List of Latin phrases (full)This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases. Some of the phrases are themselves translations of Greek phrases, as Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of ancient Rome.This list is a combination of the twenty divided "List of Latin phrases" pages, for users who have no trouble loading large pages and prefer a single page to scroll or search through. The content of the list cannot be edited here, and is kept automatically in sync with the separate lists through the use of transclusion.Contents A B C D E F G H I L M N O P Q R S T U V Notes ReferencesALatinTranslationNotes

a bene placitofrom one well pleasedOr "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and its Italian (beneplacito) and Spanish (beneplcito) derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad libitum (at pleasure).

a caelo usque ad centrumfrom the sky to the centerOr "from heaven all the way to the center of the earth". In law, can refer to the obsolete cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos maxim of property ownership ("for whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky and down to the depths").

a capite ad calcemfrom head to heelFrom top to bottom; all the way through (colloquially "from head to toe"). Equally a pedibus usque ad caput.

a contrariofrom the oppositeEquivalent to "on the contrary" or "au contraire". An argumentum a contrario is an "argument from the contrary", an argument or proof by contrast or direct opposite.

a Deucalionefrom or since DeucalionA long time ago. From Gaius Lucilius (Satires, 6, 284)

a falsis principiis proficiscito set forth from false principlesLegal term from Cicero's De Finibus 4.53.

a fortiorifrom the strongerLoosely, "even more so" or "with even stronger reason". Often used to lead from a less certain proposition to a more evident corollary.

a mari usque ad marefrom sea to seaFrom Psalm 72:8, "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae" (KJV: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth"). National motto of Canada.

a pedibus usque ad caputfrom feet to headCompletely. Similar to the English expressions "from tip to toe" or "from head to toe". Equally a capite ad calcem. See also ab ovo usque ad mala.

a posse ad essefrom being able to being"From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to being actual"

a posteriorifrom the latterBased on observation (i.e., empirical knowledge), the reverse of a priori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known after a proof has been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something known from experience.

a priorifrom the formerPresupposed independent of experience, the reverse of a posteriori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known or postulated before a proof has been carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something is supposed without empirical evidence. In everyday speech, it denotes something occurring or being known before the event.

ab absurdofrom the absurdSaid of an argument that seeks to prove a statement's validity by pointing out the absurdity of an opponent's position (cf. appeal to ridicule) or that an assertion is false because of its absurdity. Not to be confused with a reductio ad absurdum, which is usually a valid logical argument.

ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentiaan inference from an abuse to a use is not validRights abused are still rights (cf. abusus non tollit usum).

ab aeternofrom the eternalLiterally, "from the everlasting" or "from eternity". Thus, "from time immemorial", "since the beginning of time" or "from an infinitely remote time in the past". In theology, often indicates something, such as the universe, that was created outside of time.

ab antiquofrom the ancientFrom ancient times.

ab epistulisfrom the lettersOr, having to do with correspondence.

ab extrafrom beyondA legal term meaning "from without". From external sources, rather than from the self or the mind (ab intra).

ab hinc or abhincfrom here on

ab imo pectorefrom the deepest chestOr "from the bottom of my heart", "with deepest affection", "sincerely".. Attributed to Julius Caesar.

ab inconvenientifrom an inconvenient thingNew Latin for "based on unsuitability", "from inconvenience" or "from hardship". An argumentum ab inconvenienti is one based on the difficulties involved in pursuing a line of reasoning, and is thus a form of appeal to consequences; it refers to a rule in law that an argument from inconvenience has great weight.

ab incunabulisfrom the cradleThus, "from the beginning" or "from infancy". Incunabula is commonly used in English to refer to the earliest stage or origin of something, and especially to copies of books that predate the spread of the printing press around AD 1500.

ab initiofrom the beginning"At the outset", referring to an inquiry or investigation. In literature, refers to a story told from the beginning rather than in medias res (from the middle). In law, refers to something being the case from the start or from the instant of the act, rather than from when the court declared it so. A judicial declaration of the invalidity of a marriage ab initio is a nullity. In science, refers to the first principles. In other contexts, often refers to beginner or training courses. Ab initio mundi means "from the beginning of the world".

ab intestatofrom an intestateFrom someone who dies with no legal will (cf. ex testamento).

ab intrafrom withinFrom the inside. The opposite of ab extra.

ab iratofrom an angry manBy a person who is angry. Used in law to describe a decision or action that is detrimental to those it affects and was made based on hatred or anger, rather than on reason. The form irato is masculine; however, this does not mean it applies only to men, rather 'person' is meant, as the phrase probably elides "homo," not "vir."

ab originefrom the sourceFrom the origin, beginning, source, or commencementi.e., "originally". The source of the word aboriginal.

ab ovo usque ad malafrom the egg to the applesFrom Horace, Satire 1.3. Means "from beginning to end", based on the Roman main meal typically beginning with an egg dish and ending with fruit (cf. the English phrase soup to nuts). Thus, ab ovo means "from the beginning", and can also connote thoroughness.

ab uno disce omnesfrom one, learn allFrom Virgil's Aeneid. Refers to situations where a single example or observation indicates a general or universal truth. Visible in the court of King Silas in the TV series Kings.

ab urbe condita (a.u.c.)from the city having been foundedOr "from the founding of Rome", which occurred in 753 BC according to Livy's count. Used as a reference point in ancient Rome for establishing dates, before being supplanted by other systems. Also anno urbis conditae (a.u.c.) (literally "in the year of the founded city").

ab utilifrom utilityUsed of an argument.

absens haeres non eritan absent person will not be an heirIn law, refers to the principle that someone who is not present is unlikely to inherit.

absente reo (abs. re.)[with] the defendant being absentIn the absence of the accused.

absit iniuria verbis (or injuria)let injury be absent from [these] wordsExpresses the wish that no insult or wrong be conveyed by the speaker's words, i.e., "no offence". See also absit invidia.

absit invidialet ill will be absentAlthough similar to the English expression "no offence", absit invidia is not a mere social gesture to avoid causing offense, but also a way to ward off the harm that some people superstitiously believe animosity can cause others. Also extended to absit invidia verbo, meaning "may ill will be absent from the word" (cf. absit iniuria verbis).

absit omenlet an omen be absentOr "let this not be a bad omen". Expresses the wish that something seemingly ill-boding does not turn out to be an omen for future events, and calls on divine protection against evil.

absolutum dominiumabsolute dominionTotal power or sovereignty.

absolvoI acquitA legal term said by a judge acquitting a defendant following a trial. Te absolvo or absolvo te, translated, "I forgive you," said by Roman Catholic priests during the Sacrament of Confession, in Latin prior to the Second Vatican Council and in vernacular thereafter.

abundans cautela non nocetabundant caution does no harmFrequently phrased as "one can never be too careful".

abusus non tollit usummisuse does not remove useJust because something is misused doesn't mean it can't be used correctly.

abyssus abyssum invocatdeep calleth unto deepFrom Psalms 42:7; some translations have 'Sea calls to sea'.

accipe hocTake thisMotto of 848 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy.

accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deono one ought to accuse himself except in the Presence of GodA legal maxim denoting that any accused person is entitled to make a plea of not guilty, and also that a witness is not obliged to give a response or submit a document that will incriminate himself. A very similar phrase is nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare "no one is bound to accuse himself". See right to silence.

acta deos numquam mortalia falluntmortal actions never deceive the godsOvid's Tristia 1.2.97: si tamen acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt, / a culpa facinus scitis abesse mea. "Yet if mortal actions never deceive the gods, / you know that crime was absent from my fault."

acta est fabula plauditeThe play has been performed; applaud!A common ending to ancient Roman comedies, also claimed by Suetonius in The Twelve Caesars to have been Augustus' last words. Applied by Sibelius to the third movement of his String Quartet no. 2 so that his audience would realize it was the last one, as a fourth would normally be expected.

acta non verbaDeeds, not WordsMotto of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

acta sanctorumDeeds of the SaintsAlso used in the singular, Acta Sancti (Deeds of the Saint), preceding a specific Saint's name. A common title of works in hagiography.

actus me invito factus non est meus actusthe act done by me against my will is not my act

actus non facit reum nisi mens sit reaThe act does not make [a person] guilty unless the mind should be guilty.A legal term outlining the presumption of mens rea in a crime.

actus reusguilty actThe actual crime that is committed, rather than the intent or thought process leading up to the crime. Thus, the external elements of a crime, as contrasted with mens rea, the internal elements.

ad absurdumto the absurdIn logic, to the point of being silly or nonsensical. See also reductio ad absurdum. Not to be confused with ab absurdo (from the absurd).

ad abundantiamto abundanceIn legal language, used when providing additional evidence to an already sufficient collection. Also used commonly, as an equivalent of "as if this wasn't enough".

ad altiora tendoI strive towards higher things

ad arbitriumat will, at pleasure

ad actato the archives, no longer relevant

ad astrato the starsName or motto (in full or part) of many organizations, publications, etc.

ad astra per asperato the stars through difficultiesMotto of Kansas, and other organisations. The phrase is also translated as "A rough road leads to the stars", as on the Launch Complex 34 memorial plaque for the astronauts of Apollo 1.

ad augusta per angustato rise to a high position overcoming hardships.

ad captandum vulgusin order to capture the crowdTo appeal to the masses. Often used of politicians. An argumentum ad captandum is an argument designed to please the crowd.

