - To declare the law, not to make the law.
Jus est norma recti; et quicquid est contra normam recti est injuria - The law is a rule of right; and whatever is contrary to a rule
of right is an injury.
Jus naturale - Natural justice.
Jus naturale est quod apud omnes homines eandem habet potentiam - Natural right is that which has the same force among all
men.
Jus scriptum aut non scriptum - The written law or the unwritten law.
Jusjurandum inter alios factum nec nocere nec prodesse debet - An oath made between third parties ought neither to hurt nor
profit.
Justitia est duplec; severe puniens et vere praeveniens - Justice is two-fold; severely punishing and in reality prohibiting
(offences).
Justitia firmatur solium - The throne is established by justice.
Justitia nemini neganda est - Justice is to be denied to no one
L
Leges posteriores priores contrarias abrogant - Subsequent laws repeal prior conflicting ones.
Legibus sumptis desinentibus legibus naturae utendum est - When laws imposed by the State fail, we must use the laws of
nature.
Lex aliquando sequitur aequitatem - The law sometimes follows equity.
Lex citius tolerare vult privatum damnum quam publicum malum - The law would rather tolerate a private injury than a public
evil.
Lex dabit remedium - The law will give a remedy.
Lex dilationes abhorret - The law abhors delays.
Lex est judicum tutissimus ductor - The law is the safest guide for judges.
Lex est sanctio sancta jubens honesta et prohibens contraria - The law is a sacred sanction, commanding what is right and
prohibiting the contrary.
Lex indendit vicinum vicini facta scire - The law presumes that one neighbor knows the acts of another.
Lex necessitatis est lex temporis i.e. instantis - The law of necessity is the law of time, that is time present.
Lex neminem cogit ad vana seu impossiblia - The law compels no one to do vain or impossible things.
Lex nil frustra facit - The law does nothing in vain.
Lex non a rege est violanda - The law must not be violated even by the King.
Lex non deficere potest in justitia exhibenda - The law cannot fail in dispensing justice.
Lex non novit patrem, nec matrem; solam veritatem - The law does not know neither father nor mother, only the truth.
Lex non oritur ex injuria - The law does not arise from a mere injury.
Lex non requirit verificari quod apparet curiae - The law does not require that to be proved which is apparent to the Court.
Lex non favet delicatorum votis - The law does not favor the wishes of the dainty.
Lex plus laudatur quando ratione probatur - The law is the more praised when it is supported by reason.
Lex prospicit not respicit - The law looks forwared, not backward.
Lex punit mendaciam - The law punishes falsehood.
Lex rejicit superflua, pugnatia, incongrua - The law rejects superfluous, contradictory and incongruous things.
Lex spectat naturae ordinem - The law regards the order of nature.
Lex succurrit ignoranti - The law succors the ignorant.
Lex tutissima cassis, sub clypeo legis nemo decipitur - Law is the safest helmet; under the shield of the law no one is deceived.
Lex uno ore omnes alloquitur - The law speaks to all through one mouth.
Longa possessio est pacis jus - Long possession is the law of peace.
Longa possessio parit jus possidendi et tollit actionem vero domino - Long possession produces the right of possession and
takes away from the true owner his action.
M
Magister rerum usus; magistra rerum experientia - Use is the master of things; experience is the mistress of things.
Major continet in se minus - The greater contains the less.
Majus est delictum se ipsum occidere quam alium - It is a greater crime to kill one s self than another.
Mala fide - In bad faith.
Mala grammatica non vitiat chartam - Bad grammar does not vitiate a deed.
Mala in se - Bad in themselves.
Mala prohibita - Crimes prohibited.
Malitia supplet aesatem - Malice supplies age.
Malo animo - With evil intent.
Mandamus - We command.
Maximus magister erroris populus est - The people are the greatest master of error.
Melior est conditio possidentis, ubi neuter jus habet - Better is the condition of the possessor where neither of the two has the
right.
Melior testatoris in testamentis spectanda est - In wills the intention of a testator is to be regarded.
Meliorem conditionem suam facere potest minor deteriorem nequaquam - A minor can make his position better, never worse.
Mens rea - Guilty state of mind.
Mentiri est contra mentem ire - To lie is to act against the mind.
Merito beneficium legis amittit, qui legem ipsam subvertere intendit - He justly loses the benefit of the law who seeks to infringe
the law.
Minatur innocentibus qui parcit nocentibus - He threatens the innocent who spares the guilty.
Misera est servitus, ubi jus est vagum aut incertum - It is a miserable slavery where the law is vague or uncertain.
Mors dicitur ultimum supplicium - Death is called the extreme penalty.
Muilta exercitatione facilius quam regulis percipies - You will perceive many things more easily by experience than by rules.
N
Nam nemo haeres viventis - For no one is an heir of a living person.
Naturae vis maxima est - The force of nature is the greatest.
Necessitas inducit privilegium quoad jura privata - With respect to private rights necessity induces privilege.
Necessitas non habet legem - Necessity has no law.
Necessitas publica est major quam privata - Public necessity is greater than private necessity.
Negligentia semper habet infortuniam comitem - Negligence always has misfortune for a companion.
Nemo admittendus est inhabilitare se ipsum - No one is allowed to incapacitate himself.
Nemo bis punitur pro eodem delicto - No one can be twice punished for the same offence.
Nemo cogitur suam rem vendere, etiam justo pretio - No one is bound to sell his own property, even for a just price.
Nemo contra factum suum venire potest - No man can contradict his own deed.
Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa - No one can be judge in his own case.
Nemo plus juris transferre ad alium potest quam ipse habet - No one can transfer to another a larger right than he himself has.
Nemo potest contra recordum verificare per patriam - No one can verify by the country, that is, through a jury, against the
record.
Nemo potest esse tenens et dominus - No one can at the same time be a tenant and a landlord (of the same tenement).
Nemo potest facere per alium, quod per se non potest - No one can do through another what he cannot do himself.
Nemo potest mutare consilium suum in alterius injuriam - No one can change his purpose to the injury of another.
Nemo praesumitur esse immemor suae aeternae salutis et maxime in articulo mortis - No one is presumed to be forgetful of his
eternal welfare, and particularly in the hour of death.
Nemo prohibetur pluribus defensionibus uti - No one is forbidden to make use of several defences.
Nemo punitur pro alieno delicto - No one is punished for the crime of another.
Nemo se accusare debet, nisi coram Deo - No one should accuse himself except in the presence of God.
Nemo tenetur accusare se ipsum nisi coram Deo - No one is bound to accuse himself except in the presence of God.
Nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se - No one is bound to arm his adversary against himself.
Nexus - Connection
Nihil quod est inconveniens est licitum - Nothing inconvenient is lawful.
Nil facit error nominis cum de corpore constat - An error of name makes not difference when it appears from the body of the
instrument.
Nisi - Unless
Non compus mentis - Not of sound mind and understanding
Non constat - It is not certain
Non decipitur qui scit se decipi - He is not deceived who knows that he is deceived.
Non definitur in jure quid sit conatus - What an attempt is, is not defined in law.
Non est arctius vinculum inter homines quam jusjurandum - There is no stronger link among men than an oath.
Non est factum - It is not his deed
Non est informatus - He is not informed.
Non facias malum ut inde veniat bonum - You shall not do evil that good may come of it.
Non jus, sed seisina, facit stipitem - Not right, but seisin makes a stock (from which the inheritance must descend).
Non refert quid notum sit judici si notum non sit in forma judicii - It matters not what is known to the judge if it is not known
judicially.
Non sequitur - An inconsistent statement, it does not follow
Nullus commodum capere potest ex sua injuria propria - No one can derive an advantage from his own wrong.
Nullus recedat e curia cancellaria sine remedio - No one should depart from a Court of Chancery without a remedy.
O
Omne sacramentum debet esse de certa scientia - Every oath ought to be of certain knowledge.
Omnia delicta in aperto leviora sunt - All crimes (committed) in the open are (considered) lighter.
Omnia praesumuntur contra spoliatorem - All things are presumed against a wrongdoer.
Omnis innovatio plus novitate perturbat quam utilitate prodeat - Every innovation disturbs more by its novelty than it benefits by
its utility.
Optima legum interpres est consuetudo - The best interpreter of laws is custom.
Optimus interpres rerum est usus - The best interpreter of things is usage.
P
Pacta privata juri publico non derogare possunt - Private contracts cannot derogate from public law.
Par delictum - Equal fault.
Pari passu - On an equal footing.
Partus sequitur ventrem - The offspring follows the mother.
Pater est quem nuptiae demonstrant - The father is he whom the marriage points out.
Peccata contra naturam sunt gravissima - Wrongs against nature are the most serious.
Pendente lite nihil innovetur - During litigation nothing should be changed.
Per curiam - In the opinion of the court.
Per minas - By means of menaces or threats.
Per quod - By reason of which.
Post mortem - After death.
Prima facie - On the face of it.
Prima impressionis - On first impression.
Pro hac vice - For this occasion.
Pro rata - In proportion.
Pro tanto - So far, to that extent.
Pro tempore - For the time being.
Publici juris - Of public right.
Q
Quaeitur - The question is raised.
Quantum - How much, an amount.
Qui facit per alium, facit per se - He who acts through another acts himself.
Qui haeret in litera, haeret in cortice - He who stices to the letter, sticks to the bark.
Qui in utero est, pro jam nato habetur, quoties de ejus commodo quaeritur - He who is in the womb is considered as already
born as far as his benefit is considered.

