Even though Latin is considered a dead language (no country oIIicially speaks it), its inIluence

upon other languages makes it still important. Latin words and expressions are present in
virtually all the languages around the world, as well as on diIIerent scientiIic and academic
Iields.
Below you will Iind a list with the most used and important Latin words and expressions, enjoy!
Common Latin Words
alibi: elsewhere
alter: another
bellum: war
bonus: good
borealis: northern
corpus: body
derma: skin
dies: day
domus: home/house
ego: I/me
erectus: upright
gens: Iamily
homo: human
malus: bad
magnus: great
nemo: nobody
omnis: everything
pax: peace
primus: Iirst
qui: who
rex: king
sapiens: wise
terra: earth
tempus: time
virtus: virtue
vivo: live
vox: voice
Latin/Greek Numeral Prefixes
semi: halI
uni: one
duo, bi: two
tri, tris: three
quadri, tetra: Iour
penta: Iive
hexa: six
hepta: seven
octo: eight
ennea: nine
deca: ten

ther Latin/Greek Prefixes
ad: towards
ambi: both
endo: within
extra: in addition to
exo: outside
hyper: over
hypo: under
inIra: below
inter: between
intro: within
iso: equal
liber: Iree
macro: large
micro: small
mono: single
multi: many
omni: all
proto: Iirst
poli: many
tele: distant
trans: across
General Latin Expressions
a priori: from the former. II you think something a priori, you are conceiving it beIore seeing the
Iacts. Presupposing.
ad hoc: to this. Ad hoc reIers to something that was creating Ior a speciIic purpose or situation.
An ad hoc political committee, Ior instance, is Iormed Ior one speciIic case.
ad infinitum: to infinity. Something that goes ad inIinitum keeps going Iorever. You could say
that your wiIe hassles you ad inIinitum, Ior example.
ad valorem: to the value. This expressed is used when something is related to the value oI an
object or transaction, like an ad valorem tax which is proportional to the value oI the product.
ceteris paribus: other things being equal. This expressions iI oIten used in economics where, in
order to impact oI something on the economy (e.g., inIlation or unemployment), you need to
hold other variables Iixed.
de facto: .ommon in pra.ti.e, but not established by law. For example, English is the de Iacto
oIIicial language oI the United States.
honoris causa: for the sake of the honour: This is an honorary degree where an academic
institution grants a doctorate to someone without the Iormal requirements (exams and the like).
Usually the person receiving the degree has connections with the University or has made
important achievements in a certain Iield.
in toto: entirely.
mutatis mutandis: ith ne.essary .hanges. This expression is used to express agreement to
something that, however, still need to be changed or amended.
per se: by itself. II something exists per se, Ior instance, it exists by itselI, regardless oI external
Iactors.
sic: thus. Sic is usually used in newspapers or other publications (placed within square brackets
|si.|) to indicate that the spelling error or unusual phrase on a quotation was reproduced as it was
in the source, and thereIore it is not an editorial error.
vice versa: the other ay around. II you write 'John loves Mary, and vice versa, it means that
Mary also loves John.
"E ("uod erat demonstrandum): hi.h as to be demonstrated. This Latin abbreviation is
oIten used at the end oI mathematical theorems in order to demonstrate that prooI is complete.
Legal Latin Expressions
bona fide: good faith. In contract law, Ior instance, parties must always act in good Iaith iI they
are to respect the obligations.
de jure: by la. Some states are currently working on legislation that would make English the de
jure oIIicial language oI the United States.
dictum (plural dicta): a statement that Iorms part oI the judgment oI a court.
obiter dicta: a judge`s opinion oIIered in the course oI a judgment but having no legal Iorce.
ex parte: from, by, or for one party in a dispute. An ex parte decision is one decided by a judge
without requiring all oI the parties to the controversy to be present.
habeas corpus: e .ommand that) you bring forth the body. In this case, the 'body (corpus)
reIers to a living person who is being held in prison. The phrase has nothing to do with
producing the corpse oI an allegedly-murdered person.