ad clerumto the clergyA formal letter or communication (in the Christian tradition) from a Bishop to the clergy under his direction. An "ad clerum" may be a letter of encouragement at a time of celebration, or a technical explanation of new regulations or canons.

ad eundemto the sameAn ad eundem degree, from the Latin ad eundem gradum (to the same step" or "to the same degree), is a courtesy degree awarded by one university or college to an alumnus of another. It is not an honorary degree, but a recognition of the formal learning that earned the degree at another college.

ad fontesto the sourcesA motto of Renaissance humanism. Also used in the Protestant Reformation.

ad fundumto the bottomSaid during a generic toast, equivalent to "bottoms up!" In other contexts, generally means "back to the basics".

ad hocto thisGenerally means "for this", in the sense of improvised on the spot or designed for only a specific, immediate purpose.

ad hominemto the manOr "at the man". Typically used in argumentum ad hominem, a logical fallacy consisting of criticizing a person when the subject of debate is the person's ideas or argument, on the mistaken assumption that the soundness of an argument is dependent on the qualities of the proponent.

ad honoremto the honourGenerally means "for the honour", not seeking any material reward.

ad infinitumto infinityGoing on forever. Used to designate a property which repeats in all cases in mathematical proof.

ad interim (ad int)for the meantimeAs in the term "charg d'affaires ad interim" for a diplomatic officer who acts in place of an ambassador.

ad kalendas graecasat the Greek CalendsAttributed by Suetonius in The Twelve Caesars to Augustus. The Calends were specific days of the Roman calendar, not of the Greek, and so the "Greek Kalends" would never occur. Similar to "when pigs fly".

ad libitum (ad lib)toward pleasureLoosely, "according to what pleases" or "as you wish"; libitum comes from the past participle of libere, "to please". It typically indicates in music and theatrical scripts that the performer has the liberty to change or omit something. Ad lib is specifically often used when someone improvises or ignores limitations. Also used by some restaurants in favor of the colloquial "all you can eat or drink".

ad litemto the lawsuitA legal term referring to a party appointed by a court to act in a lawsuit on behalf of another party who is deemed incapable of representing himself. An individual who acts in this capacity is called a guardian ad litem.

ad lucemto the lightMotto of Oxford High School (Oxford), the University of Lisbon, Withington Girls' School and St. Bartholomew's School, Newbury, UK

ad maiorem Dei gloriam or ad majorem Dei gloriam (AMDG)to the greater glory of GodMotto of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Edward Elgar dedicated his oratorio The Dream of Gerontius "A.M.D.G."

ad melioraTowards better thingsmotto of St. Patrick's College, Cavan, Ireland

ad mortemTo deathused in medical contexts as a synonym for death

ad multos annosto many years!A wish for a long life. Similar to "Many happy returns!"

ad nauseamto seasicknessOr "to the point of disgust". Sometimes used as a humorous alternative to ad infinitum. An argumentum ad nauseam is a logical fallacy involving basing one's argument on prolonged repetition, i.e., repeating something so much that people are "sick of it".

ad oculosto the eyesMeaning "obvious on sight" or "obvious to anyone that sees it".

ad pedem litteraeto the foot of the letterThus, "exactly as it is written". Similar to the phrase "to the letter", meaning "to the last detail".

ad perpetuam memoriamto the perpetual memoryGenerally precedes "of" and a person's name, and is used to wish for someone to be remembered long after death.

ad pondus omnium (ad pond om)to the weight of all thingsMore loosely, "considering everything's weight". The abbreviation was historically used by physicians and others to signify that the last prescribed ingredient is to weigh as much as all of the previously mentioned ones.

ad quod damnumto whatever damageMeaning "according to the harm" or "in proportion to the harm". The phrase is used in tort law as a measure of damages inflicted, implying that a remedy, if one exists, ought to correspond specifically and only to the damage suffered (cf. damnum absque iniuria).

ad referendum(ad ref)to be proposed [before the Senate]Loosely "subject to reference": provisionally approved, but still needing official approval. Not the same as a referendum.

ad remto the matterThus, "to the point", without digression.

ad terminum qui praeteriitfor the term which has passedA legal term for a writ of entry ad terminum qui praeteriit [for the term which has passed].[1]

ad undasto the wavesEquivalent to "to hell".

ad unumto one

ad usum Delphinifor the use of the DauphinSaid of a work that has been expurgated of offensive or improper parts. The phrase originates from editions of Greek and Roman classics which Louis XIV had censored for his heir apparent, the Dauphin. Also rarely in usum Delphini (into the use of the Dauphin).

ad usum proprium (ad us. propr.)for one's own use

ad utrumque paratusprepared for either [alternative]The motto of Lund University, with the implied alternatives being the book (study) and the sword (defending the country in war).

ad valoremaccording to valueUsed in commerce to refer to ad valorem taxes, taxes based on the assessed value of real estate or personal property.

ad victoriamto victoryMore commonly translated into "for victory" this is a battlecry of the Romans.

ad vitam aeternamto eternal lifeAlso "to life everlasting". A common Biblical phrase.

ad vitam aut culpamfor life or until faultUsually used of a term of office.

addendumthing to be addedAn item to be added, especially a supplement to a book. The plural is addenda.

adaequatio intellectus et reicorrespondence of the mind and realityOne of the definitions of the truth. When the mind has the same form as reality, we think truth. Also found as adaequatio rei et intellectus.

adaequatio intellectus nostri cum reconformity of our minds to the factA phrase used in Epistemology regarding the nature of understanding.

adsumI am hereEquivalent to "Present!" or "Here!" The opposite of absum "I am absent".

adversus solem ne loquitordon't speak against the sunOr don't argue what's obviously wrong.

advocatus diabolidevil's advocateSomeone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, for the sake of argument.

aegri somniaa sick man's dreamsFrom Horace, Ars Poetica, 7. Loosely, "troubled dreams".

aetat."of age" / "aged" (in the sense of: "age: ...)Abbreviation of "aetatis"; further abbreviated (and more common): "aet." e.g.: "aetat" or "aet. 36" = "36 years old".

aetatis suaeof one's own ageThus, "at the age of". Appeared on portraits, gravestones, etc. Sometimes extended to anno aetatis suae (AAS), "in the year of his age". Sometimes shortened to just aetatis or aetat (aet.).The tomb reads Anno 1629 Aetatis Suae 46 because she died in 1629 at age 46.

affidavithe assertedA legal term from Medieval Latin referring to a sworn statement. From fides, "faith".

age quod agisDo what you are doing.More often translated as "Do well whatever you do", this phrase is used as the motto of several Catholic schools. Literally translated, it means "Drive, because you are driven"; figuratively it means "keep going, because you are inspired or dedicated to do so".

agendathings to be doneOriginally comparable to a to-do list, an ordered list of things to be done. Now generalized to include any planned course of action. The singular, agendum (thing that must be done), is rarely used.

agere sequitur credereaction follows belief"We act according to what we believe (ourselves to be)".[2]

agere sequitur (esse)action follows beingMetaphysical and moral principle that indicates the connection among ontology, obligation and ethics.[2]

Agnus DeiLamb of GodLatin translation from John 1:36, where John the Baptist exclaims Ecce Agnus Dei! "Behold the Lamb of God!" upon seeing Jesus, referring both to a lamb's connotations of innocence and to a sacrificial lamb.

alea iacta estthe die has been castOr in Greek, anerrhphth kbos; said by Julius Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC, according to Suetonius. The original meaning was similar to "the game is afoot", but its modern meaning, like that of the phrase "crossing the Rubicon", denotes passing the point of no return on a momentous decision and entering into a risky endeavor where the outcome is left to chance.

alenda lux ubi orta libertasLight [is] to be nourished where liberty [has] arisen.Or "let learning be cherished..." The motto of Davidson College.

aliasat another time, otherwiseAn assumed name or pseudonym. Similar to alter ego, but more specifically referring to a name, not to a "second self".

alibielsewhereA legal defense where a defendant attempts to show that he was elsewhere at the time a crime was committed.His alibi is sound; he gave evidence that he was in another city on the night of the murder.

aliquid stat pro aliquosomething stands for something elseA foundational definition for semiotics.

alis aquilaeon an eagle's wingstaken from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40. "But those who wait for the Lord shall find their strength renewed, they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not grow faint."

alis grave nilnothing [is] heavy with wingsOr "nothing is heavy to those who have wings". Motto of the Pontifcia Universidade Catlica do Rio de Janeiro.

alis volat propriisshe flies with her own wingsState motto of Oregon; adopted in 1987, it replaced "The Union", which was the previous state motto adopted in 1957.

alma maternourishing motherTerm used for the university one attends or has attended. Another university term, matriculation, is also derived from mater. The term suggests that the students are "fed" knowledge and taken care of by the university. The term is also used for a university's traditional school anthem.

alter egoanother IAnother self, a second persona or alias. Can be used to describe different facets or identities of a single character, or different characters who seem representations of the same personality. Often used of a fictional character's secret identity.

alterius non sit qui suus esse potestLet no man be another's who can be his ownFinal sentence from Aesop ascribed fable (see also Aesop's Fables) "The Frogs Who Desired a King" as appears in the collection commonly known as the "Anonymus Neveleti" (fable XXIb. De ranis a Iove querentibus regem). Motto of Paracelsus. Usually attributed to Cicero.

alterum non laedereto not wound anotherOne of Justinian I's three basic legal precepts.

alumnus oralumnapupilgraduate or former student of a school, college or university

amicus certus in re incertaA sure friend is seen in an unsure matterby Ennius as cited by Cicero in Laelius de Amicitia s.64

amicus curiaefriend of the courtAn adviser, or a person who can obtain or grant access to the favour of powerful group, like a Roman Curia. In current U.S. legal usage, an amicus curiae is a third party allowed to submit a legal opinion (in the form of an amicus brief) to the court.

Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas.Plato is my friend, but truth is a better friend.to value truth higher than friendship; attributed to Aristotle (Ethics, 1096a15) and Roger Bacon (Opus Majus, P. I, ch. v)

amittere legem terraeto lose the law of the landAn obsolete legal term signifying the forfeiture of the right of swearing in any court or cause, or to become infamous.

Amat victoria curamVictory favors careMotto of Baylor School - Chattanooga, Tennessee; Wellesley College Primary School - Eastbourne, New Zealand; Victoria College- St. Helier Parish, Jersey, the Channel Islands.

amor et melle et felle est fecundissimuslove is rich with both honey and venom

amor fatilove of fateNietzscheian alternative world view to memento mori ("remember you must die"). Nietzsche believed amor fati to be more life affirming.

amor omnibus idemlove is the same for allfrom Virgil's Georgics III.

amor patriaelove of one's countryPatriotism.

amor vincit omnialove conquers allwritten on bracelet worn by the Prioress in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

anglicein EnglishUsed before the anglicized version of a word or name. For example, "Terra Mariae, anglice, Maryland".

anno (an.)in the yearAlso used in such phrases as anno urbis conditae (see ab urbe condita), Anno Domini, and anno regni.

Anno Domini (A.D.)in the Year of the LordShort for Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (in the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ), the predominantly used system for dating years across the world, used with the Gregorian calendar, and based on the perceived year of the birth of Jesus Christ. The years before Jesus' birth were once marked with a.C.n (Ante Christum Natum, Before Christ was Born), but now use the English abbreviation BC (Before Christ). Example: Augustus Caesar was born in the year 63 BC, and died AD 14.

anno regniIn the year of the reignPrecedes "of" and the current ruler.

annuit cptisHe nods at things being begunOr "he approves our undertakings". Motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the United States one-dollar bill.

annus horribilishorrible yearA recent pun on annus mirabilis, first used by Queen Elizabeth II to describe what a bad year 1992 had been for her, and subsequently occasionally used to refer to many other years perceived as "horrible". In Classical Latin, this phrase would actually mean "terrifying year". See also annus terribilis.

annus mirabiliswonderful yearUsed particularly to refer to the years 16651666, during which Isaac Newton made revolutionary inventions and discoveries in calculus, motion, optics and gravitation. Annus Mirabilis is also the title of a poem by John Dryden written in the same year. It has since been used to refer to other years, especially to 1905, when Albert Einstein made equally revolutionary discoveries concerning the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and the special theory of relativity. (See Annus Mirabilis papers)

annus terribilisdreadful yearUsed to describe 1348, the year the Black Death began to afflict Europe.

ante bellumbefore the warAs in status quo ante bellum, "as it was before the war". Commonly used in the Southern United States as antebellum to refer to the period preceding the American Civil War.

ante cibum (a.c.)before foodMedical shorthand for "before meals".

ante litterambefore the letterSaid of an expression or term that describes something which existed before the phrase itself was introduced or became common. Example: Alan Turing was a computer scientist ante litteram, since the field of "computer science" was not yet recognized in Turing's day.

ante meridiem (a.m.)before middayFrom midnight to noon (cf. post meridiem).

ante mortembefore deathSee post mortem (after death).

ante omnia armaribefore all else, be armed

ante prandium (a.p.)before lunchUsed on pharmaceutical prescriptions to denote "before a meal". Less common is post prandium, "after lunch".

apparatus criticustools of a criticTextual notes. A list of other readings relating to a document, especially in a scholarly edition of a text.

apudin the writings ofUsed in scholarly works to cite a reference at second hand

aqua (aq.)water

aqua fortisstrong waterRefers to nitric acid.

aqua purapure waterOr "clear water", "clean water".

aqua regiaroyal waterrefers to a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, thus called because of its ability to dissolve gold.

aqua vitaewater of life"Spirit of Wine" in many English texts. Used to refer to various native distilled beverages, such as whisky (uisge beatha) in Scotland and Ireland, gin in Holland, brandy (eau de vie) in France, and akvavit in Scandinavia.

aquila non capit muscasan eagle doesn't catch fliesA noble or important person doesn't deal with insignificant issues.

arare litusto plough the seashoreFrom Gerhard Gerhards' (14661536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Wasted labour.

arbiter elegantiarumjudge of tastesOne who prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority on matters of social behavior and taste. Said of Petronius. Sometimes found in the singular, arbiter elegantiae (judge of taste).

Arcana imperiiInvisible power

Arcanum boni tenoris animaeThe secret behind a good moodMotto of the Starobrno Brewery in Brno.

arcus senilisbow of an old personAn opaque circle around the cornea of the eye, often seen in elderly people.

arduus ad solemStriving towards the sunMotto of the Victoria University of Manchester.

argentum albumwhite silverAlso "silver coin". Mentioned in the Domesday Book, signifies bullion, or silver uncoined.

arguendofor arguingFor the sake of argument. Said when something is done purely in order to discuss a matter or illustrate a point. Example: Let us assume, arguendo, that your claim is correct.

argumentumargumentOr "reasoning", "inference", "appeal", "proof". The plural is argumenta. Commonly used in the names of logical arguments and fallacies, preceding phrases such as a silentio (by silence), ad antiquitatem (to antiquity), ad baculum (to the stick), ad captandum (to capturing), ad consequentiam (to the consequence), ad crumenam (to the purse), ad feminam (to the woman), ad hominem (to the person), ad ignorantiam (to ignorance), ad judicium (to judgment), ad lazarum (to poverty), ad logicam (to logic), ad metum (to fear), ad misericordiam (to pity), ad nauseam (to nausea), ad novitatem (to novelty), ad personam (to the character), ad numerum (to the number), ad odium (to spite), ad populum (to the people), ad temperantiam (to moderation), ad verecundiam (to reverence), ex silentio (from silence), in terrorem (into terror), and e contrario (from/to the opposite).

ars [est] celare artemart [is] to conceal artAn aesthetic ideal that good art should appear natural rather than contrived. Of medieval origin, but often incorrectly attributed to Ovid.[3]

ars gratia artisart for art's sakeTranslated into Latin from Baudelaire's "L'art pour l'art". Motto of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This phrasing is a direct translation of 'art for the sake of art.' While very symmetrical for the MGM logo, the better Latin word order is 'Ars artis gratia.'

ars longa, vita brevisart is long, life is shortThe Latin translation by Seneca (De Brevitate Vitae, 1.1) of a phrase from Hippocrates, often used out of context. The "art" referred to in the original aphorism was the craft of medicine, which took a lifetime to acquire.

arte et laboreby art and by labourmotto of Blackburn Rovers F.C.

arte et marteby skill and valourmotto of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Branch of the Canadian Forces.

Artis Bohemiae AmicisFriends of Czech ArtsAward of the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic for the promotion of the positive reputation of Czech culture abroad.

asinus ad lyraman ass to the lyreFrom Erasmus's collection of Adages. An awkward or incompetent individual.

asinus asinum fricatthe jackass rubs the jackassUsed to describe two people lavishing excessive praise on one another.

assecuratus non quaerit lucrum sed agit ne in damno sitthe assured does not seek profit but makes [it his profit] that he not be in lossRefers to the insurance principle that the indemnity cannot be larger than the loss.

Astra inclinant, sed non obligantThe stars incline us, they do not bind usRefers to the Free will over the astrological determinism.

Auctores VariiVarious AuthorsUsed in bibliography for books, texts, publications or articles that contain more than three collaborators.

auctoritasauthorityThe level of prestige a person had in Roman society.

Auctoritas non veritas facit legemauthority, not truth, makes lawThis formula appears in the 1670 Latin translation of the Hobbes' Leviathan, II, 26[4]

audacter calumniare, semper aliquid haeretslander boldly, something always sticksfrom Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum (1623)

audax at fidelisbold but faithfulMotto of Queensland.

audeamuslet us dareMotto of Otago University Students' Association, a direct response to the university's motto of sapere aude "dare to be wise". Also Motto of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

audemus jura nostra defenderewe dare to defend our rightsState motto of Alabama, adopted in 1923. Translated into Latin from a paraphrase of the stanza "Men who their duties know / But know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain" from the poem "What Constitutes a State?" by 18th-century author William Jones.

audentes fortuna iuvatfortune favors the boldFrom Virgil, Aeneid X, 284 (where the first word is in the archaic form audentis). Allegedly the last words of Pliny the Elder before he left the docks at Pompeii to rescue people from the eruption of Vesuvius in 79. Often quoted as audaces fortuna iuvat. Also the motto of the Portuguese Army Commandos, and the USS Montpelier (SSN-765) in the latter form.

audere est facereto dare is to domotto of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

audi alteram partemhear the other sideA legal principle of fairness. Also worded as audiatur et altera pars (let the other side be heard too).

audio hostemI hear the enemyMotto of 845 NAS Royal Navy

audi, vide, tacehear, see, be silent

aurea mediocritasgolden meanFrom Horace's Odes II, 10. Refers to the ethical goal of reaching a virtuous middle ground between two sinful extremes. The golden mean concept is common to many philosophers, chiefly Aristotle.

