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List of Latin phrases (full)



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 Look up Category:Latin derivations in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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
&nbsp;A&nbsp; &nbsp;B&nbsp; &nbsp;C&nbsp; &nbsp;D&nbsp; &nbsp;E&nbsp; &nbsp;F&nbsp;
&nbsp;G&nbsp; &nbsp;H&nbsp; &nbsp;I&nbsp; &nbsp;L&nbsp; &nbsp;M&nbsp; &nbsp;N&nbsp;
&nbsp;O&nbsp; &nbsp;P&nbsp; &nbsp;Q&nbsp; &nbsp;R&nbsp; &nbsp;S&nbsp; &nbsp;T&nbsp;
&nbsp;U&nbsp; &nbsp;V&nbsp;
References


[edit] A


Latin Translation Notes
a bene placito from one well pleased Or "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and
its Italian (beneplacito) and Spanish (beneplácito) derivatives, are synonymous with
the more common ad libitum (at pleasure).
a caelo usque ad centrum from the sky to the center 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 inferos maxim of property ownership ("for whoever owns the soil, it is
theirs up to the sky and down to the depths").
a capite ad calcem 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 since Deucalion A long time ago. From Gaius Lucilius (Satires, 6,
284)
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.
a mari usque ad mare 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 pedibus usque ad caput from feet to head Completely. Similar to the English
expressions "from tip to toe" or "from top to toe". Equally a capite ad calcem. See also
ab ovo usque ad mala.
a posse ad esse from being able to being "From possibility to actuality" or "from being
possible to being actual"
a posteriori 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 that can be
known from empirical experience.
a priori from the former Presupposed, 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 that can be known without empirical
experience. 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 abuse to a use is not valid R
ights abused are still rights (cf. abusus non tollit usum).
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 or abhinc from here on 
ab imo pectore from the deepest chest Or "from the bottom of my heart", "with deepest
affection", "sincerely".. Attributed to Julius Caesar.
ab inconvenienti from an inconvenient thing 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.
ab incunabulis 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 an intestate 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 commencement—i.e.,
"originally". The source of the word aboriginal.
ab ovo usque ad mala from the egg to the apples From Horace, Satire 1.3. Means "from
beginning to end", based on the Roman main meal typically beginning with an 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 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.) from the city having been founded Or "from the founding of
Rome", which occurred in 753 BC according to Livy's count. Used as a reference point in
ancient Rome for establishing dates, before being 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 absent In the absence of the accused.
absit iniuria verbis (or injuria) 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 offense". See
also absit invidia.
absit invidia let ill will be absent Although similar to the English expression "no
offense", 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.
absolvo I acquit 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 prior to the Second Vatican Council.
abundans cautela non nocet abundant caution does no harm Frequently phrased as "one can
never be too careful".
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'.
accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo 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].
accipe hoc Take this Motto of 848 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy.
acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt mortal actions never deceive the gods 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 the Saints 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 non facit reum nisi mens sit rea 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).
adaequatio intellectus nostri cum re conformity of our minds to the fact A phrase used
in Epistemology regarding the nature of understanding.
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 arbitrium at will, at pleasure 
ad astra to the stars Name or motto (in full or part) of many organizations,
publications, etc.
ad astra per aspera to the stars through difficulty 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 astra per alia porci to the stars on the wings of a pig A favorite saying of John
Steinbeck. A professor told him that he would be an author when pigs flew. Every book he
wrote is printed with this insignia.
ad captandum vulgus 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.
ad eundem to the same An 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.
ad hominem 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 honorem to the honor Generally means "for the honor", 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 "chargé d'affaires ad interim" for
a diplomatic officer who acts in place of an ambassador.
ad kalendas graecas at the Greek Calends 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".
ad libitum (ad lib) 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 music and theatrical scripts that the performer has the liberty to change
or omit something. Ad lib is specifically often used when someone improvises or ignores
limitations.
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 or ad majorem Dei gloriam (AMDG) to the greater glory of God Motto 
of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Edward Elgar dedicated his oratorio The Dream of
Gerontius "A.M.D.G."
ad meliora Towards better things 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) to the weight of all things More loosely, "considering
everything's weight". The abbreviation was historically used by physicians and others to
signify that the last prescribed ingredient is to weigh as much as all of the previously
mentioned ones.
ad quod damnum to whatever damage 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 referendum
(ad ref) to be proposed [before the Senate] Loosely "subject to reference":
provisionally approved, but still needing official approval. Not the same as a
referendum.
ad rem to the matter Thus, "to the point", without digression.
ad terminum qui praeteriit for the term which has passed A legal term for a writ of
entry ad terminum qui praeteriit [for the term which has passed].]
ad undas to the waves Equivalent to "to hell".
ad usum Delphini for the use of the Dauphin Said of a work that has been expurgated of
offensive or improper parts. The phrase originates from editions of 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. propr.) for one's own use 
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.
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.
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".
aetatis suae 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.).
The tomb reads Anno 1629 Aetatis Suae 46 because she died in 1629 at age 46.
a falsis principiis proficisci from false principles Legal term from Cicero's De Finibus
4.53.
affidavit 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.
agenda things to be done 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 (esse) action follows being Metaphysical and moral principle that
indicates the connection among ontology, obligation and ethics.]
agere sequitur credere action follows belief "We act according to what we believe
(ourselves to be)".]
Agnus Dei 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.
alea iacta est the die has been cast Or in Greek, ἀνεῤῥίφθω κύβος
anerrhíphthō kýbos; 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 the
point of no return on a momentous decision and entering into a risky endeavor where the
outcome is left to chance.
alenda lux ubi orta libertas Light [is] to be nourished where liberty [has] arisen. Or
"let learning be cherished..." The motto of Davidson College.
alias at another time, otherwise An assumed name or pseudonym. Similar to alter ego, but
more specifically referring to a name, not to a "second self".
alibi elsewhere 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.
alis aquilae on an eagle's wings 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 Pontifícia Universidade Católica 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.
aliquid stat pro aliquo something stands for something else A foundational definition
for semiotics.
alma mater 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.
alter ego 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.
alterius non sit qui suus esse potest 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.
alterum non laedere to not wound another One of Justinian I's three basic legal precepts.
alumnus or
alumna pupil graduate or former student of a school, college or university
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, an
amicus curiae is a third party allowed to submit a legal opinion (in the form of an
amicus brief) to the court.
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.
amor est vitae essentia love is the essence of life As said by Robert B. Mackay,
Australian Analyst.
amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus love is rich with both honey and venom 
amor fati love of fate Nietzscheian alternative world view to memento mori [remember you
must die]. Nietzsche believed amor fati to be more life affirming.
amor omnibus idem love is the same for all 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
See also: Love Conquers All

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 Iesus 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) or B.C.E. (Before the Common Era).
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 cœptis 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.
annus horribilis horrible year A recent pun on annus mirabilis, first used by Queen
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 1665–1666,
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".
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.
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 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.
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.
aqua vitae 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.
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' (1466–1536) [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).
arcus senilis bow of an old person An opaque circle around the cornea of the eye, often
seen in elderly people.
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.
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).
ars [est] celare artem 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.]
ars gratia artis 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.
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.
assecuratus non quaerit lucrum sed agit ne in damno sit the assured does not seek profit
but makes [it his profit] that he not be in loss Refers to the insurance principle that
the indemnity cannot be larger than the loss.
audacter calumniare, semper aliquid haeret slander boldly, something always sticks from
Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum (1623)
auctoritas authority The level of prestige a person had in Roman society.
audax at fidelis bold but faithful Motto of Queensland.
audeamus let us dare Motto of Otago University Students' Association, a direct response
to the university's motto of sapere aude "dare to be wise".
audemus jura nostra defendere 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.
audentes fortuna iuvat 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 the Portuguese 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 NACS Royal Navy
audi, vide, tace hear, see, be silent Motto of Security Information Service of the Czech
Republic
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!"
auribus teneo lupum 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 dawn The Northern Lights, an aurora that appears in the
Northern Hemisphere.
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 of a better age Motto of Raffles Institution, a secondary
school in Singapore.
aut Caesar aut nihil either Caesar or nothing 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.
aut concilio aut ense either by meeting or the sword Thus, either through reasoned
discussion or through war. A former motto of Chile, replaced by post tenebras lux.
aut pax aut bellum either peace or war The motto of the Gunn Clan.
aut viam inveniam aut faciam I shall either find or make a way Hannibal.
aut vincere aut mori either to conquer or to die A general pledge of victoria aut mors
"victory or death". Motto of the Higgenbotham, and Higginbottom families of Cheshire
England; participants in the War of the Roses.
ave atque vale Hail and farewell! From Catullus, carmen 101, addressed to his deceased
brother.
Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant Hail, Emperor! Those who are about to die salute you! F
rom Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars, Claudius 21. The traditional greeting of gladiators
prior to battle. morituri is also translated as "we who are about to die" based on the
context in which it was spoken, and this translation is sometimes aided by changing the
Latin to nos morituri te salutamus.
ave Europa nostra vera Patria Hail, Europe, our true Fatherland! Anthem of
Pan-Europeanists.
Ave Maria Hail, Mary Catholic prayer of intercession asking Mary, the mother of Jesus to
pray for the petitioner.


[edit] B


Latin Translation Notes
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 [are] the poor. A Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 in
the Vulgate: beati pauperes spiritu, 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.
bella gerant alii
Protesilaus amet! let others wage war
Protesilaus should love! Originally from Ovid, Heroides 13.84,] 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 as bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube (let
others wage war; you, fortunate Austria, marry). Said by King Matthias.
bellum omnium contra omnes war of all against all A phrase used by Thomas Hobbes to
describe the state of nature.
bellum se ipsum alet‎ war feeds itself 
bibo ergo sum I drink, 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] to shear his
flock, not to flay them Tiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a
warning against taxing the populace excessively.
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.
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.
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).


[edit] C


Latin Translation Notes
cacoethes scribendi badly accustomed to (of) writing Greek and Latin. From Satires of
Juvenal. See hypergraphia.
Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. Kill them. For the Lord knows those who
are his. Supposed statement by Abbot Arnaud Amalric before the massacre of Béziers
during the Albigensian Crusade, recorded 30 years later, according to Caesar of
Heisterbach.
cadavera vero innumera truly countless bodies Used by the Romans to describe the
aftermath of the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains.
caetera desunt the rest is missing Caetera is Medieval Latin for cētera.
calix meus inebrians my cup makes me drunk 
camera obscura dark chamber 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 Refers to a situation where nobody is safe from anybody,
each man for himself.
capax infiniti capable of the infinite 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.'
caput inter nubila (condit) (he plunges) [his] head in the clouds So aggrandized as to
be beyond practical (earthly) reach or understanding (from Virgil's Aeneid and the
shorter form 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 Pope Benedict XVI's third encyclical.
carpe diem seize the day 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.
carpe noctem seize the night 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.
Carthago delenda est Carthage must be destroyed The Roman senator Cato the Elder ended
every speech after second Punic Wars 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 Lisbon Treaty in the European Parliament, Daniel Hannan ended
all his speeches in a similar way with Pactio Olisipiensis censenda est "The Lisbon
Treaty must be put to a referendum".
casus belli event of war Refers to an incident that is the justification or case for war.
causa mortis cause of death 
cave 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.
cave canem Beware of the dog 
cave laborem beware of work 
cave nil vino beware of no wine 
caveat emptor let the buyer beware 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".
cedant arma togae let arms yield to the gown "Let military power yield to civilian
power", Cicero, De Officiis I:77. See also: Toga
celerius quam asparagi cocuntur more swiftly than asparagus [stem]s 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.
cepi corpus I got the body 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.
certum est quod certum reddi potest it is certain if it is capable of being rendered
certain Often used in law when something is not known, but can be ascertained (e.g. the
purchase price on a sale which is to be determined by a third-party valuer)
cessante ratione legis cessat ipsa lex when the reason for the law ceases, the law
itself ceases A rule of law becomes ineffective when the reason for its application has
ceased to exist or does not correspond to the reality anymore. By Gratian.
cetera desunt the rest are missing Also spelled "caetera desunt".
ceteris paribus with other things equal Idiomatically translated as "all other things
being equal" - that is, disregarding or eliminating the possibility of other factors in
a situation.
charta pardonationis se defendendo a paper of pardon to him who defended himself 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
Misérables 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.
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.
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.
clausum fregit   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 A symbol of the Papacy.
clavis aurea golden key The means of discovering hidden or mysterious meanings in texts,
particularly applied in theology and alchemy.
clerico admittendo about to be 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).
Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt Those who hurry cross the sea change the
sky [upon them], not their souls or state of mind Hexameter by Horace (Epistulae I, 11
v.27). Seneca shortens it to Animum debes mutare, non caelum (You must change [your]
disposition, not [your] sky) in his Letter to Lucilium XXVIII, 1
cogito ergo sum I think, therefore I am. A rationalistic argument used by French
philosopher René Descartes to attempt to prove his own existence.
coitus interruptus interrupted congress Aborting sexual intercourse prior to
ejaculation—the only permitted form of birth control in some religions.
coitus more ferarum congress in the way of beasts A medical euphemism for the
doggy-style sexual position.
collige virgo rosas pick, girl, the roses 
Exhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from De rosis nascentibus
(also titled Idyllium de rosis) attributed to Ausonius or Virgil.  "Gather ye rosebuds
while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse

combinatio nova new combination 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 generally accepted view 
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 salvation through harmony Motto of Montreal. It is also the Bank of
Montreal coat of arms and motto.
condemnant quod non intellegunt They condemn what they do not understand or They condemn
because they do not understand (the quod is ambiguous) 
condicio sine qua non condition without which not A required, indispensable condition.
Commonly mistakenly rendered with conditio ("seasoning" or "preserving") in place of
condicio ("arrangement" or "condition").
confer (cf.) confer]] "compare". Used as an abbreviation in text to recommend a
comparison with another thing (cf. citation signal).
Confoederatio Helvetica (C.H.) Helvetian Confederation 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.
coniunctis viribus with connected strength Or "with united powers". Sometimes rendered
conjunctis viribus.
consuetudo pro lege servatur Custom is held as law. Where there are no specific laws,
the matter should be decided by custom;] established customs have the force of laws.]
Also consuetudo 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 saeculi scorn for the times Despising the secular world. The monk or
philosopher's rejection of a mundane life and worldly values.
contra spem spero hope against hope Title of a poem by Lesya Ukrainka; also used in the
Pentateuch with reference to Abraham the Patriarch.
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.
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.)
contra bonos mores against good morals Offensive to the conscience and to a sense of
justice.
contra legem against the law 
contra principia negantem non est disputandum there can be no debate with those who deny
the foundations Debate is fruitless when you don't agree on common rules, facts,
presuppositions.
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 stop exist, to no longer matter, to no longer be respected as
person of integrity.)
cor meum tibi offero domine prompte et sincere my heart I offer to you Lord promptly and
sincerely motto of 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.
coram nobis, coram vobis in our presence, in your presence Two kinds of writs of error.
coram populo in the presence of the people Thus, openly.
coram publico in view of the public 
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, 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.
corpus vile worthless body A person or thing fit only to be the object of an experiment.
corrigenda things to be corrected 
corruptio optimi pessima the corruption of the best is the worst 
corruptus in extremis corrupt to the extreme Motto of the fictional Springfield Mayor
Office in The Simpsons TV-Show
corruptissima re publica plurimae leges When the republic is at its most corrupt the
laws are most numerous Tacitus
cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit, cras amet May he love tomorrow who has
never loved before; And may he who has loved, love tomorrow as well It's 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.
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 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.
crescit eundo it grows as it goes 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.
cruci dum spiro fido while I live, I trust in the cross, Whilst I trust in the Cross I
have life Motto of the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) and its associated schools.
cucullus non facit monachum The hood does not make the monk William Shakespeare, Twelfth
Night, Scene I, Act V 48–50
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?).
cui prodest for whom it advances 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).
cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos Whose the land is, all the way to
the sky and to the underworld is his. First coined by Accursius of Bologna in the 13th
century. A Roman legal principle of property law that is no longer observed in most
situations today. Less literally, "For 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 nisi insipientis in errore perseverare. Anyone can
err, but only the fool persists in his fault Cicero, Philippica XII, 5.
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
cuncti adsint meritaeque expectent praemia palmae let all come who by merit deserve the
most reward Motto of University College London.
cura personalis care for the whole person Motto of 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.
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?"
curriculum vitae course of life An overview of a person's life and qualifications,
similar to a résumé.
custos morum keeper of morals A censor.
cygnis insignis distinguished by its swans Motto of Western Australia.
cygnus inter anates swan among ducks 


[edit] D


Latin Translation Notes
Da mihi factum, dabo tibi ius Give me the fact(s), I'll give you the law also: Da mihi
facta, dabo tibi ius; legal principle based on Roman law; parties should present the
facts of a case while the judge rules on the law. Related to iura novit curia (the court
knows the law).
damnant quodnon intelligunt They condemn what they do not understand 
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.
data venia "with due respect" or "given the excuse" Used before disagreeing with someone.
dat deus incrementum God grants the increase Motto of Westminster School, a leading
British independent school.
datum perficiemus munus Mission given, mission accomplished Motto of Batalhão de
Operações Policiais Especiais (BOPE), the elite special forces unit of the military
police of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
de bonis asportatis carrying goods away Trespass de bonis asportatis was the traditional
name for larceny (wrongful taking of chattels).
decus et tutamen An ornament and a safeguard Inscription on British one-pound coins.
Originally on 17th-century coins, it refers to the inscribed edge as a protection
against the clipping of precious metal. The phrase originally comes from Virgil's Aeneid.
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.
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 facto refers
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 
de jure by law "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 lege ferenda from law to be passed 
de lege lata "from law passed" or "by law in force" 
de minimis non curat lex The law does not bother with the smallest things. The court
does not want to bother with small, trivial things. A case must have importance for the
court to hear it. See "de minimis not curat praetor".
de minimis non 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).
de mortuis nil nisi bonum about the dead, nothing unless a good thing From de mortuis
nil nisi bonum dicendum est, "nothing must be said about the dead except the good",
attributed by Diogenes Laërtius to Chilon. In legal contexts, this quotation is used
with the opposite meaning, as defaming a deceased person is not a crime. In other
contexts, it refers to taboos against criticizing the recently deceased.
de nobis fabula narratur 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.
de novo from the new "Anew" or "afresh". In law, a de novo is a retrial. In biology, de
novo means newly synthesized, and a 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.
de omnibus dubitandum be suspicious of everything, doubt everything Karl Marx's favorite
motto.
de omni re scibili et quibusdam aliis about every knowable thing, and even certain other
things A 15th-century Italian scholar wrote the De omni re scibili portion, and a wag
added et quibusdam aliis.
de oppresso liber Free From Having Been Oppressed Commonly mistranslated as "To Liberate
the Oppressed". The motto of the United States Army Special Forces.
de profundis from the depths Out of the depths of misery or dejection. From the Latin
translation of Psalm 130.
de re about the matter In logic, de dicto statements (about the truth of a proposition)
are distinguished from de re statements (about the properties of a thing itself).
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 on Canadian 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.
deliriant isti Romani They are mad, those Romans! A translation into Latin from René
Goscinny's ils sont fous, ces romains!, frequently issued by Obelix in the Asterix
comics.
Deo ac veritati For God and for truth Motto of Colgate University.
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 Bénédictine
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. See also: Insha'Allah.
Deus caritas est God is Love The first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI.
deus ex machina a god from a machine From the Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός
(apò mēchanēs theós). A contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary
plot. Refers to the practice in Greek drama of lowering by crane (the mechanê) 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 meumque jus God and my right The principal motto of Scottish Rite Freemasonry; see
also Dieu et mon droit.
Deus vult God wills it! The principal slogan of the Crusades.Motto of Bergen Catholic
High School, NJ
deus otiosus God at leisure 
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 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 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 (8)
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 non juridicum Day without judiciary 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.
dis manibus sacrum (D.M.S.) Sacred to the ghost-gods 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 tomorrow going to die. Attributed to St Edmund of Abingdon.
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 "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]
Domine dirige nos Lord guide us Motto of the City of London
Dominus Illuminatio Mea the Lord is my light Motto of the University of Oxford.
Dominus Vobiscum Lord be with you 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.
dona nobis pacem give us peace 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 death A legal concept where a person in
imminent mortal danger need not meet the requisite consideration to create or modify a
will.
draco dormiens nunquam titillandus a sleeping dragon 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 personae the parts of the play More literally, "the masks of the drama"; more
figuratively, "cast of characters". The characters represented in a dramatic work.
duae tabulae rasae in quibus nihil scriptum est Two blank slates with nothing written
upon them Stan Laurel, inscription for the fanclub logo of The Sons of the Desert.
ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt The fates lead the willing and drag the unwilling A
ttributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca.
ductus exemplo Leadership by example This is the motto for the United States Marine
Corps' Officer Candidates School located at Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico,
Virginia.
dulce bellum inexpertis war is sweet to the inexperienced War may seem pleasant to those
who have never been involved in it, though the more experienced know better. A phrase
from Erasmus in the 16th century.
dulce et decorum est pro patria mori It is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland. F
rom Horace, Odes III, 2, 13. Used by Wilfred Owen for the title of a poem about World
War I, Dulce et Decorum Est.
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.]
dum spiro spero while I breathe, I hope State motto of South Carolina. From Cicero.
dum Roma deliberat Saguntum perit while Rome debates, Saguntum is in danger Used when
someone has been asked for urgent help, but responds with no immediate action. Similar
to Hannibal ante portas, but referring to a less personal danger.
dum vivimus servimus While we live, we serve motto of Presbyterian College.
dum vivimus, vivamus While we live, let us live! An encouragement to embrace life. Motto
inscribed on the sword of the main character in the novel Glory Road.
dura lex sed lex [the] law [is] harsh, but [it is the] law 
dura mater tough mother Outer covering of the brain.
dum vita est, spes est while there is life, there is hope 
dux bellorum War leader 


