Latin Phrases in Common Usage in English

This page was last updated on February 19, 2007 The following table is a list of some Latin Phrases in common English usage. The list is not comprehensive; rather it represents phrases I have encountered in various readings and research. Please send any comments to [email protected]. However, caveat lector: While I enjoy challenges, I am not a translator and cant help with translations Therefore, DO NOT SEND ME ANY REQUESTS FOR TRANSLATION. If the desired phrase is not here, one might try finding a copy of Latin for the Illiterati, Exorcizing the Ghosts of a Dead Language, by Jon R. Stone, published by Routledge, 1996. This is an excellent source of Latin translations. Another excellent source of phrases is A Dictionary of Latin Words and Phrases, by James Morwood, published by Oxford University Press, 1998. Other web sites offering translated Latin phrases include the following: Latin Words and Phrases Used In English Latin Greek Language Resource Pages Sententiae Latinae -- Latin Maxims Legends and Inscriptions on British Coins The Phrases

A to E F to O P to Z A Mari Usque Ad Mare A Posteriori A Priori Ad Astra Ad Eundem Ad Hoc Ad hominem From sea to sea (Motto of Canada) Reasoning from effects to causes Reasoning from causes to effects To the stars Of admission to the same degree at a different university For this purpose To the individual. Relating to the principles or preferences of a particular person, rather than to

abstract truth. Often used to describe a personal attack on a person. Ad Libitum Ad Litem Ad auseum Ad Referendum Ad Rem Ad Vitam Ad Vitam Aeternam Ad Vitam Paramus Agnus Dei Anno Domine Annuit Coeptis At one's pleasure, usually abbreviated ad lib For a lawsuit or action To a sickening extent Subject to reference To the point For life For all time We are preparing for life (My high school's motto!) Lamb of God In the year of our Lord. Usually abbreviated A.D. He (God) has favoured our undertakings (part of the great seal of the United States, usually seen on the back of a U.S one dollar bill) Leap year Before the war. Usually used to describe the United States before the U.S. Civil War (1861-65). Typically spelled antebellum in English. Before noon. Usually abbreviated A.M. They demanded peace by force of arms. An inscription seen on medals. Art for art's sake. The motto of Metro-GoldwynMayer. To dare is to do. Motto of the British football team, Tottenham Hotspur ('Spurs) In good faith, sincerely Enjoy the day; pluck the day when it is ripe. Seize the day. Let the buyer beware All things being equal I think, therefore I am (Rene Descartes)

Annus Bisextus Ante Bellum

Ante Meridiem Armis Exposcere Pacem Ars Gratia Artis Audere Est Facere Bona Fide Carpe Diem Caveat Emptor Ceteris Paribus Cogito Ergo Sum

Corpus Delicti De Mortius il isi Bonum Dei Gratia

Literally the body of the crime. The substance or fundamental facts of crime. Of the dead say nothing but good. By the grace of God. This appears on all British, Canadian, and other British Commonwealth coins and is usually abbreviated D.G. (see Fidei Defensor and Indiae Imperator) Literally God from a machine. Describes a miraculous or fortuitous turn of events in a work of fiction. God be with you. Day of wrath; Day of judgement Birthday To learn through teaching Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon. This is the motto of Harry Potters alma mater, Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry While we breathe, we shall defend. Motto of the U.S 133rd Field Artillery Regiment. From many, one (Motto of United States of America) To err is human And others And the rest. Often abbreviated etc. or &c. From the chair, i.e. Speaking from a Bishop's seat or professional chair, speaking with authority. A Cathedra is the seat reserved for a Bishop in a cathedral. Done or given as a favour and not under any compulsion From the Library (of). According to Office After the fact Off the cuff, without preparation For the sake of example, for instance. Usually abbreviated e.g.

