AP Latin Vocabulary

ā/ab

From, away from; by (with ablative). One of the most common prepositions in Latin, used to express separation or agency.

Example: "The soldiers retreated          the enemy camp at dawn."

abeō

To go away, depart. An irregular compound of eō (to go).

Example: "After delivering the message, the envoy decided to          from the senate."

absum

To be away, be absent, be distant. Irregular verb; often used with ab + ablative to express distance.

Example: "The reinforcements          three days' march from the main army."

ac/atque

And, and also, and in addition. Used to join words or clauses; atque is often used before vowels and h.

Example: "Caesar gathered his troops          prepared for battle."

accēdō

To approach, draw near; to be added to. A compound of ad + cēdō.

Example: "The ambassador began to          the king's throne cautiously."

accidō

To fall upon; to happen, occur, take place. Common in Caesar for reporting events.

Example: "It          that the enemy attacked the very same night."

accipiō

To receive, accept; to welcome; to hear, learn. A compound of ad + capiō.

Example: "The general was eager to          news from the scouts."

ācer

Sharp, piercing; fierce, keen, eager. A 3rd declension adjective frequently used to describe warriors or emotions.

Example: "The          warrior charged into the front line without hesitation."

aciēs

Line of battle; sharp edge; keenness of sight. A key military term in Caesar's writings.

Example: "Caesar arranged his troops in a triple          before the engagement."

ad

To, toward, near; for the purpose of (with accusative). One of the most frequent Latin prepositions.

Example: "The fleet sailed          the shores of Italy."

addūcō

To lead to, bring to; to induce, persuade. Common in Caesar when describing troop movements or persuasion.

Example: "The chieftain tried to          the neighboring tribes to join the revolt."

adeō

To go to, approach; (as adverb) to such a degree, so, so much.

Example: "The flames spread          quickly that no one could escape."

adveniō

To come to, arrive at, reach. Common in narrative passages describing arrival at a location.

Example: "When Aeneas finally          at the shores of Latium, he gave thanks to the gods."

adversus

Facing, opposed, hostile; (as preposition) against, opposite to.

Example: "The Roman legions formed ranks          the barbarian horde."

aequor

Level surface; the sea, ocean. Poetic word frequently found in the Aeneid.

Example: "Aeneas gazed out across the vast          as his fleet sailed toward Italy."

aequus

Equal, level, fair, just; calm. Used both literally and figuratively.

Example: "The judge was known for rendering          decisions to all citizens."

aetās

Age, time of life; generation, era.

Example: "In every          of Roman history, great leaders have emerged."

aeternus

Everlasting, eternal, immortal. Often used in Vergil to describe the gods or fate.

Example: "Jupiter decreed an          empire for the descendants of Aeneas."

aethēr

Upper air, ether, heaven. A poetic term common in Vergil's elevated language.

Example: "The soul of the hero rose through the          to join the gods above."

aevum

Age, lifetime; eternity. A poetic word common in Vergil.

Example: "Jupiter promised that Rome's glory would endure through every         ."

ager

Field, territory, land; countryside. Common in both Caesar's military and agricultural contexts.

Example: "The army ravaged the          of the enemy tribe during the campaign."

āgmen

Line of march, column of troops; army on the move. A key military term in Caesar.

Example: "Caesar ordered the          to halt when scouts reported enemy forces ahead."

agō

To drive, do, act, lead; to spend (time); to discuss. One of the most versatile Latin verbs.

Similar definitions: drive, do, act, conduct, manage

Example: "The consul decided to          a meeting of the senate to discuss the crisis."

aiō

To say, affirm, assert. A defective verb used primarily in direct speech.

Example: "'We must fight,' he         , drawing his sword."

alius

Other, another; different. When repeated (alius...alius), means 'one...another.'

Example: "One soldier fled in one direction,          in a different direction."

alter

The other (of two); second. Distinguished from alius, which means other among many.

Example: "Of the two consuls,          favored war while the other urged peace."

altus

High, lofty; deep. Can describe both height and depth depending on context.

Example: "The          walls of Troy kept the Greek army at bay for ten years."

amīcus

Friend; (as adjective) friendly, favorable. Can function as both a noun and adjective.

Example: "Caesar regarded Diviciacus as a loyal          of the Roman people."

āmittō

To let go, send away; to lose.

Example: "The army could not afford to          any more time before winter arrived."

amō

To love, like, be fond of. The paradigmatic 1st conjugation verb.

Example: "Dido began to          the Trojan hero who had arrived at her shores."

amor

Love, passion, desire; (personified) Amor/Cupid. Central theme in the Dido episode of the Aeneid.

Example: "Overwhelmed by         , Dido could think of nothing but Aeneas."

Anchīsēs

Anchises, father of Aeneas. A key character whose guidance from beyond the grave shapes Aeneas's journey.

Example: "Aeneas visited the shade of          in the underworld to learn of Rome's future."

angustus

Narrow, confined, tight; difficult. Used by Caesar for narrow passes and tight situations.

Example: "The          mountain pass forced the army to march in single file."

anima

Breath, spirit, soul, life. Often interchangeable with animus but more associated with the life-force.