[edit] E


Latin Translation Notes
e pluribus unum one (coming) out of many Motto of the United States of America. Used on
many U.S. coins and inscribed on the Capitol. 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 according to St. John (XIX.v)
(19.5, Douay-Rheims), 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 BBC comedy Mr. Bean. Oscar Wilde opened his
defense with this phrase when on trial for gross indecency.
ecce panis angelorum behold the bread of angels A phrase occasionally inscribed near the
altar in Catholic churches; it makes reference to the Host; the Eucharist; the bread of
Heaven; the Body of Christ. See also: Panis Angelicus.
editio princeps first edition The first printed edition of a work.
O Deus Ego Amo Te O God I Love You attributed to Saint Francis Xavier
ego non not I short for "Even if all others... I will not."
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".
eheu fugaces labuntur anni Alas, the fleeting years slip by From Horace's Odes II, 14.
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 emeritus or provost
emeritus. This does not necessarily mean that the honoree is no longer active.
ens causa sui existing because of oneself Or 'being one's own cause'. Traditionally, a
being that owes its existence to no other being, hence God or a Supreme Being (cf.
Primum Mobile).
ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem by the sword she seeks gentle peace under
liberty State motto of Massachusetts, adopted in 1775.
entitas ipsa involvit aptitudinem ad extorquendum certum assensum reality involves a
power to compel sure assent A phrase used in modern Western philosophy on the nature of
truth.
eo ipso by that very (act) 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 nomine by that name 
equo ne credite do not trust the horse Virgil, Aeneid, II. 48–49 (Latin)
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, sed
perseverare diabolicum; 'to err is human, but to persist (in the mistake) is diabolical.'
erratum error Or 'mistake'. Lists of errors in a previous edition of a work are often
marked with the plural, errata ('errors').
esse est percipi to be is to be perceived George Berkeley's motto for his idealist
philosophical position that nothing exists independently of its perception by a mind
except minds themselves.
esse quam videri to be, rather than to seem 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 Catilinae (54.6), where he wrote that Cato esse quam 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'.
esto perpetua may it be perpetual 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' College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka.
esto quod es be what you are Motto of Wells Cathedral School.
et alibi (et al.) and elsewhere A less common variant on et cetera used at the end of a
list of locations to denote unlisted places.
et alii (et al.) and others 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 aliæ), 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.] APA style uses et
al. 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".
et hoc genus omne And all that sort of thing Abbreviated to e.h.g.o. or ehgo
et in Arcadia ego and in Arcadia [am] I In other words, 'I, too, am in Arcadia'. See
memento mori.
et nunc reges intelligite erudimini qui judicatis terram And now, O ye kings,
understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. From the Book of Psalms,
II.x. (Vulgate), 2.10 (Douay-Rheims).
et sequentes (et seq.) and the following (masc./fem. plural) Also et sequentia ('and the
following things': neut.), abbreviations: et seqq., et seq.., or sqq.
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, καὶ σὺ τέκνον; (Kaì sù téknon?), in English
'You too, (my) child?', quoting from Menander.
et uxor (et ux.) and wife A legal term.
et vir and husband A legal term.
Etiamsi omnes, ego non Even if all others... I will not Peter to Jesus Christ (Matthew
26:33)
ex abundanti cautela from abundant caution 
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
(Douay-Rheims). Sometimes rendered without enim ('for').
ex aequo from the equal 'On equal footing', i.e., 'in a tie'.
ex Africa semper aliquid novi Always something new from Africa (literally something of
new) Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, VIII/42: unde etiam vulgare Graeciae dictum
semper aliquid novi Africam adferre.]
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 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] confidence A motto of St George's College, Harare.
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 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 ad-lib 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, the
President 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.
ex opere operato from the work worked 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 oriente lux light from the east Originally refers to the sun rising in the east, but
alludes to 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 [an art or science] Or 'with due competence'. Said of the
person who perfectly 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 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 of] time 'This instant', 'right away' or 'immediately'.
Also written extempore.
ex tenebris lux from darkness, light Motto of the city of Geneva.
ex umbra in solem from the shadow into the light Motto of Federico Santa María
Technical University.
ex vi termini from the force of the term Thus, 'by definition'.
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.
exceptio firmat (or probat) regulam in casibus non exceptis The exception confirms the
rule in cases which are not excepted A juridical principle which means that the
statement of a rule's exception (e.g., "no parking on Sundays") implicitly confirms the
rule (i.e., that parking is allowed Monday through Saturday). Often mistranslated as
"the exception 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.
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.).]
Exempli gratia, 'for example', is commonly abbreviated 'e.g.'; in this usage it is
sometimes followed by a comma, depending on style.]
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 experience teaches This term has been used in dermatopathology to
express that there is no substitute for experience in dealing with all the numerous
variations that may occur with skin conditions.] The term has also been used in
gastroenterology.]
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.
expressio unius est exclusio alterius the expression of the one is the exclusion of the
other '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').
extra domum [placed] outside of the house Refers to a possible result of Catholic
ecclesiastical legal proceedings when the culprit is removed from being part of a group
like a monastery.
extra Ecclesiam nulla salus outside the Church [there is] no salvation This expression
comes from the writings of Saint Cyprian of Carthage, a bishop of the third century. It
is often used to summarise the doctrine that the Catholic Church is 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.
extra territorium jus dicenti impune non paretur he who administers justice outside of
his territory is disobeyed with impunity Refers to extraterritorial jurisdiction. Often
cited in law of the sea cases on the high seas.


[edit] F


Latin Translation Notes
faber est suae quisque fortunae Every man is the artisan of his own fortune Appius
Claudius Caecus. Motto of Fort Street High School in Petersham, Sydney , Australia.
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.
facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque "I make free adults out of children by means of
books and a balance." Motto of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe,
New Mexico
facta, non verba actions, not words Frequently used as motto.
falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus false in one thing, false in everything 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 impeach opposing witnesses in
court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without
corroboration.
feci quod potui, faciant meliora potentes I have done what I could; those who can will
do better. from Henry Baerlein's introduction to his translation of The Diwan of
Abu'l-Ala by Abu al-Ala al-Maarri (973–1057);] also in Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters,
act I.
fecisti patriam diversis de gentibus unam "From differing peoples you have made one
native land" Verse 63 from the poem De reditu suo by Rutilius Claudius Namatianus
praising emperor Augustus.]
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 University of Sheffield.
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 Peopl
e'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.
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
fiat voluntas tua Thy will be done The motto of Archbishop Richard Smith of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton.
Fidei Defensor (Fid Def) or (fd) 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. The humor comes from the phrase's similarity in pronunciation
to the words "Feed 'em shit".
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.
finis coronat opus The end crowns the work The end justifies the means.
finis vitae sed non amoris The end of life, but not of love 
flagellum dei scourge of god Referred to Attila the Hun, when he led his armies to
invade the Western Roman Empire.
flectere si nequeo superos, Achaeronta movebo If I cannot move heaven I will raise hell Vi
rgil's Aeneid, book 7
floreat etona May Eton Flourish Motto of Eton College
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 is the word of God. The motto of
Bishop Blanchet High School.
fortes fortuna adiuvat Fortune favours the bold The motto of the 3rd Marine Regiment
fortes in fide strong in faith Frequently used as motto.
fortis cadere, cedere non potest The brave may fall, but cannot yield Motto of
Fahnestock Family Arms.
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 Frequently used as motto.
fortunae meae, multorum faber artisan of my fate and that of several others Motto of
Gatineau.
fundamenta inconcussa Unshakable Foundation 


[edit] G


Latin Translation Notes
gaudeamus hodie let us rejoice today 
gaudeamus igitur therefore let us rejoice First words of a famous academic anthem used,
among other places, in The Student Prince.
gaudium in veritate joy in truth 
generalia specialibus non derogant universal things do not detract from specific things A 
principle of legal statutory interpretation: If a matter falls under a specific
provision and a general provision, it shall be governed by the specific provision.
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.
gesta non verba deeds, not words Motto of James Ruse Agricultural High School.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo Glory to God in the Highest 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.
Gloria Patri Glory to the Father The beginning of the Lesser Doxology.
Gloria filiorum patres The glory of sons is their fathers ( Proverbs17:6) Motto of
Eltham College.
gloriosus et liber glorious and free Motto of Manitoba
gradibus ascendimus ascending by degrees Motto of Grey College, Durham
gradatim ferociter by degrees, ferociously Motto of private spaceflight company Blue
Origin
Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit Conquered Greece in turn defeated its savage conqueror H
orace Epistles 2.1
Grandescunt Aucta Labore By hard work, all things increase and grow Motto of McGill
University
gratiae veritas naturae truth through God's mercy and nature Motto of Uppsala University
graviora manent heavier things remain more severe things await, the worst is yet to come
Gravis Dulcis Immutabilis serious sweet immutable Title of a poem by James Elroy Flecker
]
gutta cavat lapidem [non vi sed saepe cadendo] a water drop hollows a stone [not by
force, but by falling often] main phrase is from Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto IV, 10, 5.];
expanded in the Middle Ages


[edit] H


Latin Translation Notes
habeas corpus You should have the body 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
commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum (you may have the body to 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 Roman Catholic Church papal election to
announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope.
Habent sua fata libelli Books have their destiny [according to the capabilities of the
reader] 
hac lege with this law 
haec olim meminisse iuvabit one day, this will be pleasing to remember Commonly rendered
in English as "One day, we'll look back on this and smile". From Virgil's Aeneid 1.203.
Also, motto of the Jefferson Society.
Hannibal ante portas Hannibal before the gates Refers to wasting time while the enemy is
already here. Attributed to Cicero.
Hannibal ad portas Hannibal is at the gates Roman parents would tell their misbehaving
children this, invoking their fear of Hannibal.
haud ignota loquor I speak not of unknown things 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.
hic et nunc here and now 
hic jacet (HJ) 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 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 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 proverbally in the works of later authors, such as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
historia vitae magistra history, the teacher of life From Cicero, Tusculanas, 2, 16.
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 know his
benefits Famous dictum by the Reformer Melanchthon in his Loci Communes of 1521
hoc est enim corpus meum This is my Body The words of Jesus reiterated in Latin during
the Roman Catholic Eucharist. "Hoc est corpus" May be the source of the expression
"hocus-pocus".[citation needed]
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.
homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto I am a human being; nothing human is strange to
me From Terence, Heautontimoroumenos. Originally "strange" or "foreign" (alienum) was
used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line was a response to the speaker being told
to mind his own business, but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different
cultures 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 book Attributed to Thomas Aquinas
hominem non morbum cura Treat the Man, not the Disease Motto of the Far Eastern
University – Institute of Nursing
honestes ante honores honesty before glory Motto of King George V school, Hong Kong,
China
honor virtutis praemium esteem is the reward of virtue Motto of Arnold School,
Blackpool, England
honoris causa for the sake of honor Said of an honorary title, such as "Doctor of
Science honoris causa".
hora fugit the hour flees See tempus fugit.
hora somni (h.s.) at the hour of sleep Medical shorthand for "at bedtime".
horas non numero nisi serenas I do not count the hours unless they are sunny A common
inscription on sundials.
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.
horribile dictu horrible to say That is, "a horrible thing to relate". Cf. mirabile
dictu.
hostis humani generis enemy of the human race Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as
being enemies of humanity in general.
hypotheses non fingo I do not fabricate hypotheses From Newton, Principia. Less
literally, "I do not assert that any hypotheses are true".


[edit] I


Latin Translation Notes
ibidem (ibid.) in the same place Usually used in bibliographic citations to refer to the
last source previously referenced.
idem (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.
id est (i.e., or ie.) 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)[citation needed]. It is often misinterpreted as "in example". In this
situation, e.g. should be used instead.
id quod plerumque accidit that which generally happens A phrase used in legal language
to indicate the most probable outcome from an act, fact, event or cause.
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.
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (INRI) Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews 
Direct quote from the Vulgate, John 19:19. The inscription was written in Latin, Greek
and Aramaic at the top of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. (John 19:20) 

igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum Therefore whoever desires peace, let him
prepare for war Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, De Re Militari; similar to si vis
pacem, para bellum.
igne natura renovatur integra through fire, nature is 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 iuris non excusat (or ignorantia legis non excusat or ignorantia legis
neminem excusat) ignorance of the law is no excuse A legal principle whereby ignorance
of a law does not allow one to escape liability;
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 an order within an order 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).
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, neverending 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 actu in act "In the very act/In reality".
in articulo mortis at the point of death 
in camera in the chamber Figuratively, "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 eyes.
in com. Ebor. In the county of Yorkshire Eboracum was the Roman name for York and this
phrase is used in some Georgain and Victorian books on the genealogy of prominent
Yorkshire families.
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.
in Deo speramus in God we hope 
Index Librorum Prohibitorum Index of Prohibited (or, Forbidden) Books A list of books
considered heretical by the Roman Catholic Church.
indivisibiliter ac inseparabiliter indivisible and inseparable Motto of
Austria–Hungary prior to its separation into independent states in 1918.
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", "completely", "unabridged".
in extremis in the furthest reaches In extremity; in dire straits. Also "at the point of
death" (cf. in articulo mortis).
in fidem into faith To the verification of faith.
in fieri in becoming Thus, "pending".
in fine (i.f.) in the end At the end. The footnote says "p. 157 in fine": "the end of
page 157".
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
in flagrante delicto in a blazing wrong, while the crime is blazing Equivalent to the
English idiom "caught red-handed": caught in the act of committing a crime. Sometimes
carried the connotation of being caught in a "compromising position".
in flore in blossom Blooming.
in foro in forum Legal term for "in court".
infra dignitatem (infra dig) beneath one's dignity 
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni We enter the circle at night and are consumed by
fire A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the title of a film by
Guy Debord.
in hoc sensu or in sensu hoc (s.h.) in this sense Recent academic abbreviation for the
spatious and inconvienient "in this sense".
in hoc signo vinces by this sign you will conquer Words Constantine claimed to have seen
in a vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Motto of Sigma Chi fraternity, the
[[Norwegian Army 2nd Battalion]and the House of Di Santis].
in hunc effectum for this purpose Describes a meeting called for a particular stated
purpose only.
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 Preliminary, in law referring to 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, "at the place".
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 A legal term meaning "assuming parental (i.e.,
custodial) responsibility and authority". Primary and secondary teachers are typically
bound by law to act in loco parentis.
in luce Tua videmus lucem in Thy light we see light Motto of Valparaiso University.
in lumine tuo videbimus lumen in your light we will see the light Motto of Columbia
University and Ohio Wesleyan University.
in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum into your hands I entrust my spirit According to
Luke 23:46, the last words of Jesus on the cross.
in medias res into the middle of things From Horace. Refers to the literary technique of
beginning a narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much
action has already taken place. Examples include the Iliad, the Odyssey, Os Lusíadas,
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.
innocens non timidus innocent but not afraid Motto on Rowe family coat of arms.
in nocte consilium advise comes over night I.e., "Tomorrow is a new day." Motto of
Birkbeck College, University of London.
in nomine Domini in the name of the Lord Motto of Trinity College, Perth, Australia; the
name of a 1050 papal bull.
in nuce in a nut I.e., "in potentiality." Comparable to "potential", "to be developed".
in omnia paratus Ready for anything. Motto of a fictional Yale University secret society
in the television show Gilmore Girls.
in omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro Everywhere I
have searched for peace and nowhere found it, except in a corner with a book Quote by
Thomas à Kempis
in partibus infidelium in the parts of the infidels That is, "in the land of the
infidels", infidels here referring to non-Christians. After Islam conquered a large part
of the Roman Empire, the corresponding bishoprics didn't disappear, but remained as
titular sees.
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 "Personally", "in person".
in re 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 rem to the thing A legal term used to indicate a court's jurisdiction over a "thing"
rather than a "legal person". As opposed to "ad personam jurisdiction". Example: in
tenant landlord disputes, the summons and complaint may be nailed to the door of a
rented property. This is because the litigant seeks jurisdiction over "the premises"
rather than "the occupant".
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 saeculo in the times "In the secular world", that is, outside a monastery, or before
death.
in salvo in safety 
in silico
(Dog Latin) in silicon Coined in the early 1990s 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 
in spe in hope "future" (My mother-in-law in spe", i.e., "My future mother-in-law), 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.
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.
in statu nascendi in the state of being born Just as something is about to begin.
intaminatis fulget honoribus Untarnished, she shines with honor From Horace's Odes
(III.2.18). Motto of Wofford College.
integer vitae scelerisque purus unimpaired by life and clean of wickedness From Horace.
Used as a funeral hymn.
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 in a time of war, the law falls silent Said by Cicero in
Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked political mobs that had virtually seized
control of Rome in the 60s and 50s BC. Famously quoted in the essay Civil 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 Title of a papal bull
inter spem et metum between hope and fear 
inter vivos between the living Said of property transfers between living persons, as
opposed to inheritance; often relevant to tax laws.
in toto in all "Totally", "entirely", "completely".
intra muros within the walls Thus, "not public". Source of the word intramural. See also
Intramuros, Manila.
intra vires within the powers That is, "within the authority".
in triplo in triple "In triplicate".
in utero in the womb 
in utrumque paratus Prepared for either (event) Motto of the McKenzie clan.
in vacuo in a void "In a vacuum". In isolation 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 "non-natural"
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.
invictus maneo I remain unvanquished Motto of the Armstrong Clan.
Iohannes est nomen eius John is his name / Juan es su Nombre 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 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. Originally coined by Cicero in his
De Natura Deorum (I, 10) to describe the behavior of the students of Pythagoras.
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 the very 'voice' itself To approximate the main thrust or message without
using the exact words.
ipso facto by the fact itself Or "by that very fact".
ira deorum 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 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.]
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' (1466–1536)
[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 the court knows the law A legal principle in civil law countries of the
Roman-German tradition that says that lawyers need not to argue the law, as that 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.
ius cogens 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 spelled ius.
ius primae noctis law of the first night The droit de seigneur.
iustitia fundamentum regni justice - fundamental of kingdom Motto of the Supreme Public
Prosecutor's Office of the Czech Republic.
iustitia omnibus justice for all The motto of Washington, D.C.
iuventutis veho fortunas I bear the fortunes of youth Motto of Dollar Academy.
iuventuti nil arduum to the young nothing is difficult Motto of Canberra Girls' Grammar
School.


[edit] L


Latin Translation Notes
Labor omnia vincit Hard work conquers all 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.
Laborare pugnare parati sumus To work, (or) to fight; we are ready 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 Work hard, Play hard Motto of the Camborne School of Mines,
Cornwall, UK
lapsus linguae slip of the tongue A "proglossis", "tip of the tongue" or "apex of the
tongue". Often used to mean "linguistic error" or "language mistake". It and its
written-word variant, lapsus calami (slip of the pen) can sometimes refers to a
typographical error as well.
Ex.: "I'm sorry for mispronouncing your name. It wasn't intentional; it was a lapsus
linguae".
lapsus memoriae slip of memory Source of the term memory lapse.
Laudator Temporis Acti praiser of time past One who is discontent with the present but
instead prefers things of the past. See "the Good old days".
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 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 Describes something genuine, true, real,
tested, proven, not assumed, not placebo. 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
legitime lawfully A legal term describing a "forced share", the portion of a deceased
person's estate from which the immediate family cannot be disinherited. From the French
héritier legitime (rightful heir).
lex artis law of the skill The rules that regulate a professional duty.
lex orandi, lex credendi the law of prayer is the law of faith 
lex dei vitae lampas the law of God is the lamp of life Motto of the Presbyterian
Ladies' College, Melbourne
lex ferenda the law that should be borne The law as it ought to be.
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.
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 Unwritten law, or common law.
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 of Samuel Rutherford's
controversial book Lex, Rex (1644), which espoused a theory of limited government and
constitutionalism.
lex scripta written law Statute law. Contrasted with lex non scripta.
lex talionis the law of retaliation Retributive justice (cf. an eye for an eye).
lex tempus time is the law Name of musical composition by popular Maltese electronic
music artist Ray Buttigieg
libera te tutemet (ex inferis) Free yourself (from hell) 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 Liberty Justice Truth Motto of the Korea University.
Libertas Quae Sera Tamen freedom which [is] however late Thus, "liberty even when it
comes late". Motto of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
libra (lb) scales Literally "balance". 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.
locus classicus a classic place The most typical or classic case of something; quotation
which most typifies its use.
locus deperditus place of (irremediable) loss Used in philology to indicate that
subsequent mistakes in the tradition of the text have made a passage so corrupted as to
discourage any attempt of correction. The passage is marked by a crux desperationis
("†"). Somehow close in meaning to the modern English expression lost in translation.
locus minoris resistentiae 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.
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). An approximate literal translation
of lorem ipsum might be "sorrow itself", as the term is from dolorum ipsum quia, meaning
"sorrow because of itself", or less literally, "pain for its own sake".
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, United Kingdom
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 by
Priscian. 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.
lupus in fabula the wolf in the story With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will
come". Occurs in Terence's play Adelphoe.
lupus non mordet lupum a wolf does not bite a wolf 
lux et lex light and law Motto of the Franklin &amp; 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 life the light of men Motto of the University of New Mexico
lux in Domino light in the Lord Motto of the Ateneo de Manila University
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 "let there be
light", the most common translation of fiat lux ("let light arise", literally "let light
be made"), which in turn is the Latin Vulgate Bible phrase chosen for the Genesis line
"וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר" (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]


[edit] M


Latin Translation Notes
magister dixit the teacher has said it Canonical medieval reference to Aristotle,
precluding further discussion
Macte animo! Generose puer sic itur ad astra Young, cheer up! This is the way to the
skies. The motto of Academia da Força Aérea(Air Force Academy) of the Brazilian Air
Force
Magna Carta Great Charter A set of documents between Pope Innocent III, King John of
England, and English barons. (1215 AD)
magna cum laude with great praise A common Latin honor, above cum laude and below summa
cum laude.
Magna Europa est Patria Nostra Great Europe is Our Fatherland Political motto of
pan-Europeanists (cf. ave Europa nostra vera Patria)
magna est vis consuetudinis great is the power of habit 
magno cum gaudio with great joy 
magnum opus great work Said of someone's masterpiece
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 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 libertatem quam quietum servitium I prefer liberty with danger to peace
with 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 ā vowel in Latin and
the word for "evil" a short a vowel, but they are normally written the same.
malum quo communius eo peius the more common an evil is, the worse it is 
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.
manibus date lilia plenis give lilies with full hands A phrase from Virgil's Aeneid,
6.883, mourning the death of Marcellus, Augustus' nephew. Quoted by Dante as he leaves
Virgil in Purgatory, 30.21, 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 one's own hand With the implication of "signed by one's hand".
Its abbreviated form is sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or
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.
manus celer Dei the swift hand of God 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 manum lavat one hand washes the other famous quote from The Pumpkinification of
Claudius, ascribed to Seneca the Younger.] It implies that one situation helps the other.
mare clausum closed sea In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to
all others.
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 the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to
Jesus, who is also called the "Son of God."
mater facit Mother Does It Used as a joke to say Mother Fuck It, though it really means
"mother does it"
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.
mater familias the mother of the family The female head of a family. See pater familias.
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.
mea culpa my fault Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently
flawed nature of mankind. Can also be extended to mea maxima culpa (my greatest fault).
Analogous to the nonstandard modern English slang "my bad".
mea navis aëricumbens anguillis abundat My hovercraft is full of eels A relatively
common recent Latinization inspired by the Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook sketch by Monty
Python.
media vita in morte sumus In the midst of our lives we die A well-known sequence,
falsely attributed to Notker during the 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 be
anachronistic in ancient Rome.
memento mori remember that [you will] die Figuratively "be mindful of dying" or
"remember your mortality", and also more literally rendered as "remember to die", though
in English this ironically misses the original intent. An object (such as a skull) or
phrase intended to remind people of the inevitability of death. A more common theme in
Christian than in Classical art. The motto of the Trappist order.
memento vivere a reminder of life Also, "remember that you have to live." Literally
rendered as "remember to live."
memores acti prudentes futuri mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be Thus,
both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From the North Hertfordshire
District Council coat of arms.
mens agitat molem the mind moves the mass From Virgil. Motto of Rossall School, the
University of Oregon, the University of Warwick and the Eindhoven University of
Technology.
mens et manus mind and hand Motto of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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".
meminerunt omnia amantes lovers remember all 
metri causa for the sake of the meter Excusing flaws in poetry "for the sake of the
meter"
Miles Gloriosus 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
at Salamanca, there is a wall, on which graduates inscribe their names, where Francisco
Franco had a plaque installed reading FRANCISCUS FRANCUS MILES GLORIOSUS.)
minatur innocentibus qui parcit nocentibus he threatens the innocent who spares the
guilty 
mirabile dictu wonderful to tell 
mirabile visu wonderful to see A Roman phrase used to describe a wonderful
event/happening.
miscerique probat populos et foedera jungi He approves of the mingling of the peoples
and their 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.
misera est servitus ubi jus est aut incognitum aut vagum miserable is that state of
slavery in which the law is unknown or uncertain Quoted by Doctor Johnson in his paper
for James Boswell on Vicious intromission.
miserabile visu terrible by the sight 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.
missit me Dominus the Lord has sent me A phrase used by Jesus Christ.
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 20000 Leagues
Under the Sea.
modus operandi (M.O.) method of operating Usually used to describe a criminal's methods.
modus ponens method of placing Loosely "method of affirming", a logical rule of
inference stating that from propositions if P then Q and P, then one can conclude Q.
modus tollens method of removing Loosely "method of denying", a logical rule of
inference stating that from propositions if P then Q and not Q, then one can conclude
not P.
modus morons
(Dog Latin) — 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 vivendi method of living An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow
life to go on. A practical compromise.
montaini semper liberi mountaineers [are] always free State motto of West Virginia,
adopted in 1872.
Montis Insignia Calpe Badge of the Rock of Gibraltar 
mortui vivos docent The dead teach the living Used to justify dissections of human
cadavers in order to understand the cause of death.
more ferarum like beasts used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
morior invictus death before defeat 
morituri nolumus mori we who are about to die don't want to From Terry Pratchett's The
Last Hero
morituri te salutant those who are about to die salute you Used once in Suetonius' De
Vita Caesarum 5, (Divus Claudius), chapter 21], by the condemned prisoners manning
galleys about to take part in a mock naval battle on Lake Fucinus in AD 52. Popular
misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's salute. See also: Ave Caesar morituri te
salutant and Naumachia.
mors certa, hora incerta death is certain, its hour is uncertain 
mors omnibus death to all Signifies anger and depression.
mors tua vita mea your death, my life From medieval Latin, it indicates that battle for
survival, where your defeat is necessary for my victory, survival.
mors vincit omnia death conquers all" or "death always wins An axiom often found on
headstones.
morte magis metuenda senectus old age should rather be feared than death from Juvenal in
his 'Satires'
mortuum flagellas you are flogging a dead From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [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 From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as
Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Attempting the impossible.
multa paucis Say much in few words 
multis e gentibus vires from many peoples, strength Motto of Saskatchewan.
multum in parvo much in little Conciseness. The motto of Rutland, a county in central
England.
Latin phrases are often multum in parvo, conveying much in few words.
mundus vult decipi the world wants to be deceived From James Branch Cabell.
munit haec et altera vincit this one defends and the other one conquers Motto of Nova
Scotia.
mutatis mutandis after changing what needed to be changed Thus, "with the appropriate
changes".