auri sacra famesaccursed hunger for goldFrom Virgil, Aeneid 3,57. Later quoted by Seneca as quod non mortalia pectora coges, auri sacra fames "What don't you force mortal hearts [to do], accursed hunger for gold!"

auribus teneo lupumI hold a wolf by the earsA common ancient proverb, this version from Terence. Indicates that one is in a dangerous situation where both holding on and letting go could be deadly. A modern version is "To have a tiger by the tail."

aurora australissouthern dawnThe Southern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Southern Hemisphere. It is less well-known than the Northern Lights, or aurorea borealis. The Aurora Australis is also the name of an Antarctic icebreaker ship.

aurora borealisnorthern lightsThe Northern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Northern Hemisphere.

aurora musis amicaDawn is a friend to the MusesTitle of a distich by Iohannes Christenius (15991672): "Conveniens studiis non est nox, commoda lux est; / Luce labor bonus est et bona nocte quies." (Night is not suitable for studying, daylight is; / working by light is good, as is rest at night.) in Nihus, Barthold (1642). Epigrammata disticha. Johannes Kinckius.

aurum potestas estgold is powerMotto of the fictional Fowl family in the Artemis Fowl series, written by Eoin Colfer

auspicium melioris aevihope/token of a better ageMotto of the Order of St Michael and St George and motto of Raffles Institution, a secondary school in Singapore.

aut Caesar aut nihileither Caesar or nothingIndicates that the only valid possibility is to be emperor, or a similarly prominent position. More generally, "all or nothing". Adopted by Cesare Borgia as a personal motto.

aut consiliis aut enseeither by meeting or the swordThus, either through reasoned discussion or through war. The first motto of Chile.

aut cum scuto aut in scutoeither with shield or on shield"Do or die", "no retreat". A Greek expression said by Spartan mothers to their sons as they departed for battle. A hoplite would drop his cumbersome shield in order to flee the battlefield; a slain warrior would be borne home atop his shield.

aut neca aut necareeither kill or be killedor neca ne neceris (kill lest you be killed)

aut pax aut bellumeither peace or warThe motto of the Gunn Clan.

aut viam inveniam aut faciamI will either find a way or make oneHannibal.

aut vincere aut morieither to conquer or to dieA general pledge of victoria aut mors "victory or death". Motto of the Higgenbotham, and Higginbottom families of Cheshire England; participants in the War of the Roses. Also the motto for the 1st Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

ave atque valeHail and farewell!From Catullus, carmen 101, addressed to his deceased brother.

ave Europa nostra vera patriaHail, Europe, our true Fatherland!Anthem of Imperium Europa

Ave Imperator, morituri te salutantHail, Emperor! Those who are about to die salute you!From Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars, Claudius 21. A salute and plea for mercy recorded on one occasion by naumachiariicaptives and criminals fated to die fighting during mock naval encounters. Later versions included a variant of "We who are about to die", and this translation is sometimes aided by changing the Latin to nos morituri te salutamus.

Ave MariaHail, MaryCatholic prayer of intercession asking Mary, the mother of Jesus to pray for the petitioner.

BLatinTranslationNotes

barba crescit caput nescitbeard grows, head doesn't grow wiser

barba non facit philosophuma beard doesn't make one a philosopher

barba tenus sapienteswise as far as the beardOr wise only in appearance. From Erasmus's collection of Adages.

Beata Virgo Maria (BVM)Blessed Virgin MaryA common name in the Roman Catholic Church for Mary, the mother of Jesus. The genitive, Beatae Mariae Virginis (BMV), occurs often as well, appearing with such words as horae (hours), litaniae (litanies) and officium (office).

beatae memoriaeof blessed memorySee in memoriam.

beati pauperes spirituBlessed in spirit [are] the poor.A Beatitude from Matthew 5:3 in the Vulgate: beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum "Blessed in spirit [are] the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens".

beati possidentesblessed [are] those who possessTranslated from Euripides.

beatus homo qui invenit sapientiamblessed is the man who finds wisdomfrom Proverbs 3:13; set to music in a 1577 motet of the same name by Orlando di Lasso.

bella gerant aliiProtesilaus amet!Others wage warProtesilaus should love!Originally from Ovid, Heroides 13.84,[5] where Laodamia is writing to her husband Protesilaus who is at the Trojan War. She begs him to stay out of danger, but he was in fact the first Greek to die at Troy. Also used of the Habsburg marriages of 1477 and 1496, written as bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube (let others wage war; you, happy Austria, marry). Said by King Matthias.

bellum omnium contra omneswar of all against allA phrase used by Thomas Hobbes to describe the state of nature.

bellum se ipsum aletwar feeds itself

Biblia pauperumPaupers' BibleTradition of biblical pictures displaying the essential facts of Christian salvation.

bibo ergo sumI drink, therefore I amA play on "cogito ergo sum", "I think therefore I am".

bis dat qui cito dathe gives twice, who gives promptlyA gift given without hesitation is as good as two gifts.

bis in die (bid)twice in a dayMedical shorthand for "twice a day".

bona fidein good faithIn other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly". In modern contexts, often has connotations of "genuinely" or "sincerely". Bona fides is not the plural (which would be bonis fidebus), but the nominative, and means simply "good faith". Opposite of mala fide.

bona notabilianote-worthy goodsIn law, if a person dying has goods, or good debts, in another diocese or jurisdiction within that province, besides his goods in the diocese where he dies, amounting to a certain minimum value, he is said to have bona notabilia; in which case, the probat of his will belongs to the archbishop of that province.

bona officiagood servicesA nation's offer to mediate in disputes between two other nations.

bona patriagoods of a countryA jury or assize of countrymen, or good neighbors.

bona vacantiavacant goodsUnited Kingdom legal term for ownerless property that passes to The Crown.

boni pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubereit is a good shepherd's [job] to shear his flock, not to flay themTiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a warning against taxing the populace excessively.

bono malum superateOvercome evil with goodMotto of Westonbirt School.

bonum commune communitatiscommon good of the communityOr "general welfare". Refers to what benefits a society, as opposed to bonum commune hominis, which refers to what is good for an individual. In the film Hot Fuzz, this phrase is chanted by an assembled group of people, in which context it is deliberately similar to another phrase that is repeated throughout the film, which is The Greater Good.

bonum commune hominiscommon good of a manRefers to an individual's happiness, which is not "common" in that it serves everyone, but in that individuals tend to be able to find happiness in similar things.

brutum fulmenharmless (or inert) thunderboltUsed to indicate either an empty threat, or a judgement at law which has no practical effect.

busillisPseudo-Latin meaning "baffling puzzle" or "difficult point". John of Cornwall (ca. 1170) was once asked by a scribe what the word meant. It turns out that the original text said in diebus illis magnis plenae (in those days there were plenty of great things), which the scribe misread as indie busillis magnis plenae (in India there were plenty of large busillis).

CLatinTranslationNotes

cacoethes scribendiinsatiable desire to writeCacothes[6] "bad habit", or medically, "malignant disease" is a borrowing of Greek kakthes.[7] The phrase is derived from a line in the Satires of Juvenal: Tenet insanabile multos scribendi cacoethes, or "the incurable desire (or itch) for writing affects many". See hypergraphia.

cadavera vero innumeratruly countless bodiesUsed by the Romans to describe the aftermath of the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains.

Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius.Kill them all. For the Lord knows those who are his.Supposed statement by Abbot Arnaud Amalric before the massacre of Bziers during the Albigensian Crusade, recorded 30 years later, according to Caesar of Heisterbach.

Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare curruntThose who hurry across the sea change the sky [upon them], not their souls or state of mindHexameter by Horace (Epistula XI).[8] Seneca shortens it to Animum debes mutare, non caelum (You must change [your] disposition, not [your] sky) in his Letter to Lucilium XXVIII, 1.

Caesar non supra grammaticosCaesar has no authority over the grammarians

caetera desuntthe rest is missingCaetera is Medieval Latin spelling for ctera.

calix meus inebriansmy cup making me drunk

camera obscuradark chamberAn optical device used in drawing, and an ancestor of modern photography. The source of the word camera.

canes pugnaceswar dogs or fighting dogs

canis canem editdog eats dogRefers to a situation where nobody is safe from anybody, each man for himself.

capax Deicapable of receiving GodFrom Augustine, De Trinitate XIV, 8.11: Mens eo ipso imago Dei est quo eius capax est,[9] "The mind is the image of God, in that it is capable of Him and can be partaker of Him."

capax infinitiholding the infiniteA term referring (at least) to some Christian doctrines of the incarnation of the Son of God when it asserts that humanity is capable of housing full divinity within its finite frame. Related to the Docetic heresy and sometimes a counterpoint to the Reformed 'extracalvinisticum.'

caput inter nubila (condit)(she plunges) [her] head in the cloudsSo aggrandized as to be beyond practical (earthly) reach or understanding (from Virgil's Aeneid and the shorter form appears in John Locke's Two Treatises of Government)

caput mortuumdead headOriginally an alchemical reference to the dead head or worthless residue left over from a reaction. Also used to refer to a freeloader or worthless element.

Caritas ChristiThe love of ChristIt implies a command to love as Christ loved. Motto of St. Francis Xavier High School located in West Meadowlark Park, Edmonton.

