Latin Expressions and Abbreviations A ab aeterno - from the beginning of time a bene placito - at one's pleasure ab imo pectore - from the bottom of the heart ab incunabulis - from the cradle ab initio - from the beginning ab intestato - having made no will ab ovo - from the egg absente reo - in absence of the defendant absit invidia - no offence intended ab urbe condita - from the foundation of the city (Rome) a capite ad calcem - from head to heel a contrario - from a contrary position a cruce salus - from the cross comes salvation acte est fabula - the play is finished actus reus - guilty act AD (Anno Domini) - in the year of the Lord ad absurdum - to the point of absurdity addendum - a thing to be added ad hoc - to this particular purpose ad hominem - according to the person ad infinitum - to infinity ad interim - for the meantime ad lib (ad libitum) - as one pleases ad locum - at the place AMDG (ad maiorem Dei gloriam) - for the greater glory of God ad nauseum - to the point of making one sick ad rem - to the point adsum - I am here advocatus diaboli - the devil's advocate aet. (aetatis) - age a fortiori - by stronger reason agenda - things to be done Agnus Dei - the Lamb of God AH (anno hegirae) - in the year of the hegira alea iacta est - the die is cast alias - otherwise alibi - elsewhere alma mater - nurturing mother alter ego - other self / also known as alumnus - nursling (former pupil) am (ante meridiem) -before midday a mensa et thoro - from board and bed (legal separation) amicus curiae - friend of the court amor patriae - love of country an. (anno) - year anno mundi - in the year of the world anno regni - in the year of reign annus horribilis - a horrible year annus mirabilis - a wonderful year ante - before antebellum - before the war ante-mortem - before death a.p. (ante prandium) - before a meal a posse ad esse - from possibility to actuality a posteriori - from what comes later a priori - from what comes before aqua vitae - water of life (brandy) arbiter elegantiae - judge in matters of taste arcana imperii - secrets of the empire ars gratia artis - art for art's sake artium baccalaureus - Bachelor of Arts (BA) artium magister - Master of Arts (MA) AUC (anno urbis conditae) - from the year of founding of the city (Rome) audaces fortuna iuvat - fortune favours the bold aude sapere - dare to know aurea mediocritas - the golden mean aurora australis - the southern lights aurora borealis - the northern lights aut vincere aut mori - either conquer or die ave atque vale - hello and goodbye Ave Maria - Hail Mary a verbis ad verbera - from words to blows B beatae memoriae - of blessed memory Beata Virgo (Maria)- the Blessed Virgin (Mary) bella gerant alii - let others wage war bibere venenum in auro - drink poison from a cup of gold b.i.d. (bis in die) - twice a day bona fide - acting in good faith C c. (circa) - approximately cadit quaestio - the question drops caeca invidia est - envy is blind carpe diem - sieze the day casus belli - an act used to justify war cave - beware! caveat - let him/her beware caveat emptor - let the buyer beware cave canem - beware of the dog cedo maiori - I yield to a greater person cetera desunt - the rest is missing ceteris paribus - other things being equal cf. (confer) - compare Codex Juris Canonici - book of canon law cogito ergo sum - I think therefore I am commune bonum - the common good compos mentis - of sound mind (and judgement) concordia discors - discordant harmony coniunctis viribus - with united powers consensu omnium - by the agreement of all consummatum est - it is completed contra mundum - against the world coram populo - before the public Corpus Christi - the body of Christ corpus delicti - the body of the crime Corpus Juris Canonici - the body of canon law Corpus Juris Civilis - the body of civil law corpus vile - worthless body corrigenda - things to be corrected crescite et multiplicamini - increase and multiply crimen falsi - perjury crux - puzzle cui bono - for whose advantage culpa - a sin cum - with cum grano salis - with a grain of salt cum laude - with praise curriculum vitae - the course of one's life custos morum - guardian of morals D data et accepta - expenditure and receipts decrevi - i have decreed de die in diem - from day to day de facto - in fact Dei gratia- by the grace of God de integro - repeat again from the start de iure - according to law de novo - anew de mortuis nil nisi bonum - speak no ill of the dead Deo