Deus Ex Machina Deus Vobiscum Dies Irae Dies natalis Discere Docendo Draco Dormiens unquam Titillandus

Dum spiramus tuebimur E Pluribus Unum Errare Humanum Est Et Alia Et Cetera Ex Cathedra

Ex Gratia Ex Libris Ex Officio Ex Post Facto Ex Tempore Exampli Gratia

Exeunt Omnes Return to Top F to O Facta on Verba Fide Suorum Regnat

All go out. A common stage direction in plays

Deeds not words " e reigns by the faith of his people" Inscription on the H 1939 Canadian silver dollar, minted to commemorate the 1939 Royal tour. Defender of the Faith. This is usually abreviated F.D. or Fid. Def. and appears on the obverse of British coins. (see Dei Gratia) Literally while the crime is blazing. Caught red-handed, in the very act of a crime. Regina, may it flourish. The motto of the City of Regina, Saskatchewan Canada. Literally, Glory to God in the highest. Highest in this phrase means heaven, i.e. Glory to God in Heaven Literally that you have a body. A writ requiring that a detained individual be brought before a court to decide the legality of that individual's detention. We have a father. The cheer raised by the waiting crowds when a pope is elected. Naked they lay together, man and woman. Quoted in The ame of the Rose, First day, Sext. In the same place (in a book). Abbreviation for ibidem. See ibid. That is to say. Usually abbreviated i.e. Jesus. There is no 'J' in classic Latin. Usually abbreviated IHS this means Jesus is the saviour of all people. Usually abbreviated INRI. The title card placed on Christ's cross by Pontius Pilate (John 19:19), it means Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. In their absence In practice In secret or private session; not in public

Fidei Defensor

Flagrante Delicto Floreat Regina Gloria In Exelsis Deo Habeas Corpus

Habemus Papam Homo nudus cum nuda iacebat Ibid. Ibidem Id Est Iesus Iesus Hominum Salvator Iesus azerenus Rex Iudaeorum

In Absentia In Actu In Camera

In Capite In Extenso In Extremis In Forma Pauperis In Infinitum In Limine In Loco In Loco Parentis In Medias Res In Memoriam In ubibus In Partibus Infidelium In Perpetuum In Pontificalibus In Propria Persona In Situ In Statu Quo In Terrorem In Toto In Transitu In Utero In Vacuo In Vino Veritas In Vitro In Vivo Indiae Imperator

In chief At full length In the last agonies In the form of a poor person; in a humble or abject manner To infinity; without end On the threshold, at the very outset In the place of In the place of a parent Into the midst of affairs To the memory of In the clouds; not yet settled In parts inhabited by unbelievers To all time In the proper vestments of a pope or cardinal In his or her own person In its original place; in position In the same state As a warning; in order to terrify others As a whole, absolutely, Completely In passing, on the way In the uterus In a vacuum or empty space Truth comes out under the influence of alcohol. In a test tube (literally glass) Within the living organism Emperor of India. Usually abbreviated Ind. Imp. Appeared on the obverse of British and British Empire coins before 1948. Blameless of life and free from crime

Integer Vitae Scelerisque Purus

Inter Alia Inter Alios Inter Caesa et Porrecta Inter os Inter Partes Inter Se Inter Vivos Ipse Dixit Lapsus Linguae Lingua Franca Lupus in Fabula Lux Mea Christus Manus in Mano Manus Manum Lavat

Amongst other things Amongst other persons There's many a slip twixt cup and lip Between ourselves Made between two parties Between or among themselves Between living persons Unproven assertion resting on the speaker's authority (literally He himself said) A slip of the tongue A common language Speak of the devil Christ is my light Hand in hand Literally Hand washes Hand. Taken to mean One hand washes the other or scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Pearls before swine Through my own fault Through my very great fault Love of Malta The virile member; penis. A reminder of death, such as a skull (literally remember that you have to die) A reminder of life (literally remember that you have to live) Literally, Solemn Mass. The High Mass. I send you a ship without a bow or a stern. This is a rebus puzzle by Cicero. A ship, navem, without its first and last letter spells ave, which means greetings in Latin. Times favourable for speaking

Margaritas ante Porcos Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa Melitae Amor Membrum Virile Memento Mori Memento Vivere Missa Solemnis Mitto tibi navem prora puppique carentem

