100 IMPORTANT LATIN PHRASES IN ENGLISH

 

LATIN PHRASES IN ENGLISH

Latin expressions are often adopted into English, often with an extended or figurative meaning.

1.     a posteriori (from the latter) = based on experience

2.     a priori (from the earlier) = independent of experience

3.     ad hoc (for this thing)= said of something created or formed for a special case

4.     agenda = things to be discussed/done.

5.     ad infinitum (to infinity) = something that keeps going forever

6.     ad nauseam = to sickness

7.     alea jacta est (the die is cast) = said when a plot is set into motion

8.     alias = elsewhere/something/another identity.

9.     Alibi (at or in another place) = showing proof of not being in one place of crime.

10.  ante meridiem (a.m) =before noon/ in the morning)

11.  anno domini (A.D) = in the year of our Lord

12.  ars longa, vita brevis = art is long, life is short.

13.  bis (two times) = used in singing instructions.

14.  Bona fide = with good faith, real or genuine

15.  Bonus = good, bonus refers to an extra sum of money or reward

16.  c. or circa (about) =       approximately

17.  carpe diem = seize of the day, used to motivate others to make the most of the present and stop worrying about the future.

18.  casus belli (cause of war) = where the blame lies

19.  ceteris paribus   =with the rest of the things the same/equal

20.  caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) = a reference to the principle that a customer is responsible for making sure that a product is in good working order

21.  compos mentis (of healthy mind) = sane

22.  confer (cf.) = bring together”

23.  ego = I am (self)

24.  et cetera (etc.)    =and the rest of the things/     and so on

25.  ex cathedra (from the chair) = with the full authority of office (often used in reference to the Catholic pope’s infallibility, but also employed in other contexts)

26.  exempli gratia (e.g.) = by the grace of example/ for example

27.  ex libris   (from the books) = belonging to the book collection of

28.  ex post facto (from the deed/fact, afterwards) = realized with hindsight

29.  extra = in addition to

30.  de facto (from fact): something that happens in practice but is not necessarily established by law

31.  de jure (from law) = the contrary of de facto; something established by law

32.  dies irae = day of judgment

33.  dramatis personae (persons of the drama) = refers to a list of actors, or to the principal participants of an event or in a group

34.  genius loci (guardian spirit) = the character of a place

35.  gratis gratia = “favour” or “kindness”  / for no payment

36.  habeas corpus (may you have the body) = the right to be brought to trial within a reasonable period after arrest and imprisonment

37.  honoris causa (for the sake of the honour) = an honorary degree

38.  horrible dictu = horrible to say

39.  ibidem = “there in the same place”

40.  Id = “it” (neuter) that part of the personality which indulges the “libido” (=sexual urge) and/or behaves impulsively (psychoanalytical term)

41.  idem (id.) = “the same thing”

42.  id est (i.e.) = “that is”

43.  impromptu = spontaneous

44.  in extremis (in the farthest reaches) = in a difficult situation, or at the point of death

45.  in flagrante delicto (in the burning crime) = caught in the act

46.  in loco parentis = “in the place of a parent”

47.  in medias res (into the middle of things) = in the midst of action (said of the opening of a story or account)

48.  in situ (in that place) = in its original place

49.  in toto = as a whole

50.  in vitro = “in glass”

51.  ipso facto (by the very fact) = because of that fact

52.  inter alia = among other things

53.  intro = within, to enter

54.  moratorium (Americanisation of classical Latin ‘mora’ – “delay”) = an American politician’s decision to stop or delay doing something

55.  mea culpa (I am responsible) = forgive me

56.  memento mori (remember that you must die) = a reminder of mortality

57.  memorandum (memo) = something which is to be remembered/mentioned/spoken about

58.  mens sana in corpore sano = a healthy mind in a healthy body

59.  mirabile dictu = amazing to say

60.  modus operandi (method of operating) = way of working (also MO)

61.  multi = many

62.  ne plus ultra (none more beyond) = without equal, the greatest degree

63.  nil nil/nihil = “nothing”

64.  non sequitur (it does not follow) = said of something that does not logically relate to what came before

65.  nota bene (note well) = take note (also NB)

66.  o tempora o mores (oh, the times, oh, the morals) = said in criticism of behaviour

67.  omnibus (with everything/for everyone) = a compilation of all the programmes

68.  omnia vincit amor = love conquers all

69.  par (equal/ the same) = used in golf to suggest a target score for a hole which players attempt to equal; also “below par” meaning not up to the usual standard.

70.  panem et circenses (bread and circuses) = said of things offered to the masses to distract them from what they should attend to for their own benefit

71.  per se = by itself

72.  Post Meridiem (p.m) = after noon

73.  post mortem = “after death”

74.  post-partum = “after giving birth”

75.  post hoc ergo propter hoc (after this, therefore because of this) = effect follows cause

76.  prima facie (at first look) = based on the first impression, or accepted as correct until proved otherwise

77.  primus inter pares = first among equals, an old description of the relationship between Prime Minister and Cabinet in the U.K.

78.  pro forma (for form) = for the sake of appearances or form

79.  pro persona (p.p.) = “instead of the person”

80.  quid pro quo (this for that) = something given in exchange for something else (hence quid, the nickname for the sterling (pound) in UK currency)

81.  quod videas (q.v.) = “a thing which you may see…”

82.  quis custodiet ipsos custodes (who watches the watchers?) = who shall protect us against those who (supposedly) protect us?

83.  referenda (things which are to be referred/carried back to the people) = votes on a single issue by all or part of the electorate.

84.  Semi = half, something is incomplete or partially finished

85.  sic transit gloria mundi (thus passes the glory of the world) = fame is fleeting in this world

86.  sine die (without a day) = without a specific date being set for the resumption of (e.g. court) proceedings

87.  sine qua non (without which thing . . . not) = said of something indispensable

88.  status quo (the state in which) = the existing/prevailing situation

89.  sub rosa (under the rose) = happening or done in secret

90.  sui generis (in its own class): unique

91.  sub iudice (under a judge) = the subject of ongoing/incomplete judicial proceedings

92.  sub poena (under punishment) = a demand to comply with a court request e.g. attendance in court, which imposes an automatic penalty if it is not obeyed

93.   tabula rasa (scraped tablet) = blank slate (the concept of the human mind before it receives impressions from experience)

94.  tempus fugit = time flies

95.  terra firma (solid ground): often used figuratively to refer to certainty

96.  ultra vires = “beyond (his) powers”

97.  verbatim =  In exactly the same words, repeating something word-for-word from the original.

98.  Versus = against, used to signify opposing forces or oppositions and contrasts.

99.  Vice versa = The other way around, used to indicate that two things are interchangeable.

100.       vox populi = voice of the people