List of Latin phrases

This subpage provides English translations of not-so common Latin phrases (i.e. not always found in dictionaries). (See also: Latin proverbs, Brocards)

NOTE: The difference between phrases and proverbs is oftentimes subjective. Please use this test to see whether or not a Latin sentence is either a phrase or proverb: If the sentence is an old yet common saying that expresses some practical truth, then it probably is a proverb. If it is in the form of an incomplete sentence, and/or does not contain some practical truth, then it probably is a phrase.

A

ab urbe condita; anno urbis conditae, abbreviated A.U.C.,

"from the founding of the city" (of Rome); 753 B.C., according to Livy's count; used as a reference point by the Romans for establishing dates, as we use A.D. today.

ad astra per aspera :

"To the stars through difficulties," motto of Kansas. (more frequently as "per aspera ad astra")

ad captandum vulgus :

"To appeal to the crowd"

ad hoc :

"For a particular purpose (improvised)"

ad hominem :

"To the man" (an argument criticizing one's opponent rather than his ideas).

ad kalendas graecas :

"To a date that does not (or will) not exist" (emperor Augustus, in Svet., in the sense of "never" - kalends were a part of the roman month, and simply didn't exist in greek calendar, so it is used when in front of a false or unlikely promise)

ad libitium (ad lib) :

"Freely; at ease"

alea iacta est :

"The die is cast" (Julius Caesar in Svet., precisely in the imperative form of "alea jacta esto")

alter ego :

"Another self"

amicus curiae :

'Friend of the court" (adviser), a person who can obtain or grant access to the favour of powerful people (like Romana curia).

ante litteram:

"before the letter", a qualifier for an expression when applied to something that existed before the expression itself was introduced or became common. Example of usage from Alan Turing:

Alan Mathison Turing (1912-1954), British mathematician and computer scientist ante litteram.

("Computer scientist" was not in use in Turing's days.). Or simply something that anticipates the characteristics of later developments.

ars gratia artis :

"Art for art's sake"

ars longa, vita brevis :

"Art is long, life is short"

aurea mediocritas :

"Golden Mean" (in Horace, Odi, an ethical goal to achieve)

ave atque vale :

"Hail and farewell!"

B

bona fide :

"In good faith"

C

carpe diem :

"Seize the day" (Horace to Leuconoe: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero, reap the day, believing as little as possible in the morrow)

caveat emptor:

"let the buyer beware", i.e. the onus of responsibility is on the purchaser of goods.

cave canem:

"beware of the dog".

ceteris paribus :

"All other things being equal"

circa :

"About, approximately, around"

cogito ergo sum :

"I think, therefore I am" (Descartes)

cui bono :

"Whom does it benefit?"

cui prodest :

"Whom does it benefit?" (short form for cui prodest scelus, is fecit in Seneca's Medea - the murderer by the one who gets advantage from the murder)

cum grano salis :

"With a grain of salt" (just a bit of wise attention)

D

de facto :

"in fact", "in practice"

de jure :

"by law"

de novo :

"Anew"

deus ex machina :

"An artificially introduced solution" (Literally, "A god from a machine." Refers to the practice in Greek drama of letting Zeus resolve awkward plot situations; near the end of these works, Zeus was introduced on the stage by letting him descent from sky, in the reality obviously using a machine.)

divide et impera :

"Divide and govern" (presumed by Philip II of Macedonia, keep your people divided by rivalries and jealousies, and you'll have an easier and more solid power)

dominus illuminatio mea :

"May the lord guide me" (Literally, "The Lord is my light.")

dum spiro, spero :

"As long as I breathe, I hope" (also "When I die, I hope" - spiro means also 'I breath the last breath')

dura lex, sed lex :

"Unpleasant law, but law"

E

e pluribus unum :

"From many, one"

ecce homo :

"Behold the man!" (in the Gospel), litterally "Here's the man!"

emeritus :

"Honorary; by merit"

esto perpetua :