[edit] N


Latin Translation Notes
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 a 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 nihil frustra facit nature does nothing in vain Cf. Leucippus: "Everything that
happens does so for a reason and of necessity."
natura non contristatur nature is not saddened That is, the natural world is not
sentimental or compassionate.
natura non facit saltum ita nec lex nature does not make a leap, thus neither does the
law Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" (just as nature
does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law), referring to both nature and the legal
system moving gradually.
natura non facit saltus nature makes no leaps 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).
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 pitchfork,
yet she still will hurry back. You must take the basic nature of something into account.
- Horace, Epistles, Book I, epistle iv, line 24.
navigare necesse est vivere non est necesse to sail is necessary; to live is not
necessary Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius, who, during a severe storm,
commanded sailors to bring food from 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 Pillars—as plus ultra, without the negation. This represented
Spain's expansion into the New World.
ne sutor ultra crepidam Cobbler, no further than the sandal! Thus, don't offer your
opinion on things that are outside your competence. It is said that the Greek painter
Apelles once asked the advice of a cobbler on how to render the sandals of a soldier he
was 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.
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 Refers to the Burning Bush of Exodus
3:2. Motto of many Presbyterian churches throughout the world, including Australia.
nec temere nec timide neither reckless nor timid The motto of the Dutch 11th air
manoeuvre brigade 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
neca eos omnes, deus suos agnoscet kill them all, God will know his own. alternate
rendition of Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. by Arnaud Amalric.
nemine contradicente (nem. con.) with no one speaking against Less literally, "without
dissent". Used especially in committees, where a matter may be passed nem. con., or
unanimously.
nemo dat quod non habet no one gives what he does not have Thus, "none can pass better
title than they have".
nemo est supra legis nobody is above the law 
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 peace for the
wicked." Refers to the inherent psychological issues that plague bad/guilty people.
nemo me impune lacessit no one provokes 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 also the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan
Poe short story "The Cask of Amontillado"
nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit No mortal is wise at all times The wisest may make
mistakes.
nemo nisi per amicitiam cognoscitur No one learns except by friendship Used to imply
that one must like a subject in order to study it.
nemo saltat sobrius Nobody dances sober The short and more common form of "Nemo enim
fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit", "Nobody dances sober, unless he is completely
insane."
nemo tenetur seipsum accusare no one is bound to accuse himself A maxim banning
mandatory self-incrimination. Near-synonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram
Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se (no one is bound
to arm an opponent against himself), 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 seipsum (no one is bound to betray himself), meaning that a
defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.
Nemo igitur vir magnus sine aliquo adflatu divino umquam fuit No great man ever existed
who did not enjoy some portion of divine inspiration From Cicero De Natura Deorum, book
2, 167
nervos belli, pecuniam infinitam Endless money forms the sinews of war In war, it is
essential to be able to purchase supplies and to pay troops (as Napoleon put it, "An
army marches on its stomach").
nihil ad rem nothing to do with the point That is, in law, irrelevant and / or
inconsequential.
nihil dicit he says nothing In law, a declination by a defendant to answer charges or
put in a plea.
nihil novi 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
Polish–Lithuanian 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 The motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by
the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty (1878–1947).
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 mortalibus ardui est nothing is impossible for humankind From Horace's Odes. Motto
of Rathkeale College, New Zealand.
nil nisi bonum (about the dead say) nothing unless (it is) good Short for nil nisi bonum
de mortuis dicere. That is, "Don't speak ill of anyone who has died". Also "Nil magnum
nisi bonum" (nothing is great unless good), motto of St Catherine's School, Toorak as
well as Pennant Hills High School.
nil nisi malis terrori no terror, except to the bad The motto of The King's School,
Macclesfield.
nil per os, rarely non per os (n.p.o.) nothing through the mouth Medical shorthand
indicating that oral foods and fluids should be withheld from the patient.
nil satis nisi optimum nothing [is] enough unless [it is] the best Motto of Everton
F.C., residents of Goodison Park, Liverpool.
nil sine labore nothing without labour Motto of Brisbane Grammar School, Brisbane Girls
Grammar School, Greenwich Public School, and Victoria School
nil sine numine nothing without the divine will Or "nothing without providence". State
motto of Colorado, adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil's Aeneid Book II, line
777, "non haec sine numine divum eveniunt" (these things 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
nisi Dominus frustra if not the Lord, [it is] in vain That is, "everything is in vain
without God". Summarized from Psalm 127, "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). The motto
of Edinburgh.
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.
nolens volens unwilling, willing That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes
rendered volens nolens, aut nolens aut volens or nolentis volentis. Similar to
willy-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 his resurrection.
noli turbare circulos meos Do not disturb my circles! That is, "Don't upset my
calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman soldier who, despite having been given
orders not to, killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse, Sicily. The soldier was
executed for his act.
"nolite te bastardes carborundorum"
(Dog Latin) "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-of-court 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 bis in idem not twice in the same thing A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy.
non causa pro causa not the cause for the cause Also known as the "questionable cause"
or "false cause". Refers to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
non compos mentis not in control of the mind See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos
sui (not in control of himself). Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary,
theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.
non ducor, duco I am not led; I lead Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil. See also pro
Brasilia fiant eximia.
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 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 the thought process motto of radio
show Car Talk
non in legendo sed in intelligendo legis consistunt the laws depend not on being read,
but on being understood 
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.
non loqui sed facere not talk but action Motto of the University of Western Australia's
Engineering faculty student society.
non mihi solum not for myself alone Motto of Anderson Junior College, Singapore.
Non nobis Domine 'Not to us (oh) Lord' The title of a Christian hymn and theme-song of
the Charismatic Episcopal Church, C.E.C. - Protestant denomination, not related to the
high Episcopal Church of the ordinary Anglican Communion of Christianity. The main theme
of the hymn is: 'Non nobis Domine, tuo da glorium.' This is translated as: 'Not to us,
(oh) Lord... unto thy name (be) glory.'
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 of Lower
Canada College, Montreal.
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 regredi to not go forward is to go backward 
non prosequitur he does not proceed A judgment in favor of a defendant when the
plaintiff failed to take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
non scholae, sed vitae discimus We learn not for school, but for life. from Seneca.
Also, motto of the Istanbul Bilgi University.
non quis sed quid 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. Also, motto of
Southwestern University.
non sequitur it does not follow In general, a comment which is absurd due to not making
sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally
inconsistent), often used in humor. 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 suis Not for one's self but for one's own. A slogan used by many schools
and universities. Including Tulane University.
non sibi, sed patriae Not for self, but for Country. Engraved on the doors of the United
States Naval Academy chapel. Also the motto of the USS Halyburton (FFG-40)
non silba, sed anthar; Deo vindice Not for self, but for others; God will vindicate. A
slogan used by the Ku Klux Klan.
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 all that shines as
gold. Also, "All that glitters is not gold." Parabolae. Also used by Shakespeare in The
Merchant of Venice.
non timebo mala I will fear no evil This is the phrase printed on the Colt, in
Supernatural.
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 γνῶθι σεαυτόν
(gnothi seauton), inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. A non-traditional Latin
rendering, temet nosce (thine own self know), is translated in The Matrix as "know
thyself".
nosus decipio we cheat As translated in Amazing Grace (2006 film), "we cheat." From verb
decipere: to ensnare, trap, beguile, deceive, cheat.
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 line drawn. Pliny the Elder attributes this
maxim to Apelles, an ancient Greek artist.
nulla poena sine lege no penalty without a law Refers to the legal principle that one
cannot be punished for doing something that is not prohibited by law, and is related to
Nullum 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 and Portuguese nada,
all with the same meaning.
nulli secundus second to none Motto of the Coldstream Guardsand 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.
nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali no crime, no punishment without a
previous penal law Legal principle meaning that one cannot be penalised for doing
something that is not prohibited by law. It also means that penal law cannot be enacted
retroactively.
nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit There has been no great wisdom
without an element of madness 
numerus clausus closed number A method to limit the number of students who may study at
a university.
numen lumen God our light The motto of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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 quam cum solus never less alone than when alone. 
nunquam non paratus never unprepared Motto of the Scottish clan Johnston & the Irish
sept O'Donoghue. Also motto of The Grange School, a British school located in Santiago,
Chile.


[edit] O


Latin Translation Notes
o homines ad servitutem paratos men fit to be slaves! 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 tempora, o mores Oh, the times! Oh, the morals! also translated "What times! What
customs!"; from Cicero, Catilina I, 1, 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
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
obiter dictum a thing said in passing in law, an observation by a judge on some point of
law not directly relevant to the case before him, and thus neither requiring his
decision nor serving as a precedent, but nevertheless of persuasive authority. In
general, any comment, remark or observation made in passing
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
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 favorite saying of Caligula,
attributed originally to Lucius Accius, Roman tragic poet (170 BC); Motto of the Russian
Noble Family Krasnitsky
odi et amo I hate and I love 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' (1466–1536) collection of annotated
Adagia
omnes vulnerant, postuma necat or omnes feriunt, ultima necat all [the hours] wound,
last one kills usual in clocks, reminding the reader of death
omne ignotum pro magnifico every unknown thing [is taken] for great or "everything
unknown appears magnificent"
omnia cum deo all with God motto for Mount Lilydale Mercy College, Lilydale, Victoria,
Australia
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina everything said [is] stronger if said in Latin or
"everything sounds more impressive when said in Latin"; a more common phrase with the
same meaning is quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur (whatever said in Latin, seems
profound)
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
omnia vincit amor love conquers all Virgil (70 BC – 19 BC), Eclogue X, line 69
omne vivum ex ovo every living thing is from an egg foundational concept of modern
biology, opposing the theory of spontaneous generation
omnia munda mundis everything [is] pure to the pure [men] from The New Testament
omnia praesumuntur legitime facta donec probetur in contrarium all things are presumed
to be lawfully done, until it is shown [to be] in the reverse in other words, "innocent
until proven guilty"
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 Let there be slaughter everywhere 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 102nd Intelligence Wing
omnium gatherum gathering of all miscellaneous collection or assortment; 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 follows the act of being scholastic phrase,
used to explain that there is no possible act if there is not being: being is absolutely
necessary for any other 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
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 Completely this principle of the benedictian monasteries
reads: „Ora et labora (et put), Deus adest sine mora. “ There „pray and work (and
reads), God is (or: God helps) without delay. “
ora pro nobis pray for us 
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 one of the oldest mottos of Craft Freemasonry.]
orta recens quam pura nites newly risen, how brightly you shine Motto of New South Wales.