adiuvante - with God's help Deo favente - with God's favour Deo gratias - thanks be to God Deo Optimo Maximo - to God, the Best, the Greatest Deo volente - God willing de profundis - up from the depths (of misery) desunt cetera - the rest is missing deus absconditus - a god who is hidden from man deus ex machina - god from the machine Deus vobiscum - God be with you Deus vult - God wills it diem perdidi - I have lost a day Dies Irae - Day of Wrath dies non - business free day dira necessitas - grim necessity disjecta membra - the scattered remains divide et impera - divide and rule dixi - i have spoken docendo discimus - by teaching, we learn doli capax - capable of crime Domine, dirige nos - Lord, direct us Dominus illuminatio mea - the Lord is my light Dominus vobiscum - the Lord be with you (domus) dulcis domus - (home) sweet home dramatis personae - characters of the play dum spiro, spero - while I breathe, I hope E ecce homo - behold the man ecce signum - behold the proof e contrario - from a contrary position editio princeps - first printed edition e.g. (exempli gratia) - by grace of example ego et rex meus - I and my King eiusdem generis - of the same kind emeritus - honourably discharged from service eo ipso - by that very act eo nomine - under that name e pluribus unum - one out of many e re nata - as circumstances dictate E.R. (Elizabeth Regina/Eduardus Rex) - Queen Elizabeth/King Edward ergo bibamus - therefore, let us drink errare humanum est - to err is human erratum (errata) - error (errors) est deus in nobis - the is a god inside us esto perpetue - may you last for ever et al. (et alii/et aliae/et alia) - and others etc. (et ceterae/etcetera) - and the rest et seq. (et sequens) - and the following et seqq. (et sequentia) - and those that follow et sic de ceteris - and so to of the rest et tu, Brute - and you, Brutus e vestigio - from where one stands ex - out of ex cathedra - with authority excelsior - higher exceptio probat regulam - the exception proves the rule exceptis excipiendis - excepting what is to be excepted exeat - let him/her go out exeunt - they go out exeunt omnes - all go out ex gratia - done as a favour ex hypothesi - from the hypothesis exit - he/she goes out exitus acta probat - the outcome justifies the deed ex libris - from the library of ex more - according to custom ex officio - by right of office ex parte - on behalf of one party only ex post facto - from what is done afterward ex proprio motu - voluntarily ex silentio - from silence (from lack of contrary evidence) extempore - without premeditation ex voto - according to one's vow F facile princeps - acknowledged leader facta, non verba - deeds, not words factum est - it is done fama semper vivat - may his/her fame last forever favete linguis - to keep a (religious) silence fec. (fecit) - made by felix culpa - happy fault felo de se - suicide festina lente - make haste slowly fiat - let it be done fiat lux - let there be light Fidei Defensor - defender of the faith fidus Achates - faithful Achates (friend) filioque - and from the son filius nullius - a bastard finis - the end flagrante delicto - in the act of committing a crime flamma fumo est proxima - the is no smoke without fire floruit - flourished fons et origo - the source and origin fortes fortuna adiuvat - fortune favors the brave fugit hora - the hour flies G genius loci - the guardian spirit of the place gloria - glory Gloria in Excelsis Deo - glory to God in the highest Gloria Patri - glory to the Father graviora manent - greater dangers await H habeas corpus - you are to produce the body habemus Papam - we have a Pope hac lege - with this law haud ignota loquor - I say things that are known hic et nunc - here and now hic iacet - here lies hinc illae lacrimae - hence these tears HJ (hic jacet) - here lies HJS (hic jacet sepultus) - here lies buried hoc erat in votis - this was among my prayers homo homini lupus - man is a wolf to man homo sum - i am a man honoris causa - for the sake of honour honor virutis preamium - honour is the reward of virtue horribile dictu - horrible to relate horror vacui - fear of empty places hunc tu caveto - beware of this man I ib. (ibidem) - in the same place i.e. (id est) - that is to say ign. (ignotus) - unknown ignis fatuus - foolish fire (will-o-the-wisp) ignorantia legis neminem excusat - ignorance of the law excuses no one ignoratio elenchi - an ignorance of proof Imp. (Imperator/Imperatrix) - Emperor/Empress