117 Common Latin Words and Phrases Used in English (With Meanings & Examples)
Discover 117 common Latin words and phrases used in English, with their meanings and clear examples showing you how to use them correctly.
Latin may be called a dead language, but it certainly hasn’t disappeared. In fact, you probably use Latin words and phrases more often than you realize.
Expressions such as ad hoc, bona fide, per se, pro bono, status quo, and vice versa appear regularly in modern English. You will also encounter Latin in law, medicine, science, business, academia, literature, and everyday conversation. Even familiar abbreviations such as e.g., etc., a.m., p.m., and P.S. come from Latin.
Some Latin expressions have become so thoroughly integrated into English that you may not even think of them as foreign.
In this guide, you’ll discover 117 common Latin words and phrases used in English. They are arranged alphabetically, and each entry includes its meaning, an explanation of how you can use it, and an example.
Common Latin Words and Phrases Used in English
1. A posteriori
Meaning: From what comes after; based on experience or observation.
You use a posteriori to describe knowledge or reasoning that depends on evidence, experience, or observation. You will encounter the expression most often in philosophy, logic, and academic writing.
Example: We can only determine a posteriori whether the treatment actually works.
2. A priori
Meaning: From what comes before; based on reasoning rather than experience.
A priori describes knowledge, assumptions, or conclusions that do not depend on direct observation or experience. It often contrasts with a posteriori.
Example: You cannot assume a priori that the more expensive option will be better.
3. Acta non verba
Meaning: Deeds, not words.
Acta non verba expresses the idea that actions matter more than promises or statements. You will often encounter it as a motto.
Example: The team’s philosophy was simple: acta non verba.
4. Ad astra
Meaning: To the stars.
Ad astra expresses ambition, aspiration, or a desire to achieve great things. It frequently appears in mottos and is also found in longer Latin expressions.
Example: The school’s motto, ad astra, encouraged its students to aim high.
5. Ad hoc
Meaning: For this; for a particular purpose.
You use ad hoc to describe something created or arranged for one specific situation rather than as part of a permanent system.
Example: The company formed an ad hoc committee to investigate the complaint.
6. Ad hominem
Meaning: To the person.
An ad hominem argument attacks the person making an argument instead of addressing the argument itself.
Example: Criticizing her appearance instead of answering her point was an ad hominem attack.
7. Ad infinitum
Meaning: To infinity; endlessly.
You can use ad infinitum when something continues indefinitely or could seemingly continue forever.
Example: We could debate the issue ad infinitum without reaching an agreement.
8. Ad lib / Ad libitum
Meaning: At one’s pleasure; freely or without preparation.
Ad lib is the shortened form of ad libitum. In English, you commonly use ad lib for speech, music, or performance that someone improvises rather than prepares in advance.
Example: The actor forgot his lines and had to ad lib for several minutes.
9. Ad litem
Meaning: For the lawsuit.
You will mainly encounter ad litem in legal English. It refers to an appointment made for the purposes of a particular legal proceeding.
Example: The court appointed a guardian ad litem to represent the child’s interests.
10. Ad nauseam
Meaning: To nausea; to a tiresome degree.
You use ad nauseam when someone repeats or discusses something so much that it becomes annoying.
Example: The commentators discussed the controversy ad nauseam.
11. Ad valorem
Meaning: According to value.
Ad valorem usually describes a tax or duty calculated according to the value of the property or goods being taxed.
Example: The government imposed an ad valorem tax based on the value of the goods.
12. Affidavit
Meaning: He or she has sworn; a sworn written statement.
In modern legal English, an affidavit is a written statement that someone formally swears or affirms to be true.
Example: She submitted an affidavit describing what she had witnessed.
13. Alea iacta est
Meaning: The die is cast.
Traditionally associated with Julius Caesar, alea iacta est expresses the idea that someone has made an irreversible decision and must now accept what follows.
Example: Once he submitted his resignation, alea iacta est: there was no going back.
14. Alias
Meaning: Otherwise; at another time.
In English, an alias is an alternative or assumed name, particularly one someone uses to conceal their identity.
Example: The suspect had been living under an alias for several years.
15. Alibi
Meaning: Elsewhere; in another place.
An alibi is evidence or a claim that someone was somewhere else when an event, particularly a crime, took place.