Caritas in VeritateCharity in TruthPope Benedict XVI's third encyclical.

carpe diemseize the dayAn exhortation to live for today. From Horace, Odes I, 11.8. Carpere refers to plucking of flowers or fruit. The phrase collige virgo rosas has a similar sense.

carpe noctemseize the nightAn exhortation to make good use of the night, often used when carpe diem, q.v., would seem absurd, e.g., when observing a deep-sky object or conducting a Messier marathon or engaging in social activities after sunset.

carpe vinumseize the wine

Carthago delenda estCarthage must be destroyedThe Roman senator Cato the Elder ended every speech after the Second Punic War with ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam, literally "For the rest, I am of the opinion that Carthage is to be destroyed." Before the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon in the European Parliament, Daniel Hannan ended all his speeches in a similar way with Pactio Olisipiensis censenda est "The Treaty of Lisbon must be put to a referendum".

castigat ridendo moresOne corrects customs by laughing at themOr, "[Comedy/Satire] criticises customs through humour", is a phrase coined by French New Latin poet Jean de Santeul(fr) (16301697), but sometimes wrongly attributed to his contemporary Molire or to Roman lyric poet Horace.

casus bellievent of warRefers to an incident that is the justification or case for war.

causa latet, vis est notissimaThe cause is hidden, but the result is well known.Ovid: Metamorphoses IV, 287; motto of Alpha Sigma Phi.

causa mortiscause of death

cavebeware!especially used by Doctors of Medicine, when they want to warn each other (e.g.: "cave nephrolithiases" in order to warn about side effects of an uricosuric). Spoken aloud in some British public schools by pupils to warn each other of impending authority.

cave canemBeware of the dog

caveat emptorlet the buyer bewareThe purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need. Phrases modeled on this one replace emptor with lector, subscriptor, venditor, utilitor: "reader", "signer", "seller", "user".

caveat venditorlet the seller bewareIt is a counter to caveat emptor and suggests that sellers can also be deceived in a market transaction. This forces the seller to take responsibility for the product and discourages sellers from selling products of unreasonable quality.

cedant arma togaelet arms yield to the gown"Let military power yield to civilian power", Cicero, De Officiis I:77. See also Toga

celerius quam asparagi cocunturmore swiftly than asparagus [stem]s are cookedOr simply "faster than cooking asparagus". A variant of the Roman phrase velocius quam asparagi coquantur, using a different adverb and an alternative mood and spelling of coquere.

cepi corpusI have taken the bodyIn law, it is a return made by the sheriff, upon a capias, or other process to the like purpose; signifying, that he has taken the body of the party. See also habeas corpus.

certum est quod certum reddi potestit is certain, whatever can be rendered certainOr "... if it can be rendered certain." Often used in law when something is not known, but can be ascertained (e.g. the purchase price on a sale which is to be determined by a third-party valuer)

cessante ratione legis cessat ipsa lexwhen the reason for the law ceases, the law itself ceasesA rule of law becomes ineffective when the reason for its application has ceased to exist or does not correspond to the reality anymore. By Gratian.

cetera desuntthe rest are missingAlso spelled "caetera desunt".

ceteris paribusall other things being equalThat is, disregarding or eliminating extraneous factors in a situation.

charta pardonationis se defendendoa paper of pardon to defend oneselfThe form of a pardon for killing another man in self-defence (see manslaughter).

charta pardonationis utlagariaea paper of pardon to the outlawThe form of a pardon of a man who is outlawed. Also called perdonatio utlagariae.

Christianos ad leones[Throw the] Christians to the lions!

Christo et DoctrinaeFor Christ and LearningThe motto of Furman University.

Christus nos liberavitChrist has freed ustitle of volume I, book 5, chapter XI of Les Misrables by Victor Hugo.

Christus RexChrist the KingA Christian title for Jesus.

circa (c.) or (ca.)aroundIn the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a date.

circulus in probandocircle made in testing [a premise]Circular reasoning. Similar term to circulus vitiosus.

circulus vitiosusvicious circleIn logic, begging the question, a fallacy involving the presupposition of a proposition in one of the premises (see petitio principii). In science, a positive feedback loop. In economics, a counterpart to the virtuous circle.

citius altius fortiusfaster, higher, strongerMotto of the modern Olympics.

clamea admittenda in itinere per atturnatumA writ whereby the king of England could command the justice to admit one's claim by an attorney, who being employed in the king's service, cannot come in person.

clarere audere gaudere[be] bright, daring, joyfulMotto of the Geal family.

clausum fregitA legal action for trespass to land; so called, because the writ demands the person summoned to answer wherefore he broke the close (quare clausum fregit), i.e., why he entered the plaintiff's land.

claves Sancti Petrithe keys of Saint PeterA symbol of the Papacy.

clavis aureagolden keyThe means of discovering hidden or mysterious meanings in texts, particularly applied in theology and alchemy.

clerico admittendofor being made a clerkIn law, a writ directed to the bishop, for the admitting a clerk to a benefice upon a ne admittas, tried, and found for the party who procures the writ.

clerico capto per statutum mercatorumIn law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk out of prison, who is imprisoned upon the breach of statute merchant.

clerico convicto commisso gaolae in defectu ordinarii deliberandoIn law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk to his ordinary, that was formerly convicted of felony; by reason that his ordinary did not challenge him according to the privilege of clerks.

clerico intra sacros ordines constituto non eligendo in officiumIn law, a writ directed to the bailiffs, etc., that have thrust a bailiwick or beadleship upon one in holy orders; charging them to release him.

Codex Iuris CanoniciBook of Canon LawThe official code of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Corpus Iuris Canonici).

Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur"No one suffers punishment for mere intent."A Latin legal phrase. See, State v Taylor, 47 Or 455, 84 P 82.

cogito ergo sumI think, therefore I am.A rationalistic argument used by French philosopher Ren Descartes to attempt to prove his own existence.

coitus interruptusinterrupted congressAborting sexual intercourse prior to ejaculationthe only permitted form of birth control in some religions.

coitus more ferarumcongress in the way of beastsA medical euphemism for the doggy-style sexual position.

collige virgo rosaspick, girl, the rosesExhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from "De rosis nascentibus" (also titled "Idyllium de rosis"), attributed to Ausonius or Virgil.[10]"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse

combinatio novanew combinationIt is frequently abbreviated comb. nov.. It is used in the life sciences literature when a new name is introduced, e.g. Klebsiella granulomatis comb. nov..

communibus annisin common yearsOne year with another; on an average. "Common" here does not mean "ordinary", but "common to every situation"

communibus locisin common placesA term frequently used among philosophical and other writers, implying some medium, or mean relation between several places; one place with another; on a medium. "Common" here does not mean "ordinary", but "common to every situation"

communis opiniocommon opinionprevailing doctrine, generally accepted view (in an academic field), scientific consensus; originally communis opinio doctorum, "common opinion of the doctors"

compos mentisin control of the mindDescribes someone of sound mind. Sometimes used ironically. Also a legal principle, non compos mentis (not in control of one's faculties), used to describe an insane person.

concordia cum veritatein harmony with truthMotto of the University of Waterloo

concordia saluswell-being through harmonyMotto of Montreal. It is also the Bank of Montreal coat of arms and motto.

concordia parvae res crescuntsmall things grow in harmonyMotto of Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood

condemnant quod non intelleguntThey condemn what they do not understand orThey condemn because they do not understandThe quod here is ambiguous: it may be the relative pronoun or a conjunction.

condicio sine qua noncondition without which notA required, indispensable condition. Commonly mistakenly rendered with conditio ("seasoning" or "preserving") in place of condicio ("arrangement" or "condition").

confer (cf.[11][12])compareThe abbreviation cf. is used in text to suggest a comparison with something else (cf. citation signal).

Confoederatio Helvetica (C.H.)Helvetian ConfederationThe official name of Switzerland, hence the use of "CH" for its ISO country code, ".ch" for its Internet domain, and "CHF" for the ISO three-letter abbreviation of its currency, the Swiss franc.

Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris C.Ss.RCongregation of the Most Holy RedeemerRedemptorists

coniunctis viribuswith connected strengthOr "with united powers". Sometimes rendered conjunctis viribus. Motto of Queen Mary, University of London.

consensuwith consent

consuetudo pro lege servaturCustom is held as law.Where there are no specific laws, the matter should be decided by custom;[13] established customs have the force of laws.[14] Also consuetudo est altera lex (custom is another law) and consuetudo vincit communem legem (custom overrules the common law); see also: Consuetudinary.

consummatum estIt is completed.The last words of Jesus on the cross in the Latin translation of John 19:30.

contemptus mundi/saeculiscorn for the world/timesDespising the secular world. The monk or philosopher's rejection of a mundane life and worldly values.

contra bonos moresagainst good moralsOffensive to the conscience and to a sense of justice.

contra legemagainst the lawEspecially in civil law jurisdictions, said of an understanding of a statute that directly contradicts its wording and thus is neither valid by interpretation nor by analogy.

contra proferentemagainst the proferrorIn contract law, the doctrine of contractual interpretation which provides that an ambiguous term will be construed against the party that imposed its inclusion in the contract or, more accurately, against the interests of the party who imposed it.

contra spem sperohope against hopeTitle of a poem by Lesya Ukrainka; also used in the Pentateuch with reference to Abraham the Patriarch.

