Latin expressions used in English

(a short list compiled from the vast number that exist)

release date: 25.Apr.2020

(In the Public Domain. No rights reserved.)

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1. a fortiori: with greater reason

2. a posteriori: formed afterwards
3. a priori: formed beforehand
4. ab initio: from the beginning
5. ad discrimen temporis: in the nick of time
6. ad hoc: for the particular case at hand
7. ad hominem: against the man
8. ad infinitum: without end
9. ad interim: temporarily
10. ad litteram: to the letter
11. ad majorem Dei gloriam: to the greater glory of God
12. ad nauseam: to a nauseating degree
13. ad valorem: according to the value
14. addenda: things added
15. Alea iacta est.: The die is cast.
16. amicus curiae: a friend of the court
17. anno Domini (A.D.): in the year of the Lord
18. ante bellum: before the war
19. ante meridiem (a.m.): morning
20. Ante omnia, armari.: Before all else, be armed.
21. Arma virumque cano.: I sing of the man and the arms.
22. Carpe diem.: Seize the day.
23. casus belli: cause for war
24. Caveat emptor.: Let the buyer beware.
25. Certiorari volumus...: We wish to be made certain...
26. ceteris paribus: all other things being held constant
27. circa: approximately
28. Cogito, ergo sum.: I think, therefore I am.
29. confer (cf): compare
30. corrigenda: corrections to printed errors
31. cum grano salis: with a grain of salt
32. cum laude: with praise
33. de facto: in fact, if not in law
34. de jure: in law, if not in fact
35. de nihilo, nihil: from nothing, nothing
36. desiderata: things desired
37. deus ex machina: a contrived solution
38. dictum: saying
39. dies irae: day of judgement
40. Divide et impera.: Divide and conquer.
41. Dominus vobiscum.: The Lord be with you.
42. dramatis personae: actors in a drama
43. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.: It is sweet and fitting to die for your country.
44. e pluribus unum: out of many, one
45. ergo: therefore
46. errata: errors
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47. et alia (et al.): and others

48. et cetera (etc.): and so on
49. et nunc et semper: now and always
50. Et tu, Brute?: And you, too, Brutus?
51. ex ante: based on assumption
52. ex cathedra: with the full authority of one’s office
53. ex parte: from a one-sided point of view
54. ex post facto: after the fact
55. ex post: based on knowledge
56. Ex ungue, leonem.: From a part we may reckon the whole.
57. excelsior: onward and upward
58. exempli gratia (e.g.): for example
59. Exeunt.: They exit.
60. felix culpa: fortunate fault
61. Festina lente.: Hurry slowly.
62. Fiat lux.: Let there be light.
63. Gallia est omnis divisa en partes tres...: All Gaul is divided into three parts...
64. Gaudeamus igatur, iuvenes dum sumus.: Let us therefore rejoice, while we are still young.
65. gradatim: step by step
66. Habeas corpus.: Bodily bring forth the accused person.
67. hic et nunc: here and now
68. honoris causa: for the sake of honor
69. horribile dictu: horrible to say
70. hyper: over
71. hypo: under
72. ibidem (ibid.): in the same place
73. id est (i.e.): that is
74. idempotent: resulting in itself
75. Imprimatur.: Let it be printed.
76. in absentia: in absence
77. in extremis: in extreme circumstances
78. in flagrante delicto: red-handed
79. in loco parentis: in place of a parent
80. in media res: into the midst of things
81. in saecula saeculorem: forever and ever
82. in situ: in the original place
83. in toto: entirely
84. infra: below
85. instante mense (inst.): in the present month
86. inter alia: among other things
87. ipso facto: by the fact itself
88. literatim: letter for letter
89. loco citato (loc cit): in the place cited
90. magna cum laude: with great praise
91. magnum opus: great work
92. male captus, bene detentus: wrongly captured, properly detained
93. memento mori: a reminder of death
94. mens sana in corpore sano: a healthy mind in a healthy body
95. mirabile dictu: wonderful to tell
96. modus operandi: method of operation
97. modus vivendi: manner of living
98. mox nox in rem: It will be dark soon, so, to the business.
99. mutatis mutandis: with necessary changes
100. ne plus ultra: the highest point attainable
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101. Nihil obstat.: Nothing stands in the way.

102. nil per os (n.p.o.): nothing by mouth
103. nolens volens: like it or not
104. nominatim: by name
105. non compos mentis: not of sound mind
106 non sequitur: a falsely proposed inference
107. nota bene (N.B.): note well
108. O tempora! O mores!: Oh, the times! Oh, the customs!
109. obiter dicta: incidental remarks
110. oculus dexter (O.D.): right eye
111. oculus sinister (O.S.): left eye
112. opere citato (op cit): in the work cited
113. oppidatim: in every town
114. panem et circenses: bread and circuses
115. Pauca sed matura.: Few, but ripe.
116. Pax Romana: Roman peace
117. per annum: yearly
118. per capita: for each person
119. per se: by itself
120. persona non grata: a person unwelcome
121. post hoc, ergo propter hoc: after this, therefore because of this
122. post meridiem (p.m.): afternoon
123. prima facie: at first view
124. primus inter pares: first among equals
125. pro forma: done as a formality
126. pro tempore: for the time being
127. quid pro quo: something in exchange for something
128. quod erat demonstrandum (Q.E.D.): which was to be proved
129. quotidian: everyday
130. rara avis: rare bird
131. re: in the matter of
132. reductio ad absurdum: reduction to the absurd
133. Repetita iuvant.: Repeating does good.
134. Requiescat in Pace (R.I.P.): Rest in Peace
135. res nullius: no one’s property
136. res publica: pertaining to the state or public
137. rigor mortis: stiffness of death
138. Risum teneatis, amici?: Can you keep from laughing, friends?
139. semper fidelis: always faithful
140. Senatus Populusque Romanus: The Senate and the Roman People
141. Sic transit gloria mundi.: So passes away the glory of the world.
142. sine qua non: thing absolutely essential
143. statim: immediately
144. sui generis: unique
145. summa cum laude: with greatest praise
146. tabula rasa: blank slate
147. Tempus fugit.: Time flies.
148. terra firma: solid ground
149. Tu quoque.: You did the same.
150. ultra: beyond the range of
151. Veni. Vidi. Vici.: I came. I saw. I conquered.
152. verbatim: word for word
153. versus (vs. V): compared with
154. via: by way of
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155. vice versa: conversely

156. vide: see
157. videlicet (viz.): namely
158. viva voce: orally
159. vox populi: voice of the people

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