Example: Security footage gave him a convincing alibi.
16. Alma mater
Meaning: Nourishing mother.
Your alma mater is a school, college, or university that you formerly attended, especially one from which you graduated.
Example: She returned to her alma mater to deliver a graduation speech.
17. Alter ego
Meaning: Other self.
An alter ego is a second identity or another side of someone’s personality.
Example: His confident stage persona became his alter ego.
18. Amor vincit omnia
Meaning: Love conquers all.
Amor vincit omnia expresses the enduring idea that love can overcome difficulties and obstacles.
Example: They engraved amor vincit omnia inside their wedding rings.
19. Anno Domini (A.D.)
Meaning: In the year of the Lord.
Anno Domini, traditionally abbreviated A.D., identifies years in the Christian calendar following the conventionally calculated year of Christ’s birth.
Example: The settlement was established around A.D. 600.
20. Ante
Meaning: Before.
You may encounter ante by itself in specialized writing or as a component of words and expressions relating to something that comes before.
Example: The legal commentary used ante to direct readers to an earlier section.
21. Ante bellum
Meaning: Before the war.
Ante bellum, more commonly encountered in English as antebellum, describes a period before a war. In American history, it particularly refers to the period before the Civil War.
Example: The book examines politics in the antebellum South.
22. Ante meridiem (a.m.)
Meaning: Before midday.
Ante meridiem gives English the abbreviation a.m., which you use for times from midnight until noon.
Example: The first train leaves at 6:30 a.m.
23. Ante mortem
Meaning: Before death.
You will encounter ante mortem primarily in medicine, pathology, and legal contexts to describe something that happened before a person’s death.
Example: Investigators needed to establish whether the injury occurred ante mortem.
24. Ars longa, vita brevis
Meaning: Art is long, life is short.
This famous expression contrasts the amount of time required to master an art or skill with the shortness of human life.
Example: After decades spent mastering his craft, the artist often quoted ars longa, vita brevis.
25. Bona fide
Meaning: In good faith; genuine or authentic.
In modern English, you commonly use bona fide to describe something real, legitimate, or sincere.
Example: She has become a bona fide expert in her field.
26. Carpe diem
Meaning: Seize the day.
Carpe diem encourages you to make the most of the present rather than waiting for the future.
Example: He adopted a carpe diem attitude and finally booked the trip.
27. Casus belli
Meaning: An occasion for war.
A casus belli is an event or action that gives a country justification for starting a war.
Example: The government warned that another attack could constitute a casus belli.
28. Caveat
Meaning: Let him or her beware; a warning or qualification.
A caveat is a warning, condition, or limitation that you attach to a statement or agreement.
Example: The plan could work, but there is one important caveat.
29. Caveat emptor
Meaning: Let the buyer beware.
Caveat emptor expresses the principle that buyers should check the quality and suitability of something before purchasing it.
Example: When buying a used item privately, caveat emptor is a useful principle to remember.
30. Circa
Meaning: Around; approximately.
You use circa, often abbreviated c. or ca., when you know an approximate date but not the exact one.
Example: The manuscript dates from circa 1400.
31. Cogito, ergo sum
Meaning: I think, therefore I am.
Philosopher René Descartes made this expression famous as a statement of the certainty of one’s own existence as a thinking being.
Example: Even people who have never studied philosophy often recognize cogito, ergo sum.
32. Compos mentis
Meaning: Of sound mind.
If someone is compos mentis, they possess their mental faculties and can think and make decisions rationally.
Example: The court had to establish whether he was compos mentis when he signed the document.
33. Confer (cf.)
Meaning: Compare.
The abbreviation cf. comes from the Latin confer. You will encounter it in academic and scholarly writing when an author invites you to compare something with another source or idea.
Example: For a different interpretation, cf. Smith (2024).
34. Consensus
Meaning: Agreement.
A consensus is general or widespread agreement among members of a group.
Example: The committee eventually reached a consensus.
35. Corpus
Meaning: Body.
In English, a corpus is a collection or body of written, spoken, or other material. Linguists frequently use corpora to study how people actually use language.
Example: Researchers analyzed a large corpus of newspaper articles.
36. Cum laude
Meaning: With praise.