contra vim mortis non crescit herba (or salvia) in hortisNo herb (or sage) grows in the gardens against the power of deaththere is no medicine against death; from various medieval medicinal texts

contradictio in terminiscontradiction in termsA thing or idea that would embody a contradiction, for example, payment for a gift, or a circle with corners. The fallacy of proposing such a thing.

contra principia negantem non est disputandumthere can be no debate with those who deny the foundationsDebate is fruitless when you don't agree on common rules, facts, presuppositions.

contraria contrariis curanturthe opposite is cured with the oppositeFirst formulated by Hippocrates to suggest that the diseases are cured with contrary remedies. Antonym of similia similibus curantur (the diseases are recovered with similar remedies.)

cor ad cor loquiturheart speaks to heartFrom Augustine's Confessions, referring to a prescribed method of prayer: having a "heart to heart" with God. Commonly used in reference to a later quote by Cardinal John Henry Newman. A motto of Newman Clubs.

cor aut morsHeart or Death(Your choice is between) The Heart (Moral Values, Duty, Loyalty) or Death (to no longer matter, to no longer be respected as person of integrity.)

cor meum tibi offero domine prompte et sinceremy heart I offer to you Lord promptly and sincerelyJohn Calvin's personal motto, also adopted by Calvin College

cor unumone heartA popular school motto. Often used as names for religious and other organisations such as the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.

coram Deoin the Presence of GodA phrase from Christian theology which summarizes the idea of Christians living in the Presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God.

coram nobis, coram vobisin our presence, in your presenceTwo kinds of writs of error.

coram populoin the presence of the peopleThus, openly.

coram publicoin view of the public

Corpus ChristiBody of ChristThe name of a feast in the Roman Catholic Church commemorating the Eucharist. It is also the name of a city in Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas, the name of Colleges at Oxford and Cambridge universities, and a controversial play.

corpus delictibody of the offenceThe fact that a crime has been committed, a necessary factor in convicting someone of having committed that crime; if there was no crime, there can not have been a criminal.

Corpus Iuris CanoniciBody of Canon LawThe official compilation of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Codex Iuris Canonici).

Corpus Iuris CivilisBody of Civil LawThe body of Roman or civil law.

corpus vileworthless bodyA person or thing fit only to be the object of an experiment, as in the phrase 'Fiat experimentum in corpore vili.'

corrigendathings to be corrected

corruptio optimi pessimathe corruption of the best is the worst

corruptissima re publica plurimae legesWhen the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerousTacitus

corvus oculum corvi non eruita raven will not pick out an eye of another raven

corruptus in extremiscorrupt to the extremeMotto of the fictional Springfield Mayor Office in The Simpsons TV-Show

cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit, cras ametMay he love tomorrow who has never loved before; And may he who has loved, love tomorrow as wellThe refrain from the 'Pervigilium Veneris', a poem which describes a three day holiday in the cult of Venus, located somewhere in Sicily, involving the whole town in religious festivities joined with a deep sense of nature and Venus as the "procreatrix", the life-giving force behind the natural world.

Cras es NosterThe Future is OursMotto of San Jacinto College.

creatio ex nihilocreation out of nothingA concept about creation, often used in a theological or philosophical context. Also known as the 'First Cause' argument in Philosophy of Religion. Contrasted with creatio ex materia.

Credo in Unum DeumI Believe in One GodThe first words of the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.

credo quia absurdum estI believe it because it is absurdA very common misquote of Tertullian's et mortuus est Dei Filius prorsus credibile quia ineptum est (and the Son of God is dead: in short, it is credible because it is unfitting), meaning that it is so absurd to say that God's son has died that it would have to be a matter of belief, rather than reason. The misquoted phrase, however, is commonly used to mock the dogmatic beliefs of the religious (see fideism). This phrase is commonly shortened to credo quia absurdum, and is also sometimes rendered credo quia impossibile est (I believe it because it is impossible) or, as Darwin used it in his autobiography, credo quia incredibile.

crescamus in Illo per omniaMay we grow in Him through all thingsMotto of Cheverus High School.

crescat scientia vita excolaturlet knowledge grow, let life be enrichedMotto of the University of Chicago.

crescente luceLight ever increasingMotto of James Cook University.

crescit cum commercio civitasCivilization prospers with commerceMotto of Claremont McKenna College.

crescit eundoit grows as it goesState motto of New Mexico, adopted in 1887 as the territory's motto, and kept in 1912 when New Mexico received statehood. Originally from Lucretius' De rerum natura book VI, where it refers in context to the motion of a thunderbolt across the sky, which acquires power and momentum as it goes.

cruci dum spiro fidowhile I live, I trust in the cross, Whilst I trust in the Cross I have lifeMotto of the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) and its associated schools.

cucullus non facit monachumThe hood does not make the monkWilliam Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Scene I, Act V 4850

cui bonoGood for whom?"Who benefits?" An adage in criminal investigation which suggests that considering who would benefit from an unwelcome event is likely to reveal who is responsible for that event (cf. cui prodest). Also the motto of the Crime Syndicate of America, a fictional supervillain group. The opposite is cui malo (Bad for whom?).

cui prodestfor whom it advancesShort for cui prodest scelus is fecit (for whom the crime advances, he has done it) in Seneca's Medea. Thus, the murderer is often the one who gains by the murder (cf. cui bono).

cuique suumto each his own

cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferosWhose the land is, all the way to the sky and to the underworld is his.First coined by Accursius of Bologna in the 13th century. A Roman legal principle of property law that is no longer observed in most situations today. Less literally, "For whosoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky and down to the depths."

cuius regio, eius religiowhose region, his religionThe privilege of a ruler to choose the religion of his subjects. A regional prince's ability to choose his people's religion was established at the Peace of Augsburg in 1555.

cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare.Anyone can err, but only the fool persists in his faultCicero, Philippica XII, 5.

culpafaultAlso "blame" or "guilt". In law, an act of neglect. In general, guilt, sin, or a fault. See also mea culpa.

cum gladiis et fustibuswith swords and clubsFrom the Bible. Occurs in Matthew 26:47 and Luke 22:52.

cum gladio et salewith sword and saltMotto of a well-paid soldier. See salary.

cum grano saliswith a grain of saltNot to be taken too seriously or as the literal truth.

cum hoc ergo propter hocwith this, therefore on account of thisFallacy of assuming that correlation implies causation.

cum laudewith praiseThe standard formula for academic Latin honors in the United States. Greater honors include magna cum laude and summa cum laude.

cum mortuis in lingua mortuawith the dead in a dead languageMovement from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky

cum privilegio ad imprimendum solumwith the exclusive right to printCopyright notice used in 16th-century England, used for comic effect in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

cuncti adsint meritaeque expectent praemia palmaelet all come who by merit deserve the most rewardMotto of University College London.

cupio dissolvidesire to be dissolvedFrom the Bible, locution indicating a will to death ("I want to die").

cur Deus HomoWhy the God-ManThe question attributed to Anselm in his work of by this name, wherein he reflects on why the Christ of Christianity must be both fully Divine and fully Human. Often translated "why did God become Man?"

cura personaliscare for the whole personMotto of Georgetown University School of Medicine and University of Scranton.

cura te ipsumtake care of your own selfAn exhortation to physicians, or experts in general, to deal with their own problems before addressing those of others.

curriculum vitaecourse of lifeAn overview of a person's life and qualifications, similar to a rsum.

custos morumkeeper of moralsA censor.

cygnis insignisdistinguished by its swansMotto of Western Australia.

cygnus inter anatesswan among ducks

DLatinTranslationNotes

Da Deus fortunaeGod give happiness or God give luckTraditional Czech brewers greeting.

Da mihi factum, dabo tibi iusGive me the fact(s), I'll give you the lawalso: Da mihi facta, dabo tibi ius; legal principle based on Roman law; parties should present the facts of a case while the judge rules on the law. Related to iura novit curia (the court knows the law).

damnant quod non intelliguntThey condemn what they do not understandUsed to describe ignorant people.

damnatio ad bestiascondemnation to [the] beastsColloquially "thrown to the lions".

damnatio memoriaedamnation of memoryA Roman custom in which disgraced Romans (particularly former Emperors) were pretended to have never existed.

damnum absque injuriadamage without injuryA loss that results from no one's wrongdoing. In Roman law, a man is not responsible for unintended, consequential injury to another resulting from a lawful act. This protection does not necessarily apply to unintended damage by negligence or folly.

dat deus incrementum ordeus dat incrementumGod gives growthMotto of several schools

data venia"with due respect" or "given the excuse"Used before disagreeing with someone.

datum perficiemus munusWe shall accomplish the mission assignedMotto of Batalho de Operaes Policiais Especiais (BOPE), Rio de Janeiro.

de bene esseas well doneA de bene esse deposition is used to preserve the testimony of a witness who is expected not to be available to appear at trial and be cross-examined.

de bonis asportatiscarrying goods awayTrespass de bonis asportatis was the traditional name for larceny (wrongful taking of chattels).

decessit sine proledied without issueUsed in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dsp, to indicate a person who died without having had any children

decessit sine prole legitimadied without legitimate issueUsed in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dspl, to indicate a person who died without having had any children by a spouse.

decessit sine prole mascula superstitedied without surviving male issueUsed in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dspm, to indicate a person who died without having had any male children who lived or outlived them.

decessit sine prole superstitedied without surviving issueUsed in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dsps, to indicate a person who died without having had any children who lived or outlived them.

decessit vita matrisdied in the lifetime of the motherUsed in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dvm, to indicate a person who predeceased their mother.