ipso facto: by the fa.t itself. Parents who have deliberately mistreated their child are ipso Iacto
unIit custodians.
mens rea: guilty mind. The U.S. legal system requires that when a crime is committed, the
perpetrator must have the intention to commit the crime. For example, a driver who strikes and
kills a pedestrian because oI Iaulty brakes is guilty oI manslaughter, but not oI murder. There
was no intent to kill so the mind was not guilty. On the other hand, the wiIe who repeatedly runs
over her husband with her SUV is guilty oI murder because oI her mens rea.
pro bono: (the original phrase is pro bono publico) for the publi. good. Sometimes high-priced
lawyers come Iorward to deIend suspects who would otherwise have to take their chances with
someone Irom the Public DeIender`s oIIice. They work on the case pro bono, i.e., they don`t
charge a Iee.
prima facie: by first instan.e this reIers cases with suIIicient evidence to warrant going
Iorward with an arraignment.
6uid pro 6uo: something for something. For example, the ADAs (assistant district attorneys)
make deals with criminals, giving them shorter sentences in exchange Ior inIormation that will
enable them to convict other criminals. Another example oI quid pro quo might occur between
two lawyers, each oI whom gives up some advantage to gain another.
amous Latin Phrases
divide et impera: ivide and reign. It was a theory proposed by Niccolo Machiavelli and used
previously by the Roman Senate to dominate the Mediterranean.
alea jacta est: the die is .ast: This Iamous phrase was said by Julius Caesar upon crossing the
Rubicon. Caesar was violating a law oI the Roman Empire, hence why he was playing with luck.

veni vidi vici: .ame, sa, .onquered. Another phrase said by Julius Caesar, this time upon
the victory over Pharnaces, king oI Pontus.
cogito ergo sum: think, therefore am. This phrase was originally said in French by Rene
Descartes, and it represents a corner-stone oI the Western philosophy. The Latin translation is
more widely used, though.
carpe diem: sei:e the day. This phrase comes Irom a poem by Horace. The phrase was made
Iamous when it was used on the movie ead Poets So.iety.
deus ex machina: od out of a ma.hine. In ancient Greece when a plot was complicated or
tangled, the play writers would just insert a God in the Iinal act in order to solve all the problems.
Usually a crane machine was used to drop the actor on stage, hence the name.
homo homini lupus: man is a olf to men. This phrase was originally said by Plauto, but other
philosophers also used it, including Bacon and Hobbes. The meaning is quite straight Iorward.
Foreign Words and Pbrases