In the United States, cum laude is an academic distinction awarded to students who graduate with a high level of achievement.
Example: She graduated cum laude from college.
You may also encounter magna cum laude (“with great praise”) and summa cum laude (“with highest praise”).
37. Curriculum
Meaning: Course or race.
A curriculum is the collection of subjects, material, and learning experiences that make up a course or program of education.
Example: The school added computer science to its curriculum.
38. Curriculum vitae (CV)
Meaning: Course of life.
A curriculum vitae, usually shortened to CV, summarizes your education, qualifications, professional experience, and achievements.
Example: Please attach your CV when you submit your application.
39. De facto
Meaning: In fact; in reality.
You use de facto for something that exists or operates in practice even if nobody has formally or legally established it.
Example: Although nobody appointed her, she became the de facto leader of the group.
40. De jure
Meaning: By law.
De jure describes something that exists according to law or official rules. It often contrasts with de facto.
Example: He remained the country’s de jure leader, although others exercised the real power.
41. De novo
Meaning: From the beginning; anew.
You use de novo for something that starts again from the beginning rather than continuing from an earlier process.
Example: The court reviewed the issue de novo.
42. Deus ex machina
Meaning: God from the machine.
In modern English, a deus ex machina is an unexpected and often improbable event, character, or device that suddenly solves an apparently impossible problem in a story.
Example: The miraculous rescue at the end felt like a deus ex machina.
43. Dictum
Meaning: Something said.
A dictum is an authoritative or memorable statement, maxim, or pronouncement. In law, the term can have a more specialized meaning.
Example: The old dictum that “time is money” still influences business culture.
44. Dramatis personae
Meaning: Persons of the drama.
Dramatis personae refers to the characters in a play or other dramatic work. Writers can also use it for the principal people involved in a real event.
Example: The book begins by introducing the dramatis personae.
45. E pluribus unum
Meaning: Out of many, one.
E pluribus unum is a traditional motto of the United States and expresses the idea of many parts forming a single whole.
Example: You can find E pluribus unum on U.S. coins.
46. Ergo
Meaning: Therefore.
You can use ergo to introduce a logical conclusion from what you have just said.
Example: The roads are covered in snow; ergo, we should leave earlier.
47. Et al.
Meaning: And others.
Et al. abbreviates Latin forms meaning “and others.” You will encounter it particularly in academic citations when a work has multiple authors.
Example: The study by Johnson et al. reached a similar conclusion.
48. Et cetera (etc.)
Meaning: And the rest; and so on.
You use et cetera, usually abbreviated etc., to indicate that a list could continue with similar items.
Example: You will need pens, paper, folders, etc.
Avoid writing “and etc.” because the et already means “and.”
49. Et tu, Brute?
Meaning: You too, Brutus?
You may use Et tu, Brute? humorously or dramatically when someone you trusted appears to betray you. Shakespeare made the expression famous in Julius Caesar.
Example: When his best friend sided with the opposition, he joked, “Et tu, Brute?“
50. Ex gratia
Meaning: From favor.
An ex gratia payment is made voluntarily rather than because the payer accepts a legal obligation.
Example: The company offered an ex gratia payment as a gesture of goodwill.
51. Ex libris
Meaning: From the books of.
You may see ex libris on a bookplate that identifies the owner of a book or collection.
Example: The antique book still contained its original ex libris label.
52. Ex nihilo nihil fit
Meaning: Nothing comes from nothing.
This expression conveys the idea that things do not simply arise without a cause, source, or foundation.
Example: His argument rested on the old principle ex nihilo nihil fit.
53. Ex officio
Meaning: From the office.
Someone serves ex officio when they hold a position or membership because of another office they occupy.
Example: The university president serves ex officio on the board.
54. Ex parte
Meaning: From one party.
In law, ex parte describes an action or proceeding involving one side, often without the other party being present.
Example: The attorney applied for an ex parte order.
55. Ex post
Meaning: After the event.
You use ex post for an analysis, assessment, or decision made after something has happened.
Example: The researchers conducted an ex post evaluation of the policy.
56. Ex post facto
Meaning: From a thing done afterward; after the fact.
Ex post facto describes something applied retrospectively, especially a law that changes the legal consequences of an earlier action.
Example: Critics argued that the rule amounted to ex post facto punishment.