imperium - absolute power imprimatur - let it be printed imprimis - in first place in absentia - in the absence of in actu - in practice in aeternum - for eternity in articulo mortis - at the moment of death in banco - on the bench in camera - in private chamber incipit - begin here index librorum prohibitorum - list of forbidden books in distans - at a distance in dubio - in doubt in esse - in existence in excelsis - in the highest in extenso - at full length in extremis - in extremity in fine - at the end infra - below, underneath infra dig. (infra dignitatem) - beneath one's dignity in futuro - in the future in gremio legis - in the protection of the law in infinitum - to infinity in loco parentis - in the place of a parent in medias res - into the midst of things in memoriam - in memory of in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Santi - in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in nubibus - in the clouds in nuce - in a nutshell in omnia paratus - ready for anything in ovo - in the egg in parvo - in miniature in perpetuum - for ever in personam - against the person in pleno - in full in posse - in possibility in praesenti - at the present time in principio - in the beginning in propria persona - in person in puris naturalibus - completely naked in re - refering to in rem - against the matter (property) in rerum natura - in the nature of things INRI (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum) - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews insculpsit - he/she engraved it in se - in itself in situ - in position inter alia - among other things inter alios - among other people in terrorem - as a warning inter se - between themselves inter spem et metum - between hope and fear inter vivos - between living (people) in totidem verbis - in so many words in toto - completely in transitu - in passing intra vires - within the powers in usu - in use in utero - in the womb in vacuo - in a vacuum in vino veritas - in wine is truth in vitro - in glass in vivo - in the living (thing) ipsi dixit - he himself said it ipsissima verba - the exact words ipso facto - by that very fact ipso iure - by operation of the law i.q. (idem quod) - the same as ite, misse est - go, the Mass is finished iubilate Deo - rejoice in God iure divino - by divine law iure humano - by human law ius civile - civil law ius gentium - the law of nations ius primae noctis - right of the first night iustitia omnibus - justice for all J There is no j in Latin. However, J is often used as a replacement for a capital I. (i.e. Jupiter should be Iupiter). K Kyrie eleison - Lord, have mercy L L.S.D. (libra solidus denarius)- pounds, shillings, pence lachryma Christi - Christ's tears lapsus calami - a slip of the pen lapsus linguae - a slip of the tongue lapsus memoriae - a slip of the memory laus Deo - praise be to God lc (loco citato) - in the place cited lector benevole - kind reader lex domicilii - the law of a person's home country lex fori - the law of the forum (country) lex loci - the law of the place lex non scripta - the unwritten (common) law lex scripta - the written law lex talionis - the law of revenge licet - it is allowed litterae humaniores - the humanities literati - men of letters locus classicus - classical passage locus delicti - the scene of the crime locus desperatus - a hopeless passage locus in quo - the place in which something happens locus poenitentiae - a place for repentance LS (locus sigilli) - the place of the seal locus standi - place of standing longo intervallo - after a long gap loq. (loquitur) - he/she speaks lumen naturale - natural light lupus est homo homini - man is wolf to man lusus naturae - a freak of nature lux mundi - the light of the world M MA (Magister Artium) - master of arts magna cum laude - with great distinction magnificat - it magnifies magnum bonum - a great good magnum opus - the greatest piece of work (of an artist) mala fide - in bad faith mare clausum - a closed sea mare liberum - an open sea mare nostrum - our sea (Mediterranean) mater - mother Mater Dolorosa - sorrowful mother (Virgin Mary) materfamilias - mother of family materia medica - medical matter maximus in minimis - great in little things mea culpa - through my fault memento mori - remember that you must die memorabilia - memorable things memoria in aeterna - in everlasting remembrance memoriter - from memory mens rea - guilty mind mens sana in corpore - a healthy mind in a