- A priori: from the former, Presupposing.
- Ad hoc: to this. Solution designed for a specific task.
- Ad infinitum: to infinity, forever.
- Ad libitum: as you wish, to improvise in drama
- Ad nauseam: an interminable argument that has reached the point of nausea.
- Ad valorem: to the value.
- Alibi: elsewhere.
- Ampersand: meaning ‘And’ often written as ‘&’.
- Audiatur et altera pars: listen to the other side.
- Bona fide: good faith.
- Bonus: good (often refers to a sum of money).
- Caveat emptor: Let the buyer beware.
- Ceteris paribus: other things being equal. (The opposite of Mutatis mutandis).
- Circa: approximately.
- Compos mentis: being in full control of one’s mind.
- Curriculum Vitae: ‘course of one’s life’. Today a C.V. is a document giving a brief account of a person’s qualifications and career.
- De facto: common in practice, but not necessarily established by law.
- De jure: by law.
- Delirium Tremens: a violent shaking fit produced by withdrawal from alcohol.
- Deo Optimo Maximo (D.O.M.): ‘To the greatest and best God’.
- Dictum: (plural dicta): a statement that forms part of the judgment of a court.
- Ditto: Italian from the Latin ‘Dictum’ meaning ‘already said or ‘same thing’.
- Ex factis jus oritur: ‘the existence of facts creates law’.
- E.g.: For example. (Exempli gratia in Latin)
- Et al meaning: ‘and others’.
- Et cetera: meaning: ‘And the rest of things’.
- Ex Injuria jus non oritur: ‘unjust acts cannot create law’ (the opposite of Ex factis jus oritur).
- Ex Officio: (By virtue of their Position or Office) they perform a secondary Duty.
- Ex parte: from, by, or for one party in a dispute.
- Extra: from the Latin meaning ‘outside’ or ‘in addition to’.
- Habeas corpus: (we command that) you bring forth the body.
- Hoc est: ‘that is’, ‘this and that’, ‘namely’.
- Honoris causa: for the sake of the honour.
- I.e.: id est (that is)
- Impromptu: from the Latin ‘in promptu’, meaning ‘in readiness’.
- In flagrante delicto: meaning to be ‘caught red handed’.
- In loco parentis: meaning acting in the place of the parent.
- In toto: entirely.
- Incognito: where a person’s true identity is concealed.
- Intra muros: Latin meaning ‘within these walls’.
- Ipso facto: by the fact itself.
- Locum: Locum Tenens meaning someone who temporarily carries out another’s duties in the Medical Profession or the Church. A substitute.
- Mea Culpa: through my fault. Used in prayers in the Christian Church.
- Mens rea: guilty mind.
- Mutatis Mutandis: with necessary changes or alterations. The opposite of Ceteris paribus
- Nil Desperandum: do not despair.
- Non Sequitur: a reply or conclusion that does not follow on logically from the previous statement.
- Post Scriptum (P.S.): written after. Meaning an addition to a completed letter.
- Per se: by itself.
- Persona non grata: a person who is unwelcome.
- Prima facie: by first instance.
- Pro bono: for the public good and undertaken for Free.
- Pro Iuppiter!: the phrase by Jove means ‘by Jupiter’, the Chief Roman God. The Romans would swear an oath in the Law Courts by starting ‘By Jove…’
- Pro rata: meaning in equal proportions.
- Q.E.D.: Quod erat demonstrandum: that which was to be demonstrated.
- Quid pro quo: this for that.
- Re: about. (Most used in emails.)
- Reductio ad Absurdum: Reduction to Absurdity (in Argument).
- Requiescat in pace: Rest in Peace ( R.I.P.) used from the eighth century CE on Christian Tombstones.
- Sacrosanctitas: meaning ‘inviolability’.
- Sanctum sanctorum: meaning ‘Holy of holies’.
- Semi: from the Latin meaning half.
- Sic: thus.
- Sine Die: (without assigning a day) to adjourn a meeting.
- Sine qua non: ‘Without which nothing’.
- Status Quo: ‘the state of affairs that currently exists’. It is the shortened version of ‘Status Quo Ante Bellum‘.
- Status Quo Ante Bellum: the state of affairs that existed before the war.
- Tempus fugit: (time flees) Time Flies.
- Vade Mecum: (go with me) Latin term for a Handbook for referencing.
- Verbatim: to repeat a phrase, word for word (from the Latin ‘verbum’ meaning ‘word’)
- Vice Versa: the other way around.
Latin tongue twisters
- Te te, ro Ro, ma ma, nu nu, da da, te te, la la, te te!
- Joined together the syllables read: Te tero, Roma, manu nuda, date tela, latete!
- Translation: ‘I will destroy you, Rome, with my bare hands, arm yourselves and hide!’
Latin Exclamations
- Aio!: ‘Really?’
- Di Immortales!: ‘Ye Gods!’
- Di Omnes!: ‘By all the Gods!’
- Ehem!: ‘Aha!’
- Heus: ‘Hey!’
- Perge modo!: ‘Hurry up!’
- Pro Iuppiter!: ‘By Jupiter!’
Modern National Mottos in Latin
- Andorra: Virtus unita fortior. ‘Strength united is stronger’
- Belize: Sub umbra floreo. ‘Under the shade I flourish’
- Canada: A mari usque ad mare.‘From sea to sea’
- Malta: Virtute et constantia. ‘Strength and consistency’
- Mauritius: Stella Clavisque Maris Indici. ‘Star and key of the Indian Ocean’
- Monaco: Deo Juvante. ‘With God’s help’
- Romania: Nihil sine Deo. ‘Nothing without God’
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Pax et justitia. ‘Peace and justice’
- San Marino: Libertas. ‘Liberty’
- Seychelles: Finis coronat opus. ‘The end crowns the work’
- Spain: Plus Ultra ‘Further beyond’
- Switzerland: Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno. ‘One for all, all for one’
- Also the motto in French of The Three Musketeers, a novel by Alexandre Dumas (1844)
- USA: E pluribus unum ‘Out of the many, one’
Greek Expressions
- Eureka: meaning ‘I have found it!’