Mollia Tempora Fandi

Mutatis Mutandis ihil Sub Sole ovum olite te Bastardes Carborundorum

With the necessary changes Nothing new under the sun Don't let the bastards grind you down. Not true Latin, as the word Carborundorum is not true Latin, like copacetic. Not of sound mind. An inference or conclusion which doesn't follow from its premises (literally It Does ot Follow) Don't Fear the Reaper Know thyself A new order for the ages (appears on the U.S. one-dollar bill) Literally ow you send forth. Abbreviation of Luke 2:29. It's all Greek to me. To my excellent parents. A common dedication in a book.

on Compos Mentis on Sequitur on Timetis Messor osce te ipsum ovus Ordo Seclorum unc Dimittis Omnia Mihi Lingua Graeca Sunt Optimus Parentibus Return to Top P to Z Pater oster Per Accidens Per Annum Per Ardua Ad Astra Per Capita Per Consequens Per Contra Per Diem Per Fas et efas Per Incurium Per Mensem

Our Father. The first words of the Lord's Prayer in Latin. By Accident By the Year Through Difficulty To The Stars. Motto of the RCAF, RAF and RAAF. By heads By Consequence On the other side By the day By right and wrong Through carelessness Every Month

Per Pares Per Procurationem Per Saltum Per Se Per Stirpes Persona non Grata Post Coitem Post Mortem Post Partum Post Scriptum Post Tenebras, Lux Praemonitus, Praemunitus Prima Facie Primus Inter Pares Pro Bono Publico Pro Forma Pro Hac Vice Pro Rata Pro Re ata Pro Tanto Pro Tempore Quid Pro Quo Quis Custodiet ipsos custodes Quo Vadis, Domine Quod Vide Quod Erat Demonstrandum Quod Erat Faciendum

By his peers By Proxy or Deputy By a leap or all at once By or in itself By stocks or families Unacceptable Person After sexual intercourse After death After childbirth Written later. A postscript, usually abbreviated P.S. After darkness, light Forewarned is Forearmed At first sight; on the face of it. First Among Equals For the public good For form's sake For this occasion only Proportionally For an occasion as it arises So far Temporarily One thing for another; something for something Who shall guard the guards? Where are you going, Lord? Which See, usually abbreviated q.v. Which was to be demonstrated. Usually abbreviated Q.E.D. Which was to be done.

Quod Erat in Veniendum Requiscat in Pace Romani Ite Domum Semper Fidelis Senatus Populusque Romanus

Which was to be found. May he rest in peace. Usually abbreviated R.I.P. Romans go home! Always Faithful. Motto of the United States Marine Corps and H.M.S. Exeter For the senate and people of Rome. Often abbreviated SPQR. Seen as a tattoo on Russell Crowe's left arm in the movie, Gladiator. Thus ever to tyrants. The motto of the State of Virginia. John Wilkes Booth is supposed to have shouted this phrase as he jumped to stage of Ford's Theater after shooting Abraham Lincoln. Thus passes away the glory of the world. Without a day being specified Indispensable When miserable, hope; When happy beware Under penalty of . The source of the English word subpoena which is a writ issued by a court requiring one's attendance at that court. Secretly or in confidence. Literally means under the rose. Time flies Final sanction Beyond the powers or legal authority In my humble opinion I came, I saw, I conquered Literally with winds aft. With a favourable wind. The motto of H.M.S. Hood. These words were supposedly spoken by Admiral Sir Samuel Hood during the battle of Martinique. The way of sorrow. The route in Jerusalem followed by Jesus Christ to his crucifixion.

Sic Semper Tyrannis

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi Sine Die Sine Qua on Sperate Miseri Caveat Felices Sub Poena

Sub Rosa Tempus Fugit Ultima Ratio Ultra Vires Ut humiliter opinor Veni, Vidi, Vici Ventis Secundis

Via Dolorosa

Vice Versa Videlicet Vita mutatur, non tollitur Vivat Regina Vivat Rex Viz.

The positions being reversed That is to say; To wit; Namely Life is changed, not taken away Long live the queen Long live the king Abbreviation of Videlicet

By way of postscript, the motto of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is Maintiens le Droit, which is French, not Latin. It means Maintain the Right. Return to top Return to Nigel's Eclectic Homepage