healthy body millennium (millennia) - a thousand year period mirabile dictu - wonderful to relate mirabile visu - wonderful to behold miserere - have mercy Missa solemnis - solemn Mass (high Mass) mittimus - we send (to prison) modus agendi - manner of operation m.o. (modus operandi) - way of operating modus vivendi - way of living moratorium - a delay morituri te salutant - those who are about to die salute you motu proprio - of one's own initiative multum in parvo - much in small space mutatis mutandis - with the necessary changes mutato nomine - the name being changed N nascentes morimur - from the moment we are born, we die natale solum - native soil natura abhorret a vacua - nature abhors a vacuum nb. (nota bene) - note well ne cede malis - do not give in to misfortune necessitas non habet legem - necessity has no law nem. con. (nemine contradicente) - with no one speaking in opposition nem. diss. (nemine dissentiente) - with no one disagreeing ne nimium - not too much ne plus ultra - no further nihil - nothing nihil ad rem - nothing to do with the point nihil obstat - nothing stands in the way nil desperandum - do not despair nisi prius - unles previously nolens volens - whether willing or unwilling noli me tangere - touch me not nolle prosequi - do not pursue nolo contendere - I do not wish to contend nominatim - by name non bis in idem - not twice for the same thing non compos mentis - not of sound mind non licet - it is not allowed non liquet - it is not clear non nobis, Domine - not unto us, O Lord non placet - it does not please non prosequitur - he does not proceed non sequitur - it does not follow nosce te ipsum - know thyself novus homo - a new man nulli secundus - second to none numen - divine power numerus clausus - a restricted number Nunc Dimittis - now let depart nunc est bibendum - now it is time to drink O ob. (obiit) - he/she died ob. (obiter) - in passing obiter dictum - something said in passing obscurum per obscurius - the obscure by means of the more obscure oderint dum metuant - let them hate provided that they fear odi et amo - i hate and I love olim - formerly omnia vincit amor - love conquers all omnium gatherum - assortment onus probandi - the burden of proof op. cit. (opere citato) - in the cited work optimis parentibus - to my excellent parents opus Dei - the work of God ora pro nobis - pray for us ore rotundo - with full voice o tempora! o mores! - what times! what customs! P p.a. (per annum) - every year pace - by leave of pace tua - with your consent pacta sunt servanda - agreements must be kept parens patriae - parent of the country pari passu - with equal pace particeps criminis - partner in crime passim - all through paterfamilias - father of the family pater historiae - the father of history Pater Noster - Our Father pater patriae - father of the country patris est filius - he is his father's son paucis verbis - in a few words pax - peace pax vobiscum - peace be with you peccavi - I have sinned peculium - property pendente lite - while a suit is pending per ardua ad astra - through difficulties to the stars per annum - yearly per capita - per head per cent (per centum) - per hundred per contra - on the contrary per diem - daily per mensem - monthly per pro (per procurationem) - by delegation to perpetuum mobile - perpetual motion per se - by itself persona (non) grata - (un)welcome person petitio principii - an assumption at the start pictor ignotus - painter unknown pinxit - he/she painted it placet - it pleases pleno iure - with full authority pm (post meridiem) - after midday posse (posse comitatus) - the force of the country post bellum - after the war post factum - after the fact post hoc - after this post mortem - after death post obitum - after death post partum - after childbirth pr (per rectum) - through the rectum praemonitus, praemunitus - forewarned, forearmed prima facie - at first sight primum mobile - prime mover primus inter pares - first among equals prn (pro re nata) - as needed probatum est - it has been proved pro bono (pro bono publico) - for the good of the public pro forma - as a matter of formality pro hac vice - for this occaision pro memoria - for a memorial pro nunc - for now pro patria - for one's country pro rata - in proportion to the value pro tem. (pro tempore) - for the time being proxime accessit - he/she came close ps (post scriptum) - written later Q qe (quod est) - which is QED (quod erat demonstrandum) - which was to be