Qui non habet potestatem alienandi, habet necessitatem retinendi - He who has not the power of alienating is under the
necessity of retaining.
Qui non habet, ille non dat - He who has not, does not give.
Qui non improbat, approbat - He who does not disapprove, approves.
Qui non obstat quod obstare potest facere videtur - He who does not prevent what he is able to prevent, is considered as
committing the thing.
Qui non prohibet quod prohibere potest assentire videtur - He who does not prohibit when he is able to prohibit, is in fault.
Qui peccat ebrius, luat sobrius - He who does wrong when drunk must be punished when sober.
Qui potest et debet vetare et non vetat jubet - He who is able and ought to forbit and does not, commands.
Qui prior est tempore potior est jure - He who is prior in time is stronger in right.
Qui sentit commodum, debet et sentire onus - He who derives a benefit ought also to bear a burden.
Qui tacet consentire videtur - He who is silent appears to consent.
Quid pro quo - Consideration. something for something.
Quidcquid plantatur solo, solo cedit - Whatever is planted in or affixed to the soil, belongs to the soil.
Quod ab initio non valet, in tractu temporis non convalescit - What is not valid in the beginning does not become valid by time.
Quod constat curiae opere testium non indiget - What appears to the Court needs not the help of witnesses.
Quod necessarie intelligitur, id non deest - What is necessarily understood is not wanting.
Quod necessitas cogit, defendit - What necessity forces it justifies.
Quod non apparet, non est - What does not appear, is not.
Quod non habet principium non habet finem - What has no beginning has no end.
Quod per me non possum, nec per alium - What I cannot do through myself, I cannot do through another.
Quod prius est verius est; et quod prius est tempore potius est jure - What is first is more true; and what is prior in time is
stronger in law.
Quod vanum et inutile est, lex non requirit - The law does not require what is vain and useless.
Quoties in verbis nulla est ambiguitas, ibi nulla expositio contra verba expressa fienda est - When there is no ambiguity in
words, then no exposition contrary to the expressed words is to be made.
R
Ratio est legis anima, mutata legis ratione mutatur et lex - Reason is the soul of the law; when the reason of the law changes
the law also is changed.
Re - In the matter of.

