Latin Mottos and Abbreviations

A.M.

ante meridiem - before noon

ab ovo usque ad mala

egg to apples - from beginning to end (from Alpha to Omega

ad astra per aspera

to the stars through difficulties (state motto of Kansas)

ad hoc

for this (thing) - refers to something that is temporary for a particular purpose

ad infinitum

to infinity - without limit, endlessly

ad libitum

at pleasure - extemporaneously (done without preparation/planning)

ad nauseam

to seasickness - to the point of (causing) nausea

amor omnia vincit

love conquers all

annuit coeptis

he nods upon our undertakings - He blesses our beginnings

antebellum

before war - referring to the period before the American Civil War

carpe diem

seize the day (live for the moment)

cave canem

beware of the dog

caveat emptor

let the buyer beware

cf.

confer - compare (indicates something you should look at in comparison)

de gustibus non est disputandum

there is no (point in) arguing about tastes

deus ex machina

god from the machine - an abrupt solution to a narrative problem

e pluribus unum

one out of many

e.g.

exempli gratia - for the sake of an example (for example)

errare humanum est

to err is human (nobody's perfect)

et al.

et alii - and others

etc.

et cetera - and the rest (indicates an ongoing list)

ex libris

from the books - from the library of…

ex tempore

extemporaneously (without preparation)

festina lente

make haste slowly (haste makes waste); favorite saying of Augustus

i.e.

id est - that is (introduces and explanation)

in absentia

in (one's) absence

in medias res

into the middle of things - beginning a story in the middle

in memoriam

to the memory of (in memory of)

interregnum

between kingdom - a period between rulers

ipso facto

by the very fact

labor omnia vincit

work/effort conquers all

lapsus linguae

a slip of the tongue (a verbal misstep)

mens sana in corpore sano

a sound mind in a sound body

N.B.

nota bene - note well (indicates something to pay special attention to)

nos morituri te salutamus

we (who are) about to die salute you (ceremonial greeting given by gladiators before combat)

novus ordo s(a)eclorum

a new order of the ages (new world order)

P.M.

post meridiem - afternoon

P.M.

post mortem - after death (an autopsy)

P.S.

post scriptum - written after (introduces an afterthought)

panem et circenses

bread and circuses (bread and circus games; written by Juvenal, it is a reference to the only things Roman society seemed to value - free food and cheap entertainment

per annum

by the year - annually

per capita

by the heads - individually

per diem

by the day - daily

per se

by itself - intrinsically

persona non grata

an unwelcome person

pro bono

for the good (something done as a public service, usually free of charge)

pro tem.

pro tempore - for the time (temporarily)

Q.E.D.

quod erat demonstrandum - that which was to be shown/proven (we proved it)

quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

who will guard the guardians themselves (Juvenal)

R.I.P.

requiescat in pace - may (s)he rest in peace

rara avis

a rare bird (a rarity; unique person)

Rx (recipe)

receive (symbol for a medical prescription)

sine die

without a day (meaning without a day for a second appointment)

sine qua non

without which not (a necessity; something indispensable)

sub rosa

beneath the rose - in strict confidence; secretly

tabula rasa

a clean slate

tempus fugit

time flies

terra incognita

unknown land - unknown territory

vade mecum

go with me (something that is regularly carried on one's person)

viva voce

with the living voice - orally