[edit] P


Latin Translation Notes
pace in peace "With all due respect to", "with due deference to", "by leave of", or "no
offense to". Used to politely acknowledge someone who disagrees with the speaker or
writer.

pace tua your peace Thus, "with your permission".
pacta sunt servanda agreements must be kept Also "contracts must be honoured". Indicates
the binding power of treaties.
palma non sine pulvere no reward without effort Also "dare to try"; motto of numerous
schools.
palmam qui meruit ferat let whoever wins the palm bear it Achievement should be rewarded
– motto of the University of Southern California.
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 war since if a country is ready for war its enemies will not attack. Can be used to
denote support or approval for a war or conflict.
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.
parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus When you are steeped in little things, you shall
safely attempt great things. Motto of Barnard Castle School, sometimes translated as
"Once you have accomplished small things, you may attempt great ones safely"
passim here and there Less literally, "throughout" or "frequently". Said of a word that
occurs several times in a cited text. Also used in proofreading, where it refers to a
change that is to be repeated everywhere needed.
pater familias 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 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.
Pater Omnipotens Father Almighty A more direct translation would be "omnipotent father".
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.
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.
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 10th-century France.
Pax Deorum 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 Domine 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; 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 in terra peace on earth Used to exemplify the desired state of peace on earth.
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
1598–1621). Adapted from Pax Romana.
pax maternum, ergo pax familiarum peace of mothers, therefore peace of families If the
mother is peaceful, then the family is peaceful. The opposite of the Southern American
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 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)
pax vobiscum peace [be] with you A common farewell. The "you" is plural ("you all"), so
the phrase must be used when speaking to more than one person; pax tecum is the form
used when speaking to only one person.
peccavi I have sinned 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.
pecunia non olet money doesn't smell 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 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 don't, money is your master Written on an old Latin tablet in
downtown Verona (Italy).
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 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 hard work, great heights are achieved Motto of University of
Birmingham, Methodist Ladies' College, Perth
per ardua ad astra through adversity to the stars Motto of the air force of several
nations (including the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom) and of several schools.
The phrase is used by Latin Poet Virgil in the Aeneid; also used in Henry Rider
Haggard's novel The People of the Mist.
per aspera ad astra through hardships to the stars 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 motto of Kansas. Ad Astra ("To the Stars") is
the title of a 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 capsulam through the small box That is, "by letter".
per capita by heads "Per head", i.e., "per person", a ratio by the number of persons.
The singular is per caput.
per contra through the contrary Or "on the contrary" (cf. a contrario).
per curiam through the senate Legal term meaning "by the court", as in a decision.
per crucem vincemus through the cross we shall conquer Motto of , Dewsbury.
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 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".
per pedes 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.
per procura (p.p.) or (per pro) 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 se through itself Also "by itself" or "in itself". Without referring to anything
else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications, etc. A common example is negligence
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&amp;M University Corps of
Cadets.
per veritatem vis through truth, strength Motto of Washington University in St. Louis.
per volar sunata[sic] "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's
Purgatorio, Canto XII, 95, the Italian phrase "per volar sù nata".
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.
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.
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.
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.
pollice compresso favor iudicabatur goodwill decided by compressed thumb Life was spared
with a thumb tucked inside a closed fist, simulating a sheathed weapon. Conversely, a
thumb up meant to unsheath your sword.
pollice verso with a turned thumb Used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated
gladiator. The type of gesture used is uncertain. Also the name of a famous painting
depicting gladiators by Jean-Léon Gérôme.
pons asinorum bridge of asses Any obstacle that stupid people find hard to cross.
Originally used of Euclid's Fifth Proposition in geometry.
Pontifex Maximus Greatest High Priest 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; 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.
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
animal is sad, except the cock and the woman Or: triste est omne animal post coitum,
praeter mulierem gallumque. Attributed to Galen of Pergamum.]
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. The title of a West Wing episode.
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 sun Motto of the University of Zulia,
Venezuela.
post prandial after the time before midday 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.
praemonitus praemunitus forewarned is forearmed  
praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes Lead in order to serve, not in order to rule. Motto of
Lancaster Royal Grammar School.
praeter legem after the law Legal terminology, international law.
Praga mater urbium Prague, Mother of Cities Motto of Praha from 1927
Praga Caput Rei publicae Prague, Head of the Republic Motto of Praha from 1991
Praga Caput Regni Prague, Head of the Kingdom Motto of Praha from Middle Ages
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"
primas sum: primatum nil a me alienum puto I am a primate; nothing about primates is
outside 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 originator—and violator—of 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 from Hippocrates'
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.
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 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.
pro Brasilia fiant eximia let exceptional things be made for Brazil Motto of São Paulo
state, Brazil.
pro deo et patria For God and Country Motto of many institutions.
pro domo for (one’s own) home or house serving the interests of a given perspective or
for the benefit of a given group.
pro fide et patria for faith and fatherland Motto of the Diocesan College (Bishops).
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 patria 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 (1975–76 and 1987–88). Motto of The Royal Canadian
Regiment and Royal South Australia Regiment.
pro patria vigalans watchful for the country Motto of the United States Army Signal
Corps.
pro per [propria persona for self to defend oneself in court without counsel. (see also:
pro se)
pro rata for the rate i.e., proportionately.
pro rege et lege for king and the law Found on the Leeds coat of arms
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 studio et labore for study and work 
pro se for oneself to defend oneself in court without counsel. Some jurisdictions
prefer, "pro per".
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.
propria manu (p.m.) "by one's own hand"
propter vitam vivendi perdere causas to destroy the reasons for living for the sake of
life That is, to squander life's purpose just in order to stay alive, and live a
meaningless life. From Juvenal, Satyricon VIII, verses 83–84.
provehito in altum launch forward into the deep Motto of Memorial University of
Newfoundland, as well as of the band 30 Seconds to Mars..
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").
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.


[edit] Q


Latin Translation Notes
qua definitione by virtue of definition Thus: "by definition"; variant of per
definitionem; 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
quaecumque sunt vera whatsoever is true Motto of Northwestern University. Also motto of
the University of Alberta as "quaecumque vera". Taken from Phillipians 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.
quae non prosunt singula multa iuvant what alone is not useful helps when accumulated Ovid
, Remedia amoris
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, and Philharmonic 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.
quamdiu (se) bene gesserit as long as he shall have behaved well (legal Latin) 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). It was
from this phrase that Frank Herbert extracted the name for the Bene Gesserit sisterhood
in the Dune novels.
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.
quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius Whom the gods would destroy, they first 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 bono who with good Common nonsensical Dog Latin misrendering of the Latin phrase cui
bono ("who benefits?").
qui pro quo literally qui instead of quo (medieval Latin) Unused in English, but common
in other modern languages (for instance Italian, Polish and French). Used as a noun,
indicates a misunderstanding.
qui tacet consentire videtur he who is silent is taken to agree 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".
qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur he who brings an action
for the king as well as for himself 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.
quia suam uxorem etiam suspiciore vacare vellet because he should wish even his wife to
be free from suspicion 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, Caesar, and hosted by his second wife, Pompeia, the
notorious politician Clodius arrived in disguise. Caught by 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.
quid agis What's 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. A possible answer is an anagram of the phrase: est vir qui adest, "it
is the man who is here."
quid novi ex Africa What of the new out of Africa? Less literally, "What's new from
Africa?" Derived from an Aristotle quotation.
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").
quid nunc 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 the pseudonym "Quidnunc".
quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur whatever has been said in Latin seems deep Or
"anything said in Latin sounds profound". A recent ironic Latin phrase to poke fun at
people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more
important or "educated". Similar to the less common omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina.
Quieta non movere don't move settled things 
quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who will guard the guards themselves? Commonly associated
with Plato who in the Republic poses this question; and from Juvenal's On Women,
referring to the practice of having eunuchs 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 leget haec? Who will read this? 
quis separabit? who will separate us? Motto of the Order of St. Patrick.
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 amplius eo amplius Something more beyond plenty Apocryphally credited to Borges,
House on Nob Hill (unauthorized Morgenstern translation, c. 1962)
quo errat demonstrator where the prover errs A pun on ''quod erat demonstrandum''.
quo fata ferunt where the fates bear us to Motto of Bermuda.
quo usque tandem For how much longer? From Cicero's Ad Catilinam speech to the Roman
Senate regarding the conspiracy of Catiline: quo usque tandem abutere Catilina patientia
nostra ("For how much longer, Catiline, will you abuse our patience?").
quo vadis? Where are you going? According to Vulgate translation of John 13:36, Saint
Peter asked Jesus Domine, quo vadis ("Lord, where are you going?"). The King James
Version has the translation "Lord, whither goest thou?"
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 gratis asseritur, gratis negatur what is asserted without reason may be denied
without reason If no grounds have been given for an assertion, then there are no grounds
needed to reject it.
quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi what is permitted to Jupiter is not 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 pro-ana websites, anorexics and bulimics.
quod natura non dat Salmantica non praestat what nature does not give, Salamanca does
not provide Refers to the Spanish University of Salamanca, meaning that education cannot
substitute the lack of brains.
Quod scripsi, scripsi. What I have written I have written. Pilate to the chief priests
(John 19:22).
quod vide (q.v.) which see 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.).
Quodcumque dixerit vobis, facite Whatever He tells you, that you shall do. More
colloquially: "Do whatever He [God] tells you to do." Instructions of Mary to the
servants at the Wedding at Cana. Motto of East Catholic High School. (John 2:5).
quomodo vales how are you? 
quorum of whom The number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make
any given meeting constitutional.
quos amor verus tenuit tenebit Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding Seneca
.
Quot capita tot sensus As many heads, so many opinions "There are as many opinions as
there are heads." --Terence.
quot homines tot sententiae how many people, so many opinions Or "there are as many
opinions as there are people".


[edit] R


Latin Translation Notes
radix malorum est cupiditas the root of evils is desire Or "greed is the root of all
evil". Theme of 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.]
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.
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
reductio ad absurdum 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 "ἡ εις άτοπον απαγωγη" (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.
rem acu tetigisti You have touched the point with a needle i.e., "You have hit the nail
on the head"
repetita juvant repeating does good Usually said as a jocular remark to defend the
speaker's (or 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 
requiescat in pace (R.I.P.) let him rest in peace Or "may he rest in peace". A
benediction for the dead. Often inscribed on tombstones or other grave markers. "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 Motto of the University of
Sheffield, the University of Guelph, and London School of Economics.
res gestae things done 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.
res ipsa loquitur the thing speaks for itself A phrase from the common law of torts
meaning that negligence can be inferred from the fact that such an accident happened,
without proof of exactly how. A clause sometimes (informally) added on to the end of
this phrase 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".
res judicata judged thing 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).
respice adspice prospice look behind, look here, look ahead i.e., "examine the past, the
present and future". Motto of CCNY.
respice finem look back at the end i.e., "have regard for the end" or "consider the
end". Generally a memento mori, a warning to remember one's death.
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 contract 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 in integrum restoration to original condition Principle behind the awarding
of damages in common law negligence claims
res, non verba actions speak louder than words From rēs ("things, facts") the plural of
rēs ("a thing, a fact") + nōn ("not") + verba ("words") the plural of verbum ("a
word"). Literally meaning "things, not words" or "facts instead of words" but referring
to that "actions be used 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").
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 3–4 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.
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!", but is actually
closer to "'People called Romanes they go the house'", according to a centurion in the
movie. When Brian is caught vandalizing the palace walls with this phrase, rather than
punish him, the centurion corrects his Latin grammar, explaining that Romanus is a
second declension noun and has its plural in -i rather than -es; that ire or eo ("to
go") must be in the imperative mood to denote a command; and that domus takes the
accusative case without a preposition as the object. The final result of this lesson is
the correct Latin phrase Romani ite domum.
rosa rubicundior, lilio candidior, omnibus formosior, semper in te glorior redder than
the rose, whiter than the lilies, fairer than all things, I do ever glory in thee From
the Carmina Burana's song "Si puer cum puellula".
rus in urbe A countryside in the city Generally used to refer to a haven of peace and
quiet within an urban setting, often a garden, but can refer to interior decoration.