Recognition is the greatest motivator - Agnitio est maioribus motivator
Reprobata pecunia leberat solventem - Money refused releases the debtor.
Res - Matter, affair, thing, circumstance.
Res gestae - Things done.
Res integra - A matter untouched (by decision).
Res inter alios acta alteri nocere non debet - Things done between strangers ought not to affect a third person, who is a stranger
to the transaction.
Res judicata accipitur pro veritate - A thing adjudged is accepted for the truth.
Res nulis - Nobody s property.
Respondeat superior - Let the principal answer.
Rex est major singulis, minor universis - The King is greater than individuals, less than all the people.
Rex non debet judicare sed secundum legem - The King ought not to judge but according to the law.
Rex non potest peccare - The King can do no wrong.
Rex nunquma moritur - The King never dies.
Rex quod injustum est facere non potest - The King cannot do what is unjust.
S
Salus populi est suprema lex - The safety of the people is the supreme law.
Sciens - Knowingly.
Scienter - Knowingly.
Scire facias - That you cause to know.
Scribere est agere - To write is to act.
Se defendendo - In self defence.
Secus - The legal position is different, it is otherwise.
Semper praesumitur pro legitimatione puerorum - Everything is presumed in favor of the legitimacy of children.
Semper pro matriomonio praesumitur - It is always presumed in favor of marriage.
Sententia interlocutoria revocari potest, definitiva non potest - An interlocutory order can be revoked, a final order cannot be.
Servitia personalia sequuntur personam - Personal services follow the person.

Sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas - So use your own as not to injure another s property.
Simplex commendatio non obligat - A simple recommendation does not bind.
Stare decisis - To stand by decisions (precedents).
Stet - Do not delete, let it stand.
Sub modo - Within limits.
Sub nomine - Under the name of.
Sub silentio - In silence.
Sublata causa, tollitur effectus - The cause being removed, the effect ceases.
Sublato fundamento, cadit opus - The foundation being removed, the structure falls.
Subsequens matrimonium tollit peccatum praecedens - A subsequent marriage removes the preceding wrong.
Suggestio falsi - The suggestion of something which is untrue.
Sui generis - Unique.
Summa ratio est quae pro religione facit - The highest reason is that which makes for religion, i.e. religion dictates.
Suppressio veri - The suppression of the truth.
Suppressio veri expressio falsi - A suppression of truth is equivalent to an expression of falsehood.
T
Talis qualis - Such as it is.
Terra firma - Solid ground.
Testamenta latissimam interpretationem habere debent - Testaments ought to have the broadest interpretation.
Traditio loqui chartam facit - Delivery makes a deed speak.
Transit terra cum onere - The land passes with its burden
U
Ubi eadem ratio ibi idem jus, et de similibus idem est judicium - When there is the same reason, then the law is the same, and
the same judgment should be rendered as to similar things.
Ubi jus ibi remedium est - Where there is a right there is a remedy.
Ubi non est principalis, non potest esse accessorius - Where there is no principal, there can be no accessory.
Ubi nullum matrimonium, ibi nulla dos es - Where there is no marriage, there is no dower.
Ultima voluntas testatoris est perimplenda secundum veram intentionem suam - The last will of a testator is to be fulfilled
according to his true intentio.
Ut poena ad paucos, metus ad omnes, perveniat - That punishment may come to a few, the fear of it should affect all.
Utile per inutile non vitiatur - What is useful is not vitiated by the useless.
V
Verba chartarum fortius accipiuntur contra preferentem - The words of deeds are accepted more strongly against the person
offering them.
Verba debent intelligi cum effectu - Words ought to be understood with effect.
Verba intentioni, non e contra, debent inservire - Words ought to serve the intention, not the reverse.
Verbatim - Word by word, exactly.
Vi et armis - With the force and arms.
Via antiqua via est tuta - The old way is the safe way.
Vice versa - The other way around.
Vide - See.
Vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt - The laws serve the vigilant, not those who sleep.
Vir et uxor consentur in lege una persona - A husband and wife are regarded in law as one person.
Visitationem commendamus - We recommend a visitation.
Volens - Willing.
Volenti non fit injuria - An injury is not done to one consenting to it.
Voluntas in delictis non exitus spectatur - In offences the intent and not the result is looked at.
Voluntas reputatur pro facto - The will is taken for the deed.
Law links: 1) lawyers in India - 2) Laws in India
Medico Legal
Constitutional Law
Lawyers in India - Search by City
IL
Family law
Patent Forms
Wills
Law Articles
Cheque bounce laws
Law Blog
Bare - Acts
Lawyers India
Law Colleges
Law Debates
Legal Blogs
legal Discussion Forum
Immigration Law
Company Law
Woman issues
Consumer laws
Cause Lists
High Courts in India
legal Profession
Law Forum
Lawyers in New York
International Courts
Lawyers in Noida & Gr Noida
lawyers in Delhi - New Delhi