decessit vita patrisdied in the lifetime of the fatherUsed in genealogical records, often in the abbreviated form dvp, to indicate a person who predeceased their father

de datoof the dateUsed in the context of "As we agreed in the meeting d.d. 26th Mai 2006.

de factoby deedSaid of something that is the actual state of affairs, in contrast to something's legal or official standing, which is described as de jure. De facto refers to the "way things really are" rather than what is "officially" presented as the fact.

de fideliwith faithfulnessA clerk makes the declaration De fideli on when appointed, promising to do his or her tasks faithfully as a servant of the court.

de futuroregarding the futureUsually used in the context of "at a future time"

de gustibus non est disputandumthere is no disputing about tastesLess literally "there's no accounting for taste". Likely of Scholastic origin (see Wiktionary).

de integroagain, a second time

de jureby law"Official", in contrast with de facto. Analogous to "in principle", whereas de facto is to "in practice". In other contexts, can mean "according to law", "by right" or "legally". Also commonly written de iure, the classical form.

de lege ferendafrom law to be passed

de lege lata"from law passed" or "by law in force"

de minimis non curat lexThe law does not bother with the smallest things.The court does not want to bother with small, trivial things. A case must have importance for the court to hear it. See "de minimis non curat praetor".

de minimis non curat praetorThe commander does not bother with the smallest things.Also "The chief magistrate does not concern himself with trifles." Trivial matters are no concern of a high official (cf. aquila non capit muscas, the eagle does not catch flies). Sometimes rex (the king) or lex (the law) is used in place of praetor, and de minimis is a legal term referring to things unworthy of the law's attention.

de mortuis aut bene aut nihilabout the dead, either well or nothingLess literally, "speak well of the dead or not at all" (cf. de mortuis nil nisi bonum).

de mortuis nil nisi bonumabout the dead, nothing unless a good thingFrom de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est, "nothing must be said about the dead except the good", attributed by Diogenes Lartius to Chilon. In legal contexts, this quotation is used with the opposite meaning, as defaming a deceased person is not a crime. In other contexts, it refers to taboos against criticizing the recently deceased.

de nobis fabula narraturabout us is the story toldThus, "their story is our story". Originally referred to the end of Rome's dominance. Now often used when comparing any current situation to a past story or historical event.

de novofrom the new"Anew" or "afresh". In law, a trial de novo is a retrial. In biology, de novo means newly synthesized, and a de novo mutation is a mutation that neither parent possessed or transmitted. In economics, de novo refers to newly founded companies, and de novo banks are state banks that have been in operation for five years or less.

de omni re scibili et quibusdam aliisabout every knowable thing, and even certain other thingsThe 15th-century Italian scholar Giovanni Pico della Mirandola wrote the De omni re scibili portion (about every knowable thing), and a wag added et quibusdam aliis (and even certain other things).

de omnibus dubitandumbe suspicious of everything, doubt everythingAttributed to Ren Descartes. Karl Marx's favorite motto and a title of one of Sren Kierkegaard's works De Omnibus Dubitandum Est

de oppresso liberFree From Having Been OppressedLoosely translated as "To Liberate the Oppressed". The motto of the United States Army Special Forces.[15]

de profundisfrom the depthsOut of the depths of misery or dejection. From the Latin translation of Psalm 130.

de reabout the matterIn logic, de dicto statements (about the truth of a proposition) are distinguished from de re statements (about the properties of a thing itself).

decus et tutamenAn ornament and a safeguardInscription on British one-pound coins. Originally on 17th-century coins, it refers to the inscribed edge as a protection against the clipping of precious metal. The phrase originally comes from Virgil's Aeneid.

defendit numerusThere is safety in numbers

defunctus vivente patre("dvp") died with his father (still) living. See also vivente rege[16]Used by genealogists to denote a son who has pre-deceased his father and not lived long enough to inherit his father's title or estate. See also sine prole.

Dei Gratia ReginaBy the Grace of God, QueenAlso Dei Gratia Rex (By the Grace of God, King). Abbreviated as D G REG preceding Fidei Defensor (F D) on British pounds, and as D G Regina on Canadian coins.

Dei sub numine vigetunder God's Spirit she flourishesMotto of Princeton University.

delectatio morosapeevish delightIn Catholic theology, a pleasure taken in sinful thought or imagination, such as brooding on sexual images. It is distinct from actual sexual desire, and involves voluntary and complacent erotic fantasizing, without any attempt to suppress such thoughts.

delirant isti RomaniThey are mad, those Romans!A translation into Latin from Ren Goscinny's French ils sont fous, ces romains! or Italian Sono pazzi questi Romani (compare SPQR), frequently issued by Obelix in the Asterix comics.

Deo ac veritatiFor God and for truthMotto of Colgate University.

Deo ConfidimusIn God we trustMotto of Somerset College.

Deo domuiquefor God and for homeMotto of Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne.

Deo et patriaefor God and CountryMotto of Regis High School (New York City).

Deo gratiasthanks [be] to GodThe semi-Hispanicized form Deogracias is a Philippine first name.

Deo juvantewith God's helpThe motto of Monaco and its monarch which appears on the royal arms.

Deo Optimo Maximo (DOM)To the Best and Greatest GodDerived from the Pagan Iupiter Optimo Maximo (To the best and greatest Jupiter). Printed on bottles of Bndictine liqueur.

Deo vindicewith God as protectorMotto of the Confederate States of America. An alternate translation is "With an avenging God".

Deo volenteGod willingThis was often used in conjunction with a signature at the end of letters. It was used in order to signify that "God willing" this letter will get to you safely, "God willing" the contents of this letter come true. As an abbreviation (simply "D.V.") it is often found in personal letters (in English) of the early 1900s, employed to generally and piously qualify a given statement about a future planned action, that it will be carried out, so long as God wills (see James 4:13-15, which encourages this way of speaking). The motto of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. See also: Insha'Allah.

descensus in cuniculi cavumThe descent into the cave of the rabbitDown the Rabbit Hole (see: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland#Famous lines and expressions.

Deus Caritas EstGod is LoveThe first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI; for other meanings, see Deus Caritas Est (disambiguation)

deus ex machinaa god from a machineFrom the Greek (ap mchans thes). A contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary plot. Refers to the practice in Greek drama of lowering by crane (the mechan) an actor playing a god or goddess onto the stage to resolve an insuperable conflict in the plot. The device is most commonly associated with Euripides.

Deus Lux Mea EstGod is my LightThe motto of The Catholic University of America.

Deus meumque jusGod and my rightThe principal motto of Scottish Rite Freemasonry; see also Dieu et mon droit.

deus otiosusGod at leisure

Deus spes nostraGod is our hopeThe motto of Sir Thomas de Boteler, founder of Boteler Grammar School Warrington in 1526

Deus vultGod wills it!The principal slogan of the Crusades.Motto of Bergen Catholic High School, NJ

dictatum erat (dict)as previously statedRecent academic substitution for the spacious and inconvenient "As previously stated, ...". Literally, has been stated; also translated as "dicta prius" (literally, said previously).

dicto simpliciter[From] a maxim, simplyI.e. "From a rule without exception." Short for a dicto simpliciter, the a often being dropped by confusion with the English indefinite article. A dicto simpliciter occurs when an acceptable exception is ignored or eliminated. For instance, the appropriateness of using opiates is dependent on the presence of extreme pain. To justify the recreational use of opiates by referring to a cancer patient or to justify arresting said cancer patient by comparing him to the recreational user would be a dicto simpliciter.

dictum factumwhat is said is doneMotto of U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron VF-194

dictum meum pactummy word [is] my bondMotto of the London Stock Exchange

diem perdidiI have lost the dayFrom the Roman Emperor Titus. Passed down in Suetonius's biography of him in Lives of the Twelve Caesars

Dies IraeDay of WrathRefers to the Judgment Day in Christian eschatology. The name of a famous 13th-century Medieval Latin hymn by Tommaso da Celano, used in the Mass for the dead.

dies non juridicumDay without judiciaryDays under common law (traditionally Sunday) in which no legal process can be served and any judgment is void. This concept was first codified by the English Parliament in the reign of Charles II.

dirigoI directIn Classical Latin, "I arrange". State motto of Maine. Based on a comparison of the state of Maine to the star Polaris.

dis aliter visumit seemed otherwise to the godsIn other words, the gods have different plans than mortals, and so events do not always play out as people wish them to. Virgil, Aeneid, 2:428.

dis manibus sacrum (D.M.S.)Sacred to the ghost-godsRefers to the Manes, Roman spirits of the dead. Loosely "To the memory of". A conventional inscription preceding the name of the deceased on pagan grave markings, often shortened to dis manibus (D.M.), "for the ghost-gods". Preceded in some earlier monuments by hic situs est (H. S. E.), "he lies here".

disce aut discedeLearn or DepartMotto of Royal College Colombo.

disce quasi semper victurus vive quasi cras moriturusLearn as if always going to live; live as if tomorrow going to die.Attributed to St Edmund of Abingdon.

discendo discimuswhile teaching we learn

disiecta membrascattered limbsThat is, "scattered remains". Paraphrased from Horace, Satires, I, 4, 62, where it was written "disiecti membra poetae" (limbs of a scattered poet). Also written as disjecta membra.

ditat DeusGod enrichesState motto of Arizona, adopted in 1911. Probably derived from the Vulgate's translation of Genesis 14:23.

divide et imperadivide and ruleA Roman maxim adopted by Julius Caesar, Louis XI and Machiavelli. Commonly rendered "divide and conquer".

dixiI have spokenA popular eloquent expression, usually used in the end of a speech. The implied meaning is: "I have said all that I had to say and thus the argument is settled".