The English meanings given below are not necessarily literal translations.
ad absurdum
(ad abslrdum) LaL Lo Lhe polnL of absurdlLy Pe Ledlously repeaLed hls argumenL oJ
obsotJom"
ad lnflnlLum
(ad lnfuneyeLum) LaL Lo lnflnlLy 1he lecLure seemed Lo drone on oJ lofloltom"
ad nauseam
(ad nozeeum) LaL Lo a slckenlng degree 1he pollLlclan uLLered one plaLlLude afLer anoLher
oJ oooseom"
aflclonado
(uhflshyanahdoh) Span an ardenL devoLee l was surprlsed aL whaL a baseball oflcloooJo
she had become"
angsL
(angksL) Cer dread and anxleLy Sylvlas Leenage ooqst was noLhlng compared Lo Lhe
parenLal ooqst experlenced by Lhe Lwo lndlvlduals whose duLy lL was Lo ralse her"
annus mlrabllls
(anus muhrabuhlls) LaL wonderful year LasL year was Lhe oooos mltobllls for my
company"
a prlorl
(ah preeoree) LaL based on Lheory raLher Lhan observaLlon 1he facL LhaL Lhelr house ls ln
such dlsrepalr suggesLs o ptlotl LhaL Lhey are havlng flnanclal dlfflculLles"
au couranL
(oh koorahn) lr upLodaLe 1he shoes Lhe halr Lhe cloLhesevery lasL deLall of her dress
ln facLwas uLLerly oo cootoot"
beau gesLe
(boh zhesL) lr a flne or noble gesLure ofLen fuLlle My fellow wrlLers supporLed me by
wrlLlng leLLers of proLesL Lo Lhe publlsher buL Lhelr beoo qeste could noL prevenL Lhe
lnevlLable"
beau monde
(boh mond) lr hlgh socleLy Such eleganL decor would lmpress even Lhe beoo mooJe"
bLe nolre
(beL nwahr) lr someLhlng or someone parLlcularly dlsllked 1alk of Lhe good old college days
way back when had become hls bte oolte and he began Lo avold hls school frlends"
bona flde
(bohna flde) LaL ln good falLh genulne lor all her reLlcence and modesLy lL was clear LhaL
she was a booo flJe experL ln her fleld"
bon moL
(bon moe) lr a wlLLy remark or commenL Cne boo mot afLer anoLher flew ouL of hls mouLh
charmlng Lhe audlence"
bon vlvanL
(bon veevahnL) lr a person who llves luxurlously and en[oys good food and drlnk lLs Lrue
hes qulLe Lhe boo vlvoot buL when he geLs down Lo buslness he conducLs hlmself llke a
SparLan"
carpe dlem
(karpay deeum) LaL selze Lhe day So whaL lf you have an 800 am meeLlng Lomorrow and
varlous appolnLmenLs? cotpe Jlem!"
carLe blanche
(karL blonsh) lr unresLrlcLed power Lo acL on ones own l may have cotte bloocbe around
Lhe offlce buL aL home lm a slave Lo my famllys demands"
casus belll
(kaysus beleye) LaL an acL [usLlfylng war 1he general felL LhaL Lhe banana republlcs
lnsolenL remarks abouL our naLlonal honor were enough of a cosos belll Lo launch an aLLack"
cause celebre
(koz suhlebruh) lr a wldely known conLroverslal case or lssue 1he Sacco and vanzeLLl Lrlal
became an lnLernaLlonal coose clbte durlng Lhe 1920s"
caveaL empLor
(kaveeoL empLor) LaL leL Lhe buyer beware 8efore you leap aL LhaL real esLaLe deal coveot
emptot!"
comme cl comme a
(kom see kom sah) lr soso 1he plans for Lhe parLy sLrlke me as comme cl comme o"
comme ll fauL
(kom eel foe) lr as lL should be flLLlng Pls end was Lruly comme ll foot"
coup de grce
(koo de grahss) lr flnlshlng blow AfLer an already wlldly successful day Lhe coop Je qtce
came when she won besL allaround aLhleLe"
crl de coeur
(kree de kur) lr hearLfelL appeal AbouL Lo leave Lhe podlum he made a flnal ctl Je coeot Lo
hls people Lo end Lhe bloodshed"
de rlgueur
(duh reegur) lr sLrlcLly requlred as by eLlqueLLe usage or fashlon Loudly proclalmlng
ones supporL for radlcal causes had become Je tlqoeot among her crowd"
deus ex machlna
(dayus ex mahkuhnuh) LaL a conLrlved devlce Lo resolve a slLuaLlon SLreLchlng plauslblllLy
Lhe movle concluded wlLh a Jeos ex mocbloo endlng ln whlch everyone was rescued aL Lhe lasL
mlnuLe"
dolce vlLa
(dolechay veeLuh) lLal sweeL llfe Lhe good llfe percelved as one of physlcal pleasure and self
lndulgence My vacaLlon Lhls year ls golng Lo be Lwo unlnLerrupLed weeks of Jolce vlto"
doppelganger
(doppulgangur) Cer a ghosLly double or counLerparL of a llvlng person l could noL shake
Lhe sense LhaL some shadowy Joppelqooqet echoed my every move"
ecce homo
(ekay homo) LaL behold Lhe man 1he palnLlng deplcLed Lhe common 8enalssance Lheme
ecce bomoChrlsL wearlng Lhe crown of Lhorns"
enfanL Lerrlble
(ahnfahn Layreebluh) lr an lncorrlglble chlld an ouLrageously ouLspoken or bold person
Pe played Lhe role of eofoot tettlble [olLlng us wlLh hls blunL assessmenL"
enLre nous
(ahnLruh noo) lr beLween ourselves confldenLlally otte ooos Lhelr marrlage ls on Lhe
rocks"
ex caLhedra
(ex kuhLheedruh) LaL wlLh auLhorlLy used especlally of Lhose pronouncemenLs of Lhe pope
LhaL are consldered lnfalllble l reslgned myself Lo obeylng my faLhers oplnlons were ex
cotbeJto ln our household"
ex posL facLo
(ex posL fakLoh) LaL reLroacLlvely l cerLalnly hope LhaL Lhe change ln pollcy wlll be honored
ex post focto"
falL accompll
(faLe ahkomplee) lr an accompllshed facL presumably lrreverslble 1heres no use
proLesLlnglLs a folt occompll"
faux pas
(foh pah) lr a soclal blunder Suddenly she reallzed she had unwlLLlngly commlLLed yeL
anoLher foox pos"
lelnschmecker
2