57. Exempli gratia (e.g.)
Meaning: For the sake of example; for example.
The familiar abbreviation e.g. comes from exempli gratia. You use it when introducing one or more examples.
Example: Several Latin expressions, e.g., ad hoc and per se, remain common in English.
58. Fortes fortuna adiuvat
Meaning: Fortune favors the brave.
This Latin proverb expresses the idea that people who act courageously or take risks are more likely to succeed.
Example: She took the opportunity despite the risk, remembering fortes fortuna adiuvat.
59. Habeas corpus
Meaning: You shall have the body.
Habeas corpus is an important legal principle that allows a detained person to challenge the legality of their detention before a court.
Example: His lawyers filed a petition for habeas corpus.
60. Ibidem (ibid.)
Meaning: In the same place.
Traditionally, academic writers use ibid. to indicate that a citation refers to the same source, and usually the same cited location unless otherwise specified, as the immediately preceding citation.
Example: You may encounter ibid. repeatedly in the footnotes of older academic works.
61. Idem (id.)
Meaning: The same.
In legal and scholarly citations, id. can indicate the same author or authority as the immediately preceding citation, depending on the citation system being used.
Example: Legal writers sometimes use id. to avoid repeating the same authority.
62. Id est (i.e.)
Meaning: That is.
The abbreviation i.e. comes from id est. You use it when clarifying, specifying, or restating exactly what you mean.
Example: The office closes at midday, i.e., 12 p.m.
Remember: e.g. means “for example,” while i.e. means “that is.”
63. In absentia
Meaning: In absence.
If something happens in absentia, it takes place while the person concerned is absent.
Example: The court tried and convicted him in absentia.
64. In camera
Meaning: In a chamber.
In legal and official contexts, in camera means privately rather than before the public.
Example: The judge heard the sensitive evidence in camera.
Despite its modern appearance, the phrase has nothing to do with photography.
65. In extremis
Meaning: At the furthest point.
In extremis describes someone or something in extreme difficulty or at the point of death.
Example: The company turned to its competitors for help in extremis.
66. In flagrante delicto
Meaning: While the offense is blazing; in the act of wrongdoing.
If someone catches you in flagrante delicto, they catch you in the act of doing something wrong. English speakers sometimes shorten the expression to in flagrante.
Example: Police caught the thief in flagrante delicto.
67. In loco parentis
Meaning: In the place of a parent.
A person or institution acting in loco parentis assumes some of the responsibilities or authority normally associated with a parent.
Example: Schools have traditionally exercised certain responsibilities in loco parentis.
68. In medias res
Meaning: Into the middle of things.
A story that begins in medias res starts in the middle of the action rather than at the chronological beginning.
Example: The novel opens in medias res, with the main character already running from the police.
69. In memoriam
Meaning: In memory.
You use in memoriam when something commemorates a person who has died.
Example: The orchestra performed the concert in memoriam of its former conductor.
70. In situ
Meaning: In position; in its original place.
In situ describes something that remains in its original or appropriate location. You will encounter it in archaeology, medicine, science, engineering, and other fields.
Example: Archaeologists decided to preserve the mosaic in situ.
71. In toto
Meaning: Entirely; as a whole.
You use in toto when referring to something in its entirety rather than only part of it.
Example: The committee rejected the proposal in toto.
72. In vitro
Meaning: In glass.
Scientists use in vitro for processes or experiments conducted outside a living organism in a controlled laboratory environment.
Example: Researchers first tested the compound in vitro.
The term is also familiar from in vitro fertilization (IVF).
73. In vivo
Meaning: In the living.
In vivo describes a process or experiment that takes place within a living organism.
Example: The researchers then studied the treatment in vivo.
It commonly contrasts with in vitro.
74. In vino veritas
Meaning: In wine, there is truth.
In vino veritas expresses the idea that people may reveal what they really think after drinking alcohol.
Example: His unusually candid dinner speech brought in vino veritas to mind.
75. Inter alia
Meaning: Among other things.
You use inter alia when mentioning one or several things without providing a complete list.
Example: The report examines, inter alia, the cost of housing and transportation.
76. Ipso facto
Meaning: By the fact itself.
You use ipso facto when one fact or action automatically produces or establishes a particular consequence.