lawyers in Chennai
lawyers in Chandigarh
lawyers in Surat
lawyers in Nashik
lawyers in Janjgir
lawyers in Indore
lawyers in Allahabad
lawyers in Agra
lawyers in Ahmedabad
lawyers in Jodhpur
Home | About Us | Privacy | Terms of use | F A Q | Divorce by mutual consent | Lawyers | Submit
article | Sitemap | Contact Us
legal Service India.com is Copyrighted under the Registrar of Copyright Act ( Govt of India) 2000-2013
ISBN No: 978-93-82417-01-9
lawyers in Ko
lawyers in Mu
lawyers in Ba
lawyers in Pun
lawyers in Hy
lawyers in Raj
lawyers in Na
lawyers in Pon
lawyers in Jai
lawyers in Co
lawyers in Luc

Collection of Latin Phrases PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Collection of Latin Phrases PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Collection of Latin Phrases PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

List of Latin phrases (full)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

from one well pleased

from the sky to the center

Or "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and

Or "from heaven all the way to the center of the earth". In

whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky and down to

from head to heel

From top to bottom; all the way through (colloquially "from

from the opposite

Equivalent to "on the contrary" or "au contraire".

A long time ago. From Gaius Lucilius (Satires, 6, 284)

to set forth from false

Legal term from Cicero's De Finibus 4.53.

from the stronger

Loosely, "even more so" or "with even stronger reason".

from sea to sea

From Psalm 72:8, "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et

Completely. Similar to the English expressions "from tip to

from being able to being

"From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to

from the latter

Based on observation (i.e., empirical knowledge), the

from the former

Presupposed independent of experience, the reverse of a

from the absurd

Said of an argument that seeks to prove a statement's

from the eternal

Literally, "from the everlasting" or "from eternity". Thus,

from the ancient

From ancient times.

from the letters

Or, having to do with correspondence.

A legal term meaning "from without". From external

from the deepest chest

Or "from the bottom of my heart", "with deepest affection",

New Latin for "based on unsuitability", "from

pursuing a line of reasoning, and is thus a form of appeal to

from the cradle

Thus, "from the beginning" or "from

from the beginning

"At the outset", referring to an inquiry or investigation. In

From someone who dies with no legal will (cf. ex

From the inside. The opposite of ab extra.

from an angry man

By a person who is angry. Used in law to describe a

from the source

From the origin, beginning, source, or commencementi.e.,

From Horace, Satire 1.3. Means "from beginning to end",

ab uno disce omnes from one, learn all

From Virgil's Aeneid. Refers to situations where a single

Or "from the founding of Rome", which occurred in 753 BC

absens haeres non

an absent person will not

In law, refers to the principle that someone who is not

absente reo(abs. re.)

[with] the defendant being

let injury be absent from