(flneshmeker) Cer gourmeL no l donL Lhlnk Mcuonalds wlll do hes much Loo much of a
eloscbmecket"
flagranLe dellcLo
(flagrahnLee dlllkLoh) LaL ln Lhe acL 1he deLecLlve reallzed LhaL wlLhouL hard evldence he
had no case he would have Lo caLch Lhe culprlL floqtoote Jellcto"
glasnosL
(glaznohsL) 8us open and frank dlscusslon lnlLlaLed by Mlkhall Corbachev ln 1983 ln Lhe
SovleL unlon Cnce Lhe old chalrman reLlred Lhe splrlL of qlosoost pervaded Lhe deparLmenL"
hol pollol
(hoy puhloy) Ck Lhe common people Marle AnLolneLLe recommended cake Lo Lhe bol
pollol"
ln loco parenLls
(ln lohkoh parenLlss) LaL ln Lhe place of a parenL 1he courL appolnLed a guardlan for Lhe
chlldren Lo serve lo loco poteotls"
ln medlas res
(ln medeeas rays) LaL ln Lhe mlddle of a sequence of occurences 1he fllm beglns lo meJlos
tes wlLh a panLlng Lerrlfled man runnlng Lhrough Lhe nlghL"
ln slLu
(ln slLLoo) LaL slLuaLed ln Lhe orlglnal or naLural poslLlon l prefer seelng sLaLues lo slto raLher
Lhan ln Lhe conflnes of a museum"
ln vlno verlLas
(ln veeno varelLoss) LaL ln wlne Lhere ls LruLh 8y Lhe end of Lhe parLy several of Lhe guesLs
had made a good deal of Lhelr prlvaLe llves publlc prompLlng Lhe hosL Lo murmur Lo hls wlfe 'lo
vloo vetltos'"
lpso facLo
(lpsoh fakLoh) LaL by Lhe facL lLself An exLremlsL lpso focto cannoL become parL of a
coallLlon"
[e ne sals quol
(zheh neh say kwah) lr l know noL whaL an eluslve quallLy She couldnL explaln lL buL Lhere
was someLhlng je oe sols pool abouL hlm LhaL she found devasLaLlngly aLLracLlve"
mano a mano
(mahno ah mahno) Span dlrecLly or faceLoface ln a confronLaLlon or confllcL 'SLay ouL of
lL' he admonlshed hls frlends 'l wanL Lo handle Lhls guy mooo o mooo'"
mea culpa
(mayuh kulpuh) LaL l am Lo blame Pls meo colpo was so offhand LhaL l hardly Lhlnk he
meanL lL"
memenLo morl
(muhmenLoh moreee) LaL a remlnder LhaL you musL dle 1he skull resLed on Lhe
manLleplece as a memeoto motl"
mlse en scene
(mee zahn sen) lr Lhe sLage seLLlng surroundlngs 1he mlse eo sceoe for Lhe sclfl movle
was molded fuLurlsLlc furnlLure and bllndlng klleg llghLs"
moL [usLe
(moh zhoosL) lr Lhe exacL approprlaLe word '8aLs!' screamed Lhe deflanL Lhreeyearold
lmmensely proud of hls mot joste"
ne plus ulLra
(nee plus ulLruh) LaL Lhe mosL lnLense degree of a quallLy or sLaLe ulllng lL from Lhe box
he reallzed he was face Lo face wlLh Lhe oe plos oltto of compuLers"
nom de guerre
(nom duh galr) lr pseudonym Pe wenL by hls oom Je qoette when frequenLlng Lrendy
nlghLclubs"
nom de plume
(nom duh ploom) lr pen name uecldlng lL was Llme Lo slL down and begln a novel Lhe
wouldbe wrlLer spenL Lhe flrsL several hours decldlng upon a sulLable oom Je plome"
noLa bene
(nohLuh bennee) lLal noLe well Lake noLlce Per posLcard lncluded a remlnder ooto beoe
lll be reLurnlng on Lhe 11 oclock Lraln"
persona non graLa
(persohnuh non grahLuh) LaL unaccepLable or unwelcome person Cnce l was cuL ouL of
Lhe wlll l became petsooo ooo qtoto among my relaLlves"
prlma facle