Example: Being famous does not ipso facto make someone an expert.
77. Lapsus linguae
Meaning: Slip of the tongue.
A lapsus linguae is an accidental mistake in speech.
Example: Calling his new manager by his former manager’s name was an embarrassing lapsus linguae.
78. Magnum opus
Meaning: Great work.
Someone’s magnum opus is their greatest or most important work, especially in art, music, literature, or scholarship.
Example: Many critics regard the novel as the author’s magnum opus.
79. Mea culpa
Meaning: Through my fault.
You can say mea culpa when admitting that you are responsible for a mistake.
Example: I gave everyone the wrong meeting time, so mea culpa.
80. Memento mori
Meaning: Remember that you must die.
Memento mori reminds you of the inevitability of death and, by implication, the importance of how you use your life. The phrase has a long history in philosophy, religion, literature, and art.
Example: The painting’s skull serves as a memento mori.
81. Memento vivere
Meaning: Remember to live.
Memento vivere encourages you to remember to enjoy and experience life rather than merely existing or focusing on its end.
Example: She adopted memento vivere as a reminder to make time for the things she loved.
82. Modus operandi
Meaning: Method of operating.
A modus operandi is someone’s characteristic way of doing something. You will often encounter the abbreviation MO, particularly in discussions of crime.
Example: Investigators recognized the burglar’s modus operandi.
83. Modus vivendi
Meaning: Way of living.
A modus vivendi is an arrangement that allows people or groups with different interests to coexist or work together.
Example: Eventually, the two sides established a workable modus vivendi.
84. Mutatis mutandis
Meaning: With the necessary changes having been made.
You use mutatis mutandis when the same idea or rule applies in another situation after making the appropriate changes.
Example: The same argument applies, mutatis mutandis, to smaller organizations.
85. Non compos mentis
Meaning: Not of sound mind.
Non compos mentis traditionally describes someone who lacks the mental capacity to manage their own affairs.
Example: The legal dispute concerned whether he had been non compos mentis when he signed the agreement.
86. Non sequitur
Meaning: It does not follow.
A non sequitur is a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from what came before it.
Example: Claiming that the restaurant must be excellent because its chairs are expensive is a non sequitur.
You can also use the term for a remark that appears completely unrelated to the conversation.
87. Nota bene (N.B.)
Meaning: Note well.
N.B. or NB comes from nota bene. You use it to draw attention to an important piece of information.
Example: N.B.: Applications received after Friday will not be considered.
88. Pax vobiscum
Meaning: Peace be with you.
Pax vobiscum is a traditional Christian greeting and blessing that you may encounter in religious or historical contexts.
Example: The priest concluded with the words pax vobiscum.
89. Per annum
Meaning: By the year; per year.
You commonly encounter per annum when people discuss salaries, interest, fees, and other annual amounts.
Example: The position pays $75,000 per annum.
90. Per capita
Meaning: By heads; per person.
Per capita expresses an amount for each person in a population or group.
Example: The country has one of the highest levels of coffee consumption per capita.
91. Per centum
Meaning: By the hundred.
The English percent or per cent derives from Latin per centum, meaning “by the hundred.”
Example: Sales increased by 12 percent compared with last year.
92. Per diem
Meaning: By the day.
Per diem can mean “per day” or refer to a daily allowance that covers expenses such as meals and accommodation during work-related travel.
Example: Employees receive a per diem while traveling on business.
93. Per se
Meaning: By itself; in itself.
You use per se when considering something on its own rather than in relation to other factors.
Example: The idea isn’t bad per se, but it would be expensive to implement.
94. Persona non grata
Meaning: An unwelcome person.
A persona non grata is someone considered unwelcome or unacceptable. In diplomacy, the expression has a specific formal meaning for a diplomatic representative whom the host country no longer accepts.
Example: After the dispute, he became persona non grata within the organization.
95. Post meridiem (p.m.)
Meaning: After midday.
Post meridiem gives us the abbreviation p.m., which you use for times between noon and midnight.
Example: The meeting starts at 3:30 p.m.
96. Post mortem
Meaning: After death.
A post-mortem can refer to an examination conducted after someone dies. More broadly, you can use the term for an analysis of a completed event or project.
Example: The team held a post-mortem to determine why the project failed.