[edit] S


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 Dürer 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 More literally, "sacred 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 the Enlightenment.
Frequently used in mottos; also the name of an Australian Heavy Metal band.
sapientia et doctrina wisdom and learning Motto of Fordham University, New York.
sapienta et eloquentia knowledge and eloquence 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 University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
sapientia, pax, fraternitas Wisdom, Peace, Fraternity Motto of Universidad de las
Américas, Puebla, Cholula, México.
sapienti sat enough for the wise From Plautus. Indicates that something can be
understood without any need for explanation, as long as the listener has enough wisdom
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").
scientiae cedit mare The sea yields to knowledge Motto of the United States Coast Guard
Academy.
scientia ac labore knowledge through [hard] work, or: by means of knowledge and hard
work, or: through knowledge and [hard] work Motto of several institutions
scientia, aere perennius knowledge, more lasting than bronze unknown origin
scientia cum religione religion and knowledge united Motto of St. Vincent's College,
Potts Point
scientia et sapientia knowledge and wisdom motto of Illinois Wesleyan University
scientia imperii decus et tutamen knowledge is the adornment and safeguard of the Empire M
otto of Imperial College London
scientia vincere tenebras conquering darkness by science motto of several institutions
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 potentia est or "knowledge is power."
scio I know 
scire quod sciendum knowledge which is worth having motto of now defunct publisher
Small, Maynard &amp; Company
scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim Each desperate blockhead dares to write as
translated by Philip Francis. From Horace, Epistularum liber secundus (1, 117)] and
quoted in Fielding's Tom Jones; lit: "Learned or not, we shall write poems without
distinction"
scuto amoris divini by the shield of God's love The motto of Skidmore College
seculo seculorum Forever and Ever in seculo seculorum, amen. End of Pater Noster
sed ipse spiritus postulat pro nobis, gemitibus inenarrabilibus But the same Spirit
intercedes incessantly for us, with inexpressible groans Romans 8:26
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.
sede vacante with the seat being vacant The "seat" is the Holy See, and the vacancy
refers to the interregnum between two popes.
semper ad meliora always towards better things Motto of several institutions.
semper ardens always burning Motto of Carl Jacobsen and name of a line of beers by
Danish brewery Carlsberg.
semper eadem always 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.
semper excelsius always higher Motto of the K.A.V. Lovania Leuven.
semper fidelis always faithful Motto of several institutions. One of the most well known
institutions that uses this as a motto is the United States Marine Corps.
semper fortis always brave Motto of the United States Navys' Submarine Service.
semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat We're always in the manure; only the
depth varies. Lord de Ramsey, House of Lords, 21 January 1998]
semper instans always threatening Motto of 846 NACS Royal Navy.
semper invicta always invincible Motto of Warsaw.
semper liber always free Motto of the city of Victoria, British Columbia.
semper paratus always prepared Motto of several institutions. One of the most well known
institutions that uses this as a motto is the United States Coast Guard.
semper primus always first 
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 Protestant theologians 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.]
semper ubi sub ubi always where under where A common English-New Latin translation joke.
The phrase is nonsensical in Latin, but the English translation is a pun on "always wear
underwear".
semper vigilans always vigilant Motto of several institutions. 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 an ancient 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. stricto sensu "with the tight meaning" Less literally, "in the strict
sense".
sequere pecuniam follow the money 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.
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-and-a-half-long words"). A self-referential jab at long words and needlessly
elaborate language in general.
Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes If you can read this, you have too much
education. 
si omnes... ego non if all ones... not I
si peccasse negamus fallimur et nulla est in nobis veritas if we refuse to make a
mistake, we are deceived, and there's no truth in us 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)
si quid novisti rectius istis, candidus imperti; si nil, his utere mecum. if you can
better these principles, tell me; if not, join me in following them Horace, Epistles
I:6, 67–68
si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice if you seek a delightful peninsula, look around S
aid to have been based on the tribute to architect Christopher Wren in St Paul's
Cathedral, London, which reads si monumentum requiris circumspice ("if you seek a
memorial, look around"). State motto of Michigan, adopted in 1835.
si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses If you had kept your silence, you would have stayed
a philosopher This quote is often attributed to the Latin philosopher Boethius of the
late fifth and early sixth centuries. It translates literally as, "If you had been
silent, you would have remained a philosopher." The phrase illustrates a common use of
the subjunctive verb mood. Among other functions it expresses actions contrary to fact.
Sir 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) if you are well, I am well A common beginning for ancient Roman
letters. Also extended to si vales bene est ego valeo ("if you are well, that is good; I
am well"), abbreviated to SVBEEV. The 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 This quote is often attributed to the
Roman philosopher Seneca.
si vis pacem, para bellum if you want peace, prepare for war From Publius Flavius
Vegetius Renatus, Epitoma rei militaris. Origin of the name parabellum for some
ammunition and firearms, such as the Luger Parabellum. (Similar to igitur qui desiderat
pacem, praeparet bellum)
sic thus 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 More simply, "yes and no".
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc we gladly feast on those who would subdue us Mock-Lat
in motto of The Addams Family.
sic infit so it begins 
sic itur ad astra thus you shall go to the stars From Virgil, Aeneid book IX, line 641.
Possibly the source of the ad astra phrases. Motto of several institutions.
sic passim Thus here and there Used when referencing books; see passim.
sic semper erat, et sic semper erit Thus has it always been, and thus shall it ever be 
sic semper tyrannis thus always to tyrants Attributed to Brutus at the time of Julius
Caesar's assassination, and to John Wilkes Booth at the time of Abraham Lincoln's
assassination; whether it was actually said at either of these events is disputed.
Shorter version from original sic semper evello mortem tyrannis ("thus always death will
come to 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 Roman triumphs whispering memento mori.
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.
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

similia similibus curentur similar things take care of similar things"

"let similar things take care of similar things "like cures like" and "let like be cured
by like"; the first form ("curantor") is indicative, while the second form ("curentor")
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.
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.
sine ira et studio without anger and fondness Thus, impartially. From Tacitus, Annals
1.1.
sine loco (s.l.) without a place Used in bibliographies to indicate that the place of
publication of a document is unknown.
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 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
the stained-glass in the conference hall of pharmaceutical mill in Kaunas
sine scientia ars nihil est without knowledge, skill is nothing Motto of The
International Diving Society
sisto activitatem I cease the activity Phrase, used to cease the activities of the Sejm
upon the liberum veto principle
sit nomine digna may it be worthy of the name Motto of Rhodesia
sit sine labe decus let honour stainless be Motto of the Brisbane Boys' College
(Brisbane, Australia).
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 upon us Motto of Utrecht University
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 Bible teaches 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 
soli Deo gloria (S.D.G.) glory to God alone A motto of the Protestant Reformation and
one of the five solas, 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).
solus Christus Christ alone A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five
solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that Jesus 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.]
specialia generalibus derogant special departs from general 
speculum speculorum mirror of mirrors 
spem reduxit he has restored hope Motto of New Brunswick.
spiritus mundi 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 to Carl 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]
splendor sine occasu brightness without setting Loosely "splendour without diminishment"
or "magnificence without ruin". Motto of British Columbia.
stamus contra malo we stand against by evil The motto of the Jungle Patrol in The
Phantom. The phrase actually violates Latin grammar because of a mistranslation from
English, as the preposition contra takes the accusative case. The correct Latin
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 To uphold previous rulings, recognize
precedent.
stat sua cuique dies There is a day [turn] for everybody Virgil, Aeneid, X 467
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.
stercus accidit shit happens Attributed to David Hume.
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 house stand First part of the motto of Harrow
School, England.
stipendium peccati mors est the reward of sin is death 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 ardus cedunt the heights yield to endeavour Motto on the coat of arms of the
University of Southampton, England.
stricto sensucf. sensu stricto with the tight meaning Less literally, "in the strict
sense".
stupor mundi the wonder of the world The title by which Frederick II, Holy Roman
Emperor, was known. More literally translated "the bewilderment of the world", or, in
its original, pre-Medieval sense, "the stupidity of the world".
sua sponte by its own accord Motto of the U.S. Army Rangers. Also a 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.
sub anno under the year Commonly abbreviated sa, it is used in citing annals, which
record events by year.
sub cruce lumen The Light Under the Cross Motto of the University of Adelaide,
Australia. Refers to the figurative "light of learning" and the Southern Cross
constellation, Crux.
sub divo under the wide open sky Also, "under the sky", "in the open air", "out in the
open" or "outdoors". Ablative "divo" does not distinguish divus, divi, a god, 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. 20 s.f. '
sub judice under a judge Said of a case that cannot be publicly discussed until it is
finished. Also sub iudice.
sub poena 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
indiscretions—or those of the gods in general, in other accounts—were kept under
wraps.
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 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  Under the word or heading, as in a dictionary; abbreviated s.v.
sublimis ab unda Raised from the waves Motto of King Edward VII and Queen Mary School,
Lytham
subsiste sermonem statim stop speaking immediately 
Sudetia non cantat One doesn't sing on the Sudeten Mountains Saying from Haná region
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]; also a 2-part episode in
the webcomic Heroes.
summa cum laude with highest praise 
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 sees
Carthaginian 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 children do
childish things anonymous proverb
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.
suo motu upon one's own initiative 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]
suos cultores scientia coronat Knowledge crowns those who seek Her The motto of Syracuse
University, New York.
super fornicam on the lavatory Where Thomas More accused the reformer, Martin Luther, of
going to celebrate Mass.
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 
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").
s.v.  Abbreviation for sub voce or Sub verbo (see above).


[edit] T


Latin Translation Notes
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 the stylus. John
Locke used the term to describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any
knowledge.
tabula gratulatoria "congratulatory tablet" A list of congratulations.
talis qualis "just as such" "Such as it is" or "as such".
taliter qualiter "somewhat" 
tarde venientibus ossa "To the late are left the bones" 
technica impendi nationi "Technology impulses nations" Motto of Technical University of
Madrid
temet nosce "know thyself" A reference to γνῶθι σεαυτόν, which was
inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, according to the Greek
periegetic writer Pausanias (10.24.1).
Tempora Heroica "Heroic Age" Literally "Heroic Times". Refers to the period of time
between the mythological Titanomachy and the (relatively) historical Trojan War.
Te occidere possunt sed te edere non possunt nefas est "They can kill you, but the
legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier" 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".
tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis "the times are changing, and we change in them" V
ariant of omnia mutantur et nos mutamur in illis, attributed to Lothair I. See entry for
details.
tempus edax rerum "time, devourer of all things" Also "time, that devours all things",
or more literally, "time, devouring of things". From Ovid.
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 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".
tentanda via The way must be tried motto for York University
teneo te Africa "I hold you, Africa!" Suetonius attributes this to Julius Caesar, from
when Caesar was on the African coast.
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
finishes his work." A Latin phrase concluding Christopher Marlowe's play Doctor Faustus.]
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" Often used to refer to the ground.
terra incognita "unknown land" 
terra nova "new land" Also 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 third-conjugation verb, whereas it is
actually a present subjunctive first-conjugation verb. Motto of Amherst College; the
college's original mission was to educate young men to serve God.
tertium non datur "a third is not given" A logical axiom that a claim is either true or
false, with no third 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 nullus "one witness is not a witness" A law principle expressing
that a single witness is not enough to corroborate a story.
timeo Danaos et dona ferentes "I fear Greeks even if they bring gifts" Danaos being a
term for the Greeks. In Virgil's Aeneid, II, 49, the phrase is said by Laocoön when
warning his fellow Trojans against 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 flet "A coward's mother does not weep" A Latin proverb. Occasionally
appears on loading screens in the game Rome: Total War.
timor mortis conturbat me "the fear of death confounds me" A Latin 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" This Latin phrase represents the desire to offer ones life in
total commitment to another. The motto was adopted by Pope John Paul II to signify his
love and servitude to Mary the Mother of Jesus.
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 Sabbath—effectively from Wednesday or Thursday night until
Monday. See also Peace and Truce of God.
tu autem "you indeed" Also "even you" or "yes, you", in response to a person's belief
that he will never die. A memento mori epitaph.
tu autem Domine miserere nobis "But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us" Phrase said at the
end of biblical readings in the liturgy of the medieval church.
tu fui ego eris "I was you; you will be me" 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).
tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito "you should not give in to evils, but proceed
ever more boldly against them" 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.


[edit] U


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 bene ibi patria where [it is] well, there [is] the fatherland Or "Home is where it's
good". Patriotic motto.
ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est where there is charity and love, God is there 
ubi jus ibi remedium Where [there is] a right, there [is] a remedy 
ubi mel ibi apes where [there is] 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 dubium ibi libertas where [there is] doubt, there [is] freedom Anonymous proverb.
ubi libertas ibi patria where [there is] liberty, there [is] the fatherland Or "where
there is liberty, there is my country". Patriotic motto.
ubi nihil vales, ibi nihil velis Where you are worth nothing, there you will wish for
nothing From the writings of the Flemish philosopher Arnold Geulincx; also quoted by
Samuel Beckett in his first published novel, Murphy.
ubi non accusator ibi non iudex where [there is] no accuser, there [is] no judge Thus,
there can be no judgement or case if no one charges a defendant with a crime. The phrase
is sometimes parodied as "where there are no police, there is no speed limit".
ubi pus, ibi evacua where there is pus, there evacuate it 
Ubique, quo fas et gloria ducunt everywhere, where right and glory leads Motto of the
Royal Regiment of Artillery and most other Artillery corps within the armies of the
British Commonwealth (for example, the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery and Royal
Regiment of New Zealand Artillery).
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?").
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. Louis XIV of France had Ultima Ratio Regum ("last
argument of kings") engraved on the cannons of his armies. From here it names the French
sniper rifle PGM Ultima Ratio, the fictional Reason weapon system and is the motto of
the 1st Battalion 11th Marines (with the incorrect Regnum). 