["...", ...] dixit["...", ...] saidUsed to attribute a statement or opinion to its author, rather than the speaker.

do ut desI give that you may giveOften said or written for sacrifices, when one "gives" and expects something back from the gods.

docendo disciturIt is learned by teachingAlso translated "One learns by teaching." Attributed to Seneca the Younger.

docendo disco, scribendo cogitoI learn by teaching, think by writing.

dolus specialisspecial intent"The ... concept is particular to a few civil law systems and cannot sweepingly be equated with the notions of special or specific intent in common law systems. Of course, the same might equally be said of the concept of specific intent, a notion used in the common law almost exclusively within the context of the defense of voluntary intoxication."Genocide scholar William Schabas[17]

Domine dirige nosLord guide usMotto of the City of London

Dominica in albis [depositis]Sunday in [Setting Aside the] White GarmentsLatin name of the Octave of Easter.

Dominus Illuminatio Meathe Lord is my lightMotto of the University of Oxford.

Dominus fortitudo nostraThe Lord is our StrengthMotto of the Southland College, Philippines

Dominus vobiscumLord be with youPhrase used during and at the end of Catholic sermons, and a general greeting form among and towards members of Catholic organizations, such as priests and nuns. See also pax vobiscum.

dona nobis pacemgive us peaceOften set to music, either by itself or as part of the Agnus Dei prayer of the Mass. Also an ending in the video game Haunting Ground.

donatio mortis causagiving in expectation of deathA legal concept where a person in imminent mortal danger need not meet the requisite consideration to create or modify a will.

draco dormiens nunquam titillandusa sleeping dragon is never to be tickledMotto of the fictional Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter series; translated more loosely in the books as "never tickle a sleeping dragon".

dramatis personthe parts of the playMore literally, "the masks of the drama"; more figuratively, "cast of characters". The characters represented in a dramatic work.

duae tabulae rasae in quibus nihil scriptum estTwo blank slates with nothing written upon themStan Laurel, inscription for the fanclub logo of The Sons of the Desert.

ducimusWe leadMotto of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps

Ducit amor patriaeLove of country leads meMotto of the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment

ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahuntThe fates lead the willing and drag the unwillingAttributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

ductus exemploleadership by exampleMotto for the United States Marine Corps' Officer Candidates School located at Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico, Virginia.

dulce bellum inexpertiswar is sweet to the inexperiencedWar may seem pleasant to those who have never been involved in it, though the more experienced know better. A phrase from Erasmus in the 16th century.

Dulce est desipere in locoIt is sweet on occasion to play the fool.It is pleasant to relax once in a while. From Horace, Odes IV, 12, 28. Used by George Knapton for Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th Baronet 1744 portrait.

dulce et decorum est pro patria moriIt is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland.From Horace, Odes III, 2, 13. Used by Wilfred Owen for the title of a poem about World War I, Dulce et Decorum est.

dulce et utilea sweet and useful thingHorace wrote in his Ars Poetica that poetry must be dulce et utile (pleasant and profitable), both enjoyable and instructive.

dulce periculumdanger is sweetHorace, Odes III, 25, 16. Motto of the Scottish clan MacAulay.

dulcius ex asperissweeter after difficultiesMotto of the Scottish clan Fergusson.[18]

dum Roma deliberat Saguntum peritwhile Rome debates, Saguntum is in dangerUsed when someone has been asked for urgent help, but responds with no immediate action. Similar to Hannibal ante portas, but referring to a less personal danger.

dum spiro sperowhile I breathe, I hopeState motto of South Carolina. From Cicero.

dum vita est, spes estwhile there is life, there is hope

dum vivimus servimusWhile we live, we servemotto of Presbyterian College.

dum vivimus, vivamusWhile we live, let us live!An encouragement to embrace life. Motto inscribed on the sword of the main character in the novel Glory Road.

dura lex sed lex[the] law [is] harsh, but [it is the] law

dura matertough motherouter covering of the brain

durante bene placitoDuring good pleasureAt the pleasure [of the monarch or other appointing authority]. Mediaeval legal Latin phrase.

durante munerewhile in officeFor example, the Governor General of Canada is durante munere the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada.

dux bellorumwar leader

Initium Sapientiae Timor DominiThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

ELatinTranslationNotes

e pluribus unumout of many, oneFormer de facto motto of the United States of America. Used on many U.S. coins and inscribed on the Capitol. Also used as the motto of S.L. Benfica. Less commonly written as ex pluribus unum.

Ecce homoBehold the manFrom the Latin Vulgate Gospel of John 19:5 (Douay-Rheims), where Pontius Pilate speaks these words as he presents Christ, crowned with thorns, to the crowd. It is also the title of Nietzsche's autobiography and of the theme music by Howard Goodall for the ITV comedy Mr. Bean, in which the full sung lyric is Ecce homo qui est faba ("Behold the man who is a bean").

ecce panis angelorumbehold the bread of angelsA phrase occasionally inscribed near the altar in Catholic churches; it makes reference to the Host; the Eucharist; the bread of Heaven; the Body of Christ. See also: Panis Angelicus.

editio princepsfirst editionThe first printed edition of a work.

ego te absolvoI absolve youPart of the absolution-formula spoken by a priest as part of the sacrament of Penance (cf. absolvo).

ego te provocoI provoke youUsed as a challenge, "I dare you".

eheu fugaces labuntur anniAlas, the fleeting years slip byFrom Horace's Odes II, 14.

eluceat omnibus luxlet the light shine out from allThe motto of Sidwell Friends School

emeritusveteranAlso "worn-out". Retired from office. Often used to denote a position held at the point of retirement, as an honor, such as professor emeritus or provost emeritus. This does not necessarily mean that the honoree is no longer active.

ens causa suiexisting because of oneselfOr "being one's own cause". Traditionally, a being that owes its existence to no other being, hence God or a Supreme Being (cf. Primum Mobile).

ense petit placidam sub libertate quietemby the sword she seeks a serene repose under libertyState motto of Massachusetts, adopted in 1775.

entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatementities must not be multiplied beyond necessityOccam's Razor or law of parsimony; that is, that arguments which do not introduce extraneous variables are to be preferred in logical argumentation.

entitas ipsa involvit aptitudinem ad extorquendum certum assensumreality involves a power to compel sure assentA phrase used in modern Western philosophy on the nature of truth.

eo ipsoby that very (act)Technical term used in philosophy and the law. Similar to ipso facto. Example: "The fact that I am does not eo ipso mean that I think." From Latin eo ipso, ablative form of id ipsum, "that (thing) itself".

eo nomineby that name

equo ne creditedo not trust the horseVirgil, Aeneid, II. 4849 (Latin)

erga omnesin relation to everyone

ergothereforeDenotes a logical conclusion (cf. cogito ergo sum).

errare humanum estto err is humanFrom Seneca the Younger: Errare humanum est, perseverare autem diabolicum, et tertia non datur (To err is human; to persist [in committing such errors] is of the devil, and the third possibility is not given.) Several authors contemplated the idea before Seneca: Livy Venia dignus error is humanus (Storie, VIII, 35) and Cicero: is Cuiusvis errare: insipientis nullius nisi, in errore perseverare (Anyone can err, but only the fool persists in his fault) (Philippicae XII, ii, 5). 300 years later Augustine of Hippo recycled the idea in his Sermones (164, 14): Humanum fuit errare, diabolicum est per animositatem in errore manere.[19]

erratumerrorOr "mistake". Lists of errors in a previous edition of a work are often marked with the plural, errata ("errors").

errantis voluntas nulla estthe will of a mistaken party is voidRoman legal principle formulated by Pomponius in the Digest of the Corpus Juris Civilis, stating that legal actions undertaken by man under the influence of error are ineffective.

eruditio et religioscholarship and religionMotto of Duke University

esse est percipito be is to be perceivedGeorge Berkeley's motto for his idealist philosophical position that nothing exists independently of its perception by a mind except minds themselves.

esse quam viderito be, rather than to seemTruly being something, rather than merely seeming to be something. Motto of many institutions. From chapter 26 of Cicero's De amicitia ('On Friendship'). Earlier than Cicero, the phrase had been used by Sallust in his Bellum Catilinae (54.6), where he wrote that Cato esse quam videri bonus malebat (he preferred to be good, rather than to seem so). Earlier still, Aeschylus used a similar phrase in Seven Against Thebes, line 592, ou gar dokein aristos, all' enai thelei (he wishes not to seem the best, but to be the best); also motto of North Carolina.

est modus in rebusthere is measure in thingsthere is a middle ground in things, there is a middle way; from Horace's Satires 1.1.106; see also: Golden mean (philosophy). According to Potempski & Galmarini (Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 94719489, 2009) the sentence should be translated as: "There is an optimal condition in all things" which in the original text is followed by the sentence: "There are therefore precise boundaries beyond which one cannot find the right thing" (sunt certi denique fines quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum).

esto perpetuamay it be perpetualSaid of Venice by the Venetian historian Fra Paolo Sarpi shortly before his death. Also the state motto of Idaho, adopted in 1867, and of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka. It is also used as the open motto of Sigma Phi Society, a colleg