97. Post scriptum (P.S.)
Meaning: Written after.
P.S. comes from post scriptum and introduces something added after the main body of a letter or message.
Example: P.S. Don’t forget to bring your passport.
98. Prima facie
Meaning: At first sight; on its face.
Prima facie describes something that appears true or sufficient based on an initial examination unless further evidence disproves it.
Example: The documents provided prima facie evidence that the contract had been breached.
99. Pro bono
Meaning: For the public good.
If a professional works pro bono, they provide their services without charging a fee, generally to benefit someone or a cause that needs assistance.
Example: The lawyer agreed to represent the family pro bono.
100. Pro forma
Meaning: For form.
Pro forma can describe something done as a formality. In business and accounting, it commonly describes projected or hypothetical financial information.
Example: The company prepared a pro forma income statement for investors.
101. Pro rata
Meaning: In proportion.
You use pro rata when something is calculated or distributed proportionally.
Example: Part-time employees receive the benefit on a pro rata basis.
102. Quasi
Meaning: As if; almost; resembling.
You use quasi for something that resembles or functions like something else without being exactly the same.
Example: The organization performs a quasi-judicial role.
103. Quid pro quo
Meaning: Something for something.
A quid pro quo is an exchange in which one thing is given or done in return for another.
Example: They reached an agreement based on a simple quid pro quo.
The phrase can describe an ordinary reciprocal arrangement, although it sometimes carries negative implications in legal or political contexts.
104. Quod erat demonstrandum (QED)
Meaning: Which was to be demonstrated.
QED traditionally appears at the end of a mathematical or logical proof to indicate that the writer has demonstrated what they set out to prove.
You may also encounter it humorously after someone believes they have conclusively proved a point.
Example: The two figures are identical. QED.
105. Requiescat in pace (RIP)
Meaning: May he or she rest in peace.
Requiescat in pace is one source of the familiar abbreviation RIP, used when commemorating someone who has died.
Example: The inscription ended with requiescat in pace.
106. Sic
Meaning: Thus; so.
You place [sic] after quoted material to show that an unusual spelling, grammatical error, or other feature appeared in the original and is not your transcription mistake.
Example: The original letter states, “We recieved [sic] your application yesterday.”
107. Sine die
Meaning: Without a day.
If a meeting or proceeding is adjourned sine die, it ends without setting a date for it to resume.
Example: The committee adjourned sine die after completing its work.
108. Sine qua non
Meaning: Without which, not.
A sine qua non is an indispensable condition or something absolutely essential.
Example: Trust is a sine qua non of a successful partnership.
109. Status quo
Meaning: The existing state of affairs.
The status quo is the current situation, particularly when you contrast it with a proposed change.
Example: Some employees welcomed the reforms, while others preferred the status quo.
110. Sui generis
Meaning: Of its own kind.
Something sui generis is unique or belongs to a category of its own.
Example: Her approach to filmmaking is sui generis.
111. Tabula rasa
Meaning: Scraped tablet; blank slate.
A tabula rasa is a blank slate or a situation in which you can begin without being constrained by what existed before.
Example: The empty building gave the designers a tabula rasa.
112. Terra firma
Meaning: Solid earth.
Terra firma means solid, dry ground, particularly when you contrast it with the sea or air.
Example: After three weeks at sea, everyone was happy to step onto terra firma.
113. Terra incognita
Meaning: Unknown land.
Historically, mapmakers used terra incognita for unexplored or unknown territory. You can also use it figuratively for an unfamiliar area of knowledge or experience.
Example: For the new research team, the subject was still largely terra incognita.
114. Veni, vidi, vici
Meaning: I came, I saw, I conquered.
Traditionally attributed to Julius Caesar, veni, vidi, vici describes a swift and decisive victory.
You can use it seriously or humorously when someone achieves something quickly and successfully.
Example: She entered the competition, won first prize, and went home: veni, vidi, vici.
115. Verbatim
Meaning: Word for word.
If you repeat something verbatim, you reproduce the exact words without changing them.
Example: You don’t need to memorize the entire speech verbatim.
116. Vice versa
Meaning: With the positions reversed; the other way around.
You use vice versa when a statement remains true after reversing the two things mentioned.
Example: Parents can learn from their children, and vice versa.