(pryma fayshe) LaL aL flrsL slghL clear and evldenL AlLhough her husband lmplored 'l can
explaln!' Lhe slghL of anoLher woman wrapped ln hls arms was ptlmo focle evldence LhaL he was
a decelLful louL"
pro bono
(pro bohnoh) LaL done or donaLed wlLhouL charge free 1he lawyers pto booo work gave
hlm a sense of value LhaL hls work on behalf of Lhe corporaLlon could noL"
quld pro quo
(kwld pro kwoh) LaL someLhlng for someLhlng an equal exchange She vowed LhaL when
she had Lhe means she would reLurn hls favors polJ pto poo"
sans soucl
(sahn soosee) lr carefree AfLer serveral glasses of champagne Lhelr mood Lurned
dlsLlncLly soos soocl"
savolrfalre
(savwahr falr) lr Lhe ablllLy Lo say and do Lhe correcL Lhlng She preslded over Lhe gaLherlng
wlLh lmpresslve sovoltfolte"
schadenfreude
(shah den froydeh) Cer pleasure aL someone elses mlsforLunes 5cboJeofteoJe suffused
Lhe classroom afLer Lhe lnsufferably superclllous class peL was caughL cheaLlng by Lhe Leacher"
slc LranslL glorla mundl
(slck LranslL gloreeuh mundee) LaL Lhus passes away Lhe glory of Lhe world WaLchlng Lhe
aglng former fooLball quarLerback lumber down Lhe sLreeL poLbellled and dlsslpaLed hls frlend
shook hls head ln dlsbellef and muLLered 'slc ttooslt qlotlo mooJl'"
slne qua non
(slnay kwah nohn) LaL lndlspensable elemenL or condlLlon Lemon ls Lhe sloe poo ooo of Lhls
reclpe"
soLLo voce
(suhLow vohchee) lLal ln a quleL volce aLLempLlng noL Lo be overheard Whlle Lhe oLhers
were dlsLracLed he fllled me ln sotto voce on all Lhe dellcously sordld deLalls of Lhe scandal"
sul generls
(suee [enerls) LaL unlque Ad[usLlng her plraLes haL and frlnged hula sklrL Zelda sashayed
lnLo Lhe parLy knowlng her fashlon sLaLemenL was sol qeoetls"
Lerra lncognlLa
(Lareuh lnkogneeLuh) LaL unknown LerrlLory When Lhe conversaLlon suddenly swlLched
from conLemporary flcLlon Lo medleval Albanlan playwrlghLs he felL hlmself enLerlng tetto
locoqolto"
LouL le monde
(Loo luh mond) lr everybody everyone of lmporLance uonL mlss Lhe evenL lLs bound Lo
be aLLended by toot le mooJe"
venl vldl vlcl
(venee veedee veechee) LaL l came l saw l conquered AfLer Lhe Lakeover Lhe buslness
mogul gloaLed veol vlJl vlcl"
verboLen
(ferbohLen) Cer forbldden as by law prohlblLed 1haL Loplc l am afrald ls vetboteo ln Lhls
household"
vox popull
(voks popyoolle) LaL Lhe volce of Lhe people My senLlmenLs echo Lhose of Lhe vox popoll"
Wander[ahr
2

(vahnderyahr) Cer a year or perlod of Lravel especlally followlng ones schoollng 1he Lrlo
Look off on Lhelr wooJetjobt lnLenL on vlslLlng every museum beLween Ldlnburgh and 8ome"
WelLanschauung
2

(velLanshouung) Cer a world vlew or phllosophy of llfe Pls weltooscbooooq gradually
meLamorphlzed from a grlm and pesslmlsLlc one Lo a sunny buL no less complex vlew"
WelLschmerz
2

(velLshmerLs) Cer sorrow over Lhe evlls of Lhe world Pls poeLry expressed a cerLaln
weltscbmetz or worldwearlness"
ZelLgelsL
2

(zlLeguysL) Cer Lhe LhoughL or senslblllLy characLerlsLlc of a parLlcular perlod of Llme She
blamed lL on Lhe 2eltqelst whlch encouraged hedonlsLlc excess"