demonstrated QEF (quod erat faciendum) - which was to be done qm (quaque mane) - every morning qn (quaque nocte) - every night qs (quantum sufficit) - as much as suffices qqv (quae vide) - see these things qua - in so far as quaere verum - seek the truth quantum meruit - as much as he/she deserved quid pro quo - something for something quis custodiet ipsos custodes - who will guard the guardians qui tacet consentit - who keeps silent consents quo iure - by what law? quandam - formally quorum - of whom quo vadis - where are you going to? qv (quod vide) - see this thing R rara avis - rare bird re - concerning recto - on the right redivivus - come back to life reductio ad absurdum - reduction to the absurd referendum - something to be referred regina - queen religious loci - the (religious) spirit of the place requiescat in pace - may he/she rest in peace res gestae - things done res ipsa loquitur - the thing speaks for itself res judicata - thing already judged upon respice finem - look to the end res publica - the public thing resurgam - i shall rise again rex - king RI (Regina et Imperatrix/Rex et Imperator) - Queen and Empress/King and Emperor rigor mortis - the rigidity of death RIP (requiescat in pace) - may he/she rest in peace S salve veritate - saving the truth salve - hello sanctum sanctorum - the holy of holies sartor resartus - the tailor patched satis - enough sc. (scilicet) - that is to say scala Caeli - the ladder of heaven scala naturae - the ladder of nature scandalum magnatum - scandal of magnates schola cantorum - school of singers sciri facias - cause (him) to know scripsit - he/she wrote it sculpsit - he/she engraved it semper idem - always the same semper fidelis - always faithful semper paratus - always be prepared sensu lato - broadly speaking sensu stricto - strictly speaking seq. (sequens) - the following (one) seqq. (sequentia) - the following (ones) seriatim - in order sic - thus sic erat in fatis - so it was fated sic itur ad astra - such is the way to the stars sic passim - thus everywhere sic transit gloria mundi - so passes the glory of the world sine cura - without a care sine die - without a day (indefinitely) sine qua non - something/someone indispensable siste, viator - stop, traveller si vis pacem, para bellum - if you want peace, prepare for war sl (sine loco) - without place sp (sine prole) - without issue spero melior - I hope for better things spiritus asper - rough breathing spiritus lenis - smooth breathing SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus) - the Senate and the Roman people Stabat Mater - the mother was standing stare decisis to stand by things decided status quo - the current state of being stet - let it stand sua cuique voluptas - everyone has his own pleasures sub dio - under the open sky sub iudice - under a judge sub lite - in dispute sub poena - under penalty of law sub rosa - under the rose (secretly) suggestio falsi - suggestion of something false sui generis - of his/her/its kind sui iuris - of one's own right summa cum laude - with highest praise summum bonum - the highest good suo iure - in one's own right suo loco - in a person's rightful place supra - above sursum corda - lift up your hearts (to God) sv (sub voce) - under the voice T tabula rasa - blank tablet tacet - silence Te Diem - Thee, God te igitur - thee, therefore tempore - in the time of tempus fugit - time flees terminus ad quem - the end to which terminus a quo - the end from which terra firma - solid ground terra incognita - unknown land tertium quid - a third something theatrum mundi - the theatre of the world t.i.d. (ter in die) - three times a day timeo Danaos et dona ferentis - I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts totidem verbis - in so many words tu quoque - you likewise U uberrima fides - utmost good faith ubique - everywhere ubi supra - where (cited) above ubi sunt - where are ultima ratio - ultimate sanction ultima Thule - the most distant Thule ultimus Romanorum - the last of the Romans ultra vires - beyond the powers una voce - with one's voice urbi et orbi - to the city and to the world ut dict. (ut dictum) - as directed ut infra - as below ut sup. (ut supra) - as above uti foro - to play the market uti possidetis - as you possess V v (verso) - reverse v (versus) - against v (vide) - see vade in pace - go in peace vade mecum - go with me vae victis - woe to the conquered vale - farewell variorum - of various people veni, vidi, vici - I came, I saw, I conquered venire facias - you must make come verbatim et litteratim - word for word and letter for letter verb. sap. (verbum sapienti sat est) - a word is enough to the wise veritas nunquam perit - truth never dies veritas vos liberabit - the truth will set you free via - by way of Via Crucis - the Way of the Cross Via Dolorosa - the Way of Sorrow Via Lactea - the Milky Way via media - the middle way vice - in place of vice versa - in reverse order vide - see vide ut supra - see the above vi et armis - by force and arms VIR - (Victoria Imperatrix Regina) - Victoria, Empress and Queen virginibus puerisque - for maidens and youths virgo intacta - intact virgin vivat regina - long live the queen vivat rex - long live the king viva voce - with living voice vixit - he/she has lived viz (videlicet) - namely v.l. (varia lecto) - variant reading volente Deo - God willing vox populi - the voice of the people VR (Victoria Regina) - Queen Victoria VRI (Victoria Regina et Imperatrix) - Victoria, Queen and Empress ****************** Salve(te)! Hello! Vale(te)! Farewell! Quid agis? How are you doing? Quid annus est? What year is it? Illud estne tuum? Is that yours? Non scio. I don't know. Quid edere possum. What can I eat. Intellego. I understand. Sic. Yes. Non. No. Fortasse. Maybe Estne tutum? Is it safe? Scisne Latine? Do you know Latin? Aliquisne domum est? Is anyone Home? Ubi est caupona bona? Where is a good Tavern? Quid tempus est? What time is it? Perio. I'm lost. Non rape me si placet! Please don't rob me! Mea culpa. My fault Habesne plus vini? Do you have more wine? Mei capilli sunt flagrantes. My hair is on fire. Suntne vacci laeti? Are your cows happy? Si minor plus est ergo nihil sunt omnia. If less is more, then nothing is everything. Tu Stupidus(a) es. You are dumb. Meum cerebrum nocet. My brain hurts. Crapulam terribilem habeo. I have a terrible hangover. Vita contingit. Vive cum eo. Life happens. Live with it. Suppedisne? Did you fart quietly? Tua toga suspina est. Your toga is backwards. Cur etiam hic es? Why are you still here? Age(te) apertum! Do the obvious! ****************** Latin Abbreviations and Expressions commonly used in academic writing Abbreviation Latin English A.M. ante meridiem before noon c. or ca circa about, approximately cf. confer compare c.v. curriculum vitae curriculum vitae ead. eadem in the same place, author(female form of ibid.) e.g. exempli gratia for example, for instance et al. et allii, et alia and other people/things etc. et cetera and so on, and other things et seq. et sequens and the following pages ib, ibid. ibidem in the same place, author(esp. previous reference) i.e. id est that is to say infra below inter alia amongst other things loc. cit. loco citato in the place cited/mentioned N.B. nota bene note well/carefully op. cit. opere citato in the work cited/mentioned before P.M. post meridiem after noon P.S. post scriptum after writing passim here & there, throughout, in several places pro tem. pro tempore for the time, temporarily Q.E.D. quod erat demonstrandum which was to be shown q.v. quod vide which see, elsewhere in the same book sc. scilicet that is to say sic thus used, spelt, etc. stet as it was originally supra above v., vs. versus against vide see viz. videlicet namely, that is to say v.v. vice versa the other way round Latin Expression English a fortiori with even stronger reason a posteriori from effects to causes, reasoning based on past experience a priori from causes to effects, conclusions drawn from assumptions, deductive reasoning ab initio from the beginning ad hoc improvised ad infinitum never ending ad lib at will, off the top of the head bona fide in good faith caveat a caution/warning(e.g., caveat emptor - let the buyer beware) curriculum vitae the course of one's life(plural: curricula vitae) de facto from the fact(rather than by right) de jure from the law ex officio out of one's duty or office ex post facto after the fact, retrospectively in situ in its original place in toto in its entirety inter alia among other things locus classicus standard or most authoratative source ipso facto by the fact itself non sequitur it does not follow per capita per head quid pro quo something in return prima facie at first sight, on the face of it pro rata in proportion sine die without a day, with no time fixed sine qua non without which not, essential precondition status quo things as they are viva (voce) oral examination