117. Vox populi
Meaning: Voice of the people.
Vox populi refers to popular opinion or the views of ordinary people. You may also encounter the shortened form vox pop in broadcasting and journalism.
Example: The election result was interpreted as an expression of the vox populi.
Why Are Latin Words and Phrases Still Used in English?
Latin has influenced English for centuries. Although English belongs to the Germanic family of languages, contact with Latin and French introduced a huge amount of Latin vocabulary into English.
Religion, law, medicine, science, education, and scholarship strengthened that influence. For centuries, scholars across Europe used Latin to communicate with one another, while universities, churches, courts, scientists, and physicians developed specialized Latin terminology.
Some expressions entered English without translation and never left.
That is why you can form an ad hoc committee, maintain the status quo, make a bona fide offer, quote someone verbatim, work pro bono, admit mea culpa, or say that something isn’t a problem per se without actually speaking Latin.
Latin remains particularly noticeable in certain fields. If you study law, you will encounter expressions such as habeas corpus, prima facie, ex parte, de facto, and de jure. In academic writing, you may see a priori, et al., ibid., e.g., and i.e. Science and medicine use terms including in vitro, in vivo, in situ, and post mortem.
Other expressions have moved far beyond their specialist origins and become part of everyday English.
What Are the Most Common Latin Phrases Used in English?
You don’t need to memorize all 117 expressions to recognize the influence of Latin on English. If you want to start with the Latin phrases you’re most likely to encounter, these are particularly useful:
- Ad hoc — created for a particular purpose
- Ad hominem — directed against a person rather than their argument
- Ad nauseam — repeated to a tiresome degree
- Bona fide — genuine or authentic
- Carpe diem — seize the day
- Caveat — a warning or qualification
- Circa — approximately
- De facto — existing in reality or practice
- Et cetera (etc.) — and the rest
- Exempli gratia (e.g.) — for example
- Id est (i.e.) — that is
- Mea culpa — an acknowledgment of your own fault
- Per capita — per person
- Per se — in itself
- Pro bono — for the public good, usually without charge
- Quid pro quo — something given in exchange for something
- Status quo — the existing state of affairs
- Verbatim — word for word
- Vice versa — the other way around
Once you start looking for them, you’ll notice Latin everywhere.
Latin Abbreviations You Probably Use Already
Some of the most common Latin expressions in English hide behind abbreviations. You may use them regularly without ever thinking about what the letters actually stand for.
A.D. comes from Anno Domini, meaning “in the year of the Lord.”
a.m. comes from ante meridiem, meaning “before midday.”
cf. comes from confer, meaning “compare.”
e.g. comes from exempli gratia, meaning “for example.”
etc. comes from et cetera, meaning “and the rest.”
i.e. comes from id est, meaning “that is.”
N.B. comes from nota bene, meaning “note well.”
p.m. comes from post meridiem, meaning “after midday.”
P.S. comes from post scriptum, meaning “written after.”
QED comes from quod erat demonstrandum, meaning “which was to be demonstrated.”
Even the familiar RIP has a Latin connection through requiescat in pace, meaning “may he or she rest in peace.”
Should You Italicize Latin Words and Phrases?
Not always.
Writers have traditionally italicized foreign words and phrases to distinguish them from English. However, many Latin terms have become so established in English that modern writers often leave them in regular type.
You will therefore commonly see words and expressions such as alias, alibi, etc., curriculum, verbatim, vice versa, ad hoc, and bona fide written without italics.
Less familiar expressions may still appear in italics, particularly when a writer wants to make their foreign-language origin clear.
Different style guides also have different rules. If you’re writing for a university, publisher, newspaper, business, or other organization, check its preferred style and apply it consistently.
What’s the Difference Between E.g. and I.e.?
People frequently confuse these two Latin abbreviations, but they serve different purposes.
E.g. comes from exempli gratia and means “for example.” You use it to introduce examples of what you have just mentioned.
For example:
You should bring something to write with, e.g., a pen or pencil.
You could bring other writing tools too. The pen and pencil are simply examples.
I.e. comes from id est and means “that is” or “in other words.” You use it to clarify exactly what you mean.
For example:
The meeting starts at midday, i.e., 12 p.m.