"Let it be everlasting" (imperative)

et caetera :

"And the other ones", also abbreviated as 'etc.'

ex animo :

"From the heart" (sincerely)

excelsior :

"Ever upward"

exempli gratia :

"As an example", also abbreviated as 'e.g.'

ex libris... :

"From the books (library) of..."

ex nihilo nihil fit :

"Nothing comes from nothing"

ex post facto :

"After the fact" (also "post facto")

H

habeas corpus :

"Have the body" (Writ to bring a prisoner to court - Charles II of England, Habeas corpus Act - 1679)

hic Jacet... :

"Here lies...."

I

infinitus est numerus stultorum :

"Infinite is the number of fools" Ecclesiastes 1:15 (Vulgate)

in memoriam :

"In the memory of"

in toto :

"In total" (altogether)

J

justitia omnibus :

"Justice for all"

L

labor omnia vincit :

"Labor conquers all"

lapsus linguae :

"A slip of the tongue"

lapsus memoriae :

"Memory lapse"

M

magna cum laude :

"With great honor"

magnum opus :

"Masterpiece" (great work); also ironically.

mea culpa :

"The fault is mine" (from the Gospel)

mens sana in corpore sano :

"Sound mind in a sound body"

mirabile dictu :

"Wonderful to tell"

multum in parvo :

"A lot in a small package"

N

nemo me impune lacessit:

"No-one attacks me with impunity," the Scots national motto.

nolens (aut) volens :

"Willing or not"

noli me tangere :

"Do not interfere" (in the Gospel)

non compos mentis or non compos sui:

"Of unsound mind"

non sequitur :

"Statement that doesn't follow logic" (Literally, "It does not follow.")

P

Pacta sunt servanda :

"agrements must be honoured"

pax vobiscum :

"Peace be with you"

per annum :

"Per year"

per ardua ad astra :

"Through hardship to the stars," motto of the Royal Air Force.

per capita :

"Per person"

pro bono publico :

"For the public good"

pro tempore :

"For the time being"

persona non grata :

"An unpleasant person"

Q

quid pro quo :

"A thing for a thing"

quieta non movere :

"Don't move settled things" (Don't rock the boat)

quod erat demonstrandum, a.k.a. Q.E.D.:

"that which was to be demonstrated." This abbreviation is often written at the bottom of a proof to indicate that the assignment is complete.

quo vadis:

"Where are you going?" (in Gospel, St. Peter meeting Jesus on Appian way in Rome: "Quo vadis, Domine?").

R

Regnat populus :

"Let the People rule"

Risus abundat in ore stultorum :

"Abundant laughs in the mouth of foolish" - too much hilarity means foolishness

S

salva veritate :

"With truth preserved"

sapere aude :

"Dare to be wise"

semper fidelis :

"Always faithful"

semper paratus :

"Always prepared"

sic semper tyrannis :

"Thus always to tyrants"

SPQR or Senatus Populusque Romanus:

"The Senate and the People of Rome"

status quo :

"Existing state of affairs" (from "statu quo ante", prior or current situation)

summa cum laude :

"With the highest honor"

summum bonum :

"The supreme good"

sutor, ne ultra crepidam :

"cobbler, don't go farther (your competence on) the shoes" - It is said that greek painter Apelles was one day painting a warrior but he was uncertain on how to render his shoe (crepida); he then asked a cobbler (sutor) and this explained him what required. But, after a while, the cobbler started criticising other parts of the painting too, so Apelles asked him to keep within the borders of his competence.

T

tabula rasa :

"A clean slate" (Romans used to write on wax tablets, easy to cancel)

terra firma :

"Solid ground"

terra incognita :

"Unknown land"

V

veni, vidi, vici :

"I came, I saw, I conquered" (Julius Cesar describing his campaign in De Bello Gallico)

via :

"By way of"

via media :

"Middle path"

vice versa :

"A reverse of order or meaning"

See also : Latin language