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.
ululas Athenas (to send) owls to Athens From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466–1536) [better
known as Erasmus] 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".
una hirundo non facit ver one swallow does not make summer A single example of something
positive does not necessarily mean that all subsequent similar instances will have the
same outcome.
una salus victis nullam sperare salutem the only safety for the conquered is to hope for
no safety 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, lines 353–354. 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".
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 Rakovník Motto of the Czech
Brewery in Rakovník.]
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 the pope.
urbs in horto city in a garden Motto of the City of Chicago.
usus est magister optimus practice is the best teacher. In other words, practice makes
perfect.
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 them—an unwelcome omen of bad
luck. Thus, the sense is, "if they do not perform as expected, they must suffer the
consequences".
ut incepit fidelis sic permanet as she began loyal, so she persists Thus, the state
remains as loyal as ever. Motto of Ontario.
ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas though the power be lacking, the will is to
be praised all the same From Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto (III, 4, 79).
ut infra as below 
ut prosim that I may serve Motto of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
ut proverbium loguitur vetus... you know what they say... Lit: As the old proverb says...
ut res magis valeat quam pereat that the matter may have effect rather than fail] 
ut retro as backwards Or "as on the back side"; thus, "as on the previous page" (cf. ut
supra).
ut Roma cadit, sic omnis terra as Rome falls, so [falls] the whole world 
ut sit finis litium so there might be an end of litigation A traditional brocard. The
full form is Interest reipublicae ut sit finis litium, "it is in the government's
interest that there be an end to 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.
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 parato ready for anything Motto of The British Parachute Regiment





[edit] V


Latin Translation Notes
vade ad formicam go to the ant A Biblical phrase from the Book of Proverbs. The full
quotation translates as "go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn
wisdom".
vade mecum go with me A vade-mecum or vademecum is an item one carries around,
especially a handbook.
vade retro Satana 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 ("step back
from me, Satan!"). The older phrase vade retro ("go back!") can be found in Terence's
Formio I, 4, 203. The phrase has been mocked by a Portuguese slogan, "Vai de metro,
Satanás" ("Go by the subway, Satan").
vae victis Woe to the conquered! Attributed by Livy to Brennus, the chief of the Gauls,
while he 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.
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, i.e. "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 there's a will,
there's a way.") Motto of Hillfield, one of the founding schools of Hillfield
Strathallan College.
velocius quam asparagi coquantur more rapidly than asparagus will be cooked Or simply
"faster than cooking asparagus". Ascribed to Augustus by Suetonius (The Lives of the
Twelve Caesars, Book 2 (Augustus), para. 87). Can refer to anything done very quickly. A
very common variant is celerius quam asparagi cocuntur ("more swiftly than asparagus is
cooked").
velut arbor aevo As a tree with the passage of time. Motto of the University of Toronto,
Ontario, Canada.
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 came, you shall remain,
until you are complete again The phrase that the wizard said to the Devil in the film
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
vera causa true cause 
verba ita sunt intelligenda ut res magis valeat quam pereat words are to be understood
such that the subject matter may be more effective than wasted When explaining a given
subject, it is important to clarify rather than confuse.
verba volant, scripta manent words fly away, writings remain From a famous speech of
Caio 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
(v.gr. or VG) 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.
verbum sap A word to the wise is sufficient The hearer can fill in the rest; enough
said. Short for Verbum sapienti sat[is] est.
veritas truth Motto of many educational institutions.
Veritas Liberabit Vos Truth Shall Set You Free Motto of Xavier University, Ateneo de
Cagayan, The first Catholic Philippine Jesuit University located in Cagayan de Oro City,
Mindanao, Philippines.
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 original motto of Harvard
University, dating to its foundation; it was shortened to Veritas to remove the
religious implications.
veritas, fides, sapientia Truth, Faith, Wisdom Current motto of Dowling Catholic High
School.
veritas curat The Truth Cures. Motto of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical
Education &amp; Research.
veritas diaboli manet in aeternum Devil's truth remain eternally 
veritate duce progredi Advancing (with) Truth Leading. Motto of University of Arkansas.
veritas et virtus Truth and virtue Motto of University of Pittsburgh, Methodist
University.
veritas in caritate Truth Through Caring Motto of Bishop Wordsworth's School.
veritas lux mea Truth is my light. A common non-literal translation is "Truth enlightens
me." Motto of Seoul National University.
veritas odit moras Truth hates delay Seneca the Younger.
veritas omnia vincit Truth conquers all Motto of Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario.
See also national motto Satyameva Jayate of India and motto of Triangle Fraternity.
veritas unitas caritas Truth, Unity, Love Motto of Villanova University.
veritas vincit truth conquers Motto of the Scottish clan Keith.
veritas vos liberabit the truth will set you free Motto of Johns Hopkins University.
[in] veritate et caritate with truth and love Motto of Catholic Junior College,
Singapore.
veritate et virtute with truth and courage Motto of Sydney Boys High School. Also
"virtute et veritate", motto of Walford Anglican School for Girls.
veritatem dilexi I delight in (or, I have chosen) the truth. Motto of Bryn Mawr College.
veritatem fratribus testari to bear witness to the truth in brotherhood 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 then-Senator Barack
Obama on a Great Seal variation during the 2008 US presidential campaign.]
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.
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 conquered the
universe From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. Note that v
was originally the consonantal u, and was written the same before the two forms became
distinct, and also after in many cases, when u and v were both capitalized as V: thus,
Vniversum. Also, universum is sometimes quoted with the form ueniversum (or Veniversum),
which is presumably a combination of universum and oeniversum, two classically attested
spellings). Recently quoted in the Alan Moore graphic novel and film adaptation, V For
Vendetta, by the main character, V.
via by the road "by way of" or "by means of"; e.g. "I'll contact you via e-mail."
via, veritas, vita The Way, the Truth and the Life Motto of The University of Glasgow
and Eastern Nazarene College
via media middle road Can refer to the radical center political stance.
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 "Vice-Chancellor".
vice versa
versa vice with position turned Thus, "the other way around", "conversely", etc.
Historically, vice is properly pronounced as two syllables, but the one-syllable
pronunciation is extremely common. Classical Latin pronunciation dictates that the
letter C can only make a hard sound, like K and a v is pronounced like a w; thus wee-keh
wehr-sah.]
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 Catoni the victorious cause pleased the gods, but
the conquered cause pleased Cato Lucan, Pharsalia 1, 128. Dedication on the south side
of the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
vide infra (v.i.) see below 
vide supra (v.s.) "see above" Or "see earlier in this writing". Also shortened to just
supra.
vincit omnia veritas Truth conquers all 
videlicet (viz.) "namely", "that is to say", "as follows" Contraction of videre licet:
"permitted to see".
video meliora proboque deteriora sequor I see and approve of the better, but I follow
the worse From the Metamorphoses VII. 20–21 of Ovid. A summary of the experience of
akrasia.
video et taceo I see and keep silent The motto of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
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.
vim promovet insitam promotes one's innate power Motto of University of Bristol taken
from Horace Ode 4.4.
videre licet "it is permitted to see", "one may see" 
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 win, Hannibal; you do not
know [how] to use victory According to Livy, a cavalry colonel told Hannibal this after
the victory at Cannae in 216 BC, meaning that Hannibal should have marched on Rome
directly.
vincit qui patitur 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").
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."
virile agitur "The manly thing is being done" As used in the motto of Knox Grammar School
viriliter agite estote fortes "Quit ye like men, be strong" As used in the motto of
Culford School
vir prudens non contra ventum mingit "[A] wise man does not urinate [up] against the
wind" 
virtus et scientia virtue and knowledge Frequently used as a motto, preeminently as that
of La Salle University of Philadelphia, PA.
virtus sola nobilitas virtue alone [is] noble Christian Brothers College, St Kilda's
school motto
virtus unita fortior virtue united [is] stronger State motto of Andorra.
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 tentamine gaudet Strength rejoices in the challenge. The motto of Hillsdale
College.
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 is most certain In simpler
English, "The most certain thing in life is death".
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.
viva voce living voice An oral, as opposed to a written, examination of a candidate.
vivat crescat floreat may it live, grow, and flourish! 
vivat rex May the King live! Usually translated "Long live the King!" Also Vivat Regina
("Long live the Queen!").
vive memor leti live remembering death Persius. Compare with "memento mori"
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 "militia est
vita hominis" Book of Job 7:1
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.
vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit called and not called, 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 to one willing, no harm is done or "to him who consents, no harm
is done"; used in tort law to delineate the principle that one cannot be held liable for
injuries 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 Isaiah 40, and quoted by John the Baptist
in the Gospels. Usually the "voice" is assumed to be shouting in vain, unheeded by the
surrounding wilderness. However, in this phrase's use as the motto of Dartmouth College,
it is taken to denote an isolated beacon of education and culture in the "wilderness" of
New Hampshire.
vox nihili voice of nothing Applied to a useless or ambiguous phrase or statement.
vox populi voice of the people 


[edit] Notes



1. ^ William Blakestone. Book 3 Chapter 10: Of Injuries to Real Property, And First
   of Dispossession, or Ouster, of The Freehold footnote 47
2. ^ a b James T. Bretzke, Consecrated phrases: a Latin theological dictionary :
   Latin expressions commonly found in theological writings (Liturgical Press, 1998), p.
   10. ISBN 0814658806, ISBN 9780814658802
3. ^ Peter Jones (2006). Reading Ovid: Stories from the Metamorphoses. Cambridge
   University Press. p. 223. ISBN 0521849012.
   http://books.google.com/books?id=XQ7SYYc_5RsC&amp;client=firefox-a. 
4. ^ Ovidi Nasonis Epistvlae Heroidvm, XIII. Laodamia Protesilao
5. ^ "Abbreviations"
6. ^ "Abbreviations", University of Sussex
7. ^ Jon R. Stone, More Latin for the Illiterati, Routledge, 1999, p. 53.
8. ^ Giles Jacob, A Law Grammar, W. Clarke & Sons, 1817, p. 3.
9. ^ 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.
10. ^ Clan Fergus(s)on Society Retrieved on 14 December 2007
11. ^ University of Minnesota Style Manual: Correct Usage
12. ^ Pliny the Elder: the Natural History, Liber VIII
13. ^ 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"
14. ^ 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.
15. ^ Rapini, Ronald P. (2005). Practical dermatopathology. Elsevier Mosby. ISBN
    0-323-01198-5. 
16. ^ Webb-Johnson AE (May 1950). "Experientia docet". Rev Gastroenterol 17 (5):
    337–43. PMID 15424403. 
17. ^ The Diwan of Abu'l-Ala at Project Gutenberg
18. ^ , Liber primus at The Latin Library
19. ^ Gravis Dulcis Immutabilis at classicpoetryaloud.com
20. ^ , Liber Quartus, X. Albinovano at The Latin Library
21. ^ "Ite Missa Est" from the Catholic Encyclopedia
22. ^ Home page of St. Julian's School
23. ^ Harbottle, Thomas Benfield (1906). Dictionary of Quotations (Classical). The
    Macmillan Co.. 
24. ^ The Latin Library: SVETONI TRANQVILII VITA DIVI CLAVDI
25. ^ "Masonic mottoes"
26. ^ Kinsey, Alfred Charles (1998) [1953]. Sexual Behavior in the Human Female.
    Indiana University Press. p. 638. ISBN 9780253334114.
    http://books.google.com.au/books?id=9GpBB61LV14C&amp;pg=PA638. 
27. ^ Chapter 18 - Jurisdiction Ratione Personae or the personal reach of the courts
    jurisdiction, From: The Legal Regime of the International Criminal Court: Essays in
    Honour of Professor Igor Blishchenko. Retrieved 26 March 2010
28. ^ Quintus Horatius Flaccus (14 BC). "Q. Horati Flacci Epistvlarvm Liber
    Secvndvs" (in Latin). The Latin Library.
    http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/horace/epist2.shtml. Retrieved 10 September 2008. 
29. ^ Column 1532, Lords Hansard, 21 January 1998
30. ^ Michael Bush, "Calvin and the Reformanda Sayings," in Herman J. Selderhuis,
    ed., Calvinus sacrarum literarum interpres: Papers of the International Congress on
    Calvin Research (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008) p. 286. ISBN
    978-3-525-56914-6
31. ^ "Spartam nactus es; hanc exorna", note from Reflections on the Revolution in
    France (1790) by Edmund Burke
32. ^ University motto
33. ^ AUGUSTINI SERMO LXXVI
34. ^ The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (at Wikisource)
35. ^ Czech Brewery Rakovník — The Brewery
36. ^ Trans-Lex.org
37. ^ Image at York University, Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics.
38. ^ "Latin Pronunciation Demystified" by Michael A. Covington. Program in
    Linguistics, University of Georgia. December 31, 2005]



[edit] References



* 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.



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