Here, 12 p.m. isn’t one example of midday. It explains precisely what midday means.
An easy way to remember the difference is:
E.g. = example.
I.e. = in other words.
What Is the Difference Between De Facto and De Jure?
De facto and de jure often appear together because they describe two different kinds of reality.
De facto means “in fact” or “in practice.” Something can be true de facto even when nobody has officially recognized it.
De jure means “by law.” Something is true de jure because laws, rules, or official arrangements establish it.
Imagine that a deputy has formally been appointed to lead an organization, but another person actually makes all the important decisions. The deputy could be the de jure leader, while the other person functions as the de facto leader.
The distinction is particularly useful in law, politics, business, and history.
What Is the Difference Between In Vitro and In Vivo?
These two Latin expressions occur frequently in medicine and scientific research.
In vitro literally means “in glass.” It describes research or processes conducted outside a living organism, usually under controlled laboratory conditions.
In vivo means “in the living.” It describes research or processes occurring inside a living organism.
Researchers may therefore obtain promising results in vitro before investigating whether they can reproduce those results in vivo.
Frequently Asked Questions About Latin Words and Phrases
Are Latin phrases still used in English?
Yes. English speakers regularly use Latin words and phrases in everyday conversation as well as law, medicine, science, business, academia, journalism, and literature. Expressions such as ad hoc, bona fide, per se, status quo, and vice versa remain particularly common.
Why does English have so many Latin words and phrases?
Latin influenced English through religion, education, law, scholarship, medicine, science, and contact with French and other Romance languages. Educated Europeans also used Latin internationally for centuries, which helped many Latin terms enter and remain in English.
What is the most famous Latin phrase?
Carpe diem, meaning “seize the day,” is one of the world’s most recognizable Latin phrases. Other famous examples include veni, vidi, vici (“I came, I saw, I conquered”), cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”), and amor vincit omnia (“love conquers all”).
What Latin phrases do people use in everyday English?
Some of the most common include ad hoc, bona fide, caveat, de facto, et cetera, per capita, per se, pro bono, status quo, verbatim, and vice versa. English speakers use some of these so naturally that they may not realize they come from Latin.
What does carpe diem mean?
Carpe diem is commonly translated as “seize the day.” It encourages you to appreciate and make use of the present instead of relying too heavily on an uncertain future.
What does mea culpa mean?
Mea culpa literally means “through my fault.” In English, you use it to admit that you made a mistake or were responsible for something going wrong.
What does bona fide mean?
Bona fide literally relates to “good faith.” In modern English, it commonly means genuine, authentic, legitimate, or sincere. For example, you might describe someone as a bona fide expert.
What does per se mean?
Per se means “by itself” or “in itself.” You use it when you want to distinguish the essential nature of something from other circumstances surrounding it.
For example, saying “The rule isn’t unfair per se” means that the rule itself isn’t necessarily unfair, although something about how people apply it might be.
What does vice versa mean?
Vice versa means “the other way around” or with the positions reversed. If you say that teachers can learn from students and vice versa, you mean that students can also learn from teachers.
Is Latin a dead language?
Linguists generally classify Latin as a dead language because no community uses Classical Latin as its native everyday language. However, Latin never disappeared completely. It survives in ecclesiastical use, specialist terminology, scientific naming, mottos, historical texts, and thousands of words and expressions used in modern languages.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to speak Latin to use Latin.
Over centuries, English has absorbed Latin words and expressions so thoroughly that many now feel completely natural. You might make an ad hoc decision, challenge the status quo, issue a caveat, quote somebody verbatim, provide a service pro bono, admit mea culpa, or argue that something isn’t a problem per se without giving the Latin origins of those expressions a second thought.
Other Latin phrases connect modern English to centuries of philosophy, literature, law, science, and history. Carpe diem encourages you to seize the day. Memento mori reminds you that life is finite. Cogito, ergo sum condenses one of philosophy’s most famous ideas into four words. Veni, vidi, vici still communicates decisive success more than 2,000 years after Julius Caesar used the expression.
Learning these words and phrases can therefore do more than expand your vocabulary. It can help you understand the language you encounter in books, newspapers, courtrooms, universities, hospitals, workplaces, and everyday conversation.
Latin may be called a dead language, but its influence on English is very much alive.