Example: "As the warrior fell, his          departed to the underworld."

animus

Spirit, mind, courage; (in plural) anger, pride. Frequently used in both Caesar and Vergil.

Example: "The general's speech filled the soldiers'          with renewed courage."

annus

Year. Common in historical and temporal expressions.

Example: "The war lasted for nearly an entire          before a truce was reached."

ante

Before, in front of (as preposition with accusative); previously (as adverb).

Example: "         the battle, Caesar addressed his troops with an encouraging speech."

antequam

Before (conjunction). Introduces temporal clauses.

Example: "Caesar rushed to secure the bridge          the enemy could destroy it."

appellō

To call, address, name; to appeal to. Used when naming or addressing someone formally.

Example: "The Romans would          their greatest generals 'imperator' after a victory."

āra

Altar. Frequently appearing in religious and sacrificial contexts in the Aeneid.

Example: "Aeneas placed offerings upon the sacred          to honor his father's memory."

arbitror

To consider, think, judge, believe. A deponent verb common in Caesar's prose.

Example: "Caesar          that the enemy would attack before dawn."

ardeō

To burn, blaze; to be on fire; to be eager, inflamed with passion.

Example: "The whole city          as flames spread from building to building."

arma

Arms, weapons; warfare. The famous first word of the Aeneid: 'Arma virumque canō.'

Example: "'I sing of          and the man,' begins Vergil's epic poem."

ars

Skill, art, craft; method, technique.

Example: "The Greeks used the          of deception to build the wooden horse."

arx

Citadel, fortress; summit, stronghold. Often refers to the highest point of a city.

Example: "The defenders retreated to the          as the enemy breached the outer walls."

aspiciō

To look at, behold, gaze upon. Common in Vergil's descriptive passages.

Example: "Aeneas turned to          the burning city of Troy one last time."

at

But, but yet, on the other hand. A strong adversative conjunction marking contrast.

Example: "The soldiers were exhausted;          they continued marching through the night."

auctor

Originator, founder, author; promoter, supporter.

Example: "Romulus was considered the          of the city of Rome."

auctōritās

Influence, authority, prestige; official sanction. A key political term in Caesar.

Example: "The          of the senate was needed before the army could march."

audāx

Bold, daring, audacious; reckless. Can have positive or negative connotations.

Example: "The          warrior charged ahead of his comrades into the enemy ranks."

audeō

To dare, venture, be eager. A semi-deponent verb (perfect tenses are passive in form).

Example: "Few men          to speak against the tyrant in public."

audiō

To hear, listen to; to obey. The paradigmatic 4th conjugation verb.

Example: "The crowd gathered to          the orator's speech in the forum."

auferō

To carry away, take away, remove; to steal.

Example: "The storm          the mast and rigging from the lead ship."

aurum

Gold. Frequently symbolic of wealth, greed, or divine splendor in Vergil.

Example: "The temple was adorned with          and precious stones."

aut

Or; aut...aut = either...or. Used for mutually exclusive alternatives.

Example: "The soldiers had to choose:          fight          surrender."

autem

Moreover, but, however. A postpositive conjunction (never first word in a clause).

Example: "The cavalry,         , had already crossed the river before the infantry arrived."

auxilium

Help, aid, assistance; (in plural) auxiliary troops, reinforcements.

Example: "Caesar sent          to the besieged garrison as quickly as possible."

bellum

War, warfare. Appears in the title of Caesar's work: Dē Bellō Gallicō (On the Gallic War).

Example: "The senate voted to declare          against the neighboring kingdom."

bene

Well, rightly, properly. The adverb form of bonus.

Example: "The soldiers fought          and earned the praise of their commander."

bonus

Good, virtuous, noble. Irregular comparative (melior) and superlative (optimus).

Example: "A          leader puts the welfare of his people before his own."

brevis

Short, brief, small. Used for both physical shortness and brevity of time.

Example: "After a          pause, the army resumed its march toward the enemy."

cadō

To fall, sink; to be killed, perish. Frequently used in battle narratives.

Example: "Many brave warriors          on the battlefield that day."

caedēs

Killing, slaughter, massacre; bloodshed.

Example: "The          at the fall of Troy was devastating beyond measure."

caelestis

Heavenly, celestial; divine; (as noun) a god, deity.

Example: "Aeneas received          armor forged by Vulcan himself."

caelum

Sky, heavens; heaven; weather, climate.

Example: "Aeneas raised his hands toward          and prayed to Jupiter for guidance."

campus

Plain, field; open area. Often refers to level ground suitable for battle or assembly.

Example: "The two armies faced each other across the open         ."

canō

To sing, chant; to celebrate in song; to prophesy. The verb in the Aeneid's opening line.

Example: "'I          of arms and the man,' the poet declares at the start of his epic."

capiō

To seize, capture, take; to receive; to understand. An important military and legal term.

Example: "The Roman forces managed to          the enemy stronghold after a long siege."

caput

Head; top, summit; source; life; capital city.

Example: "The warrior's          was adorned with a helmet of gleaming bronze."

carmen

Song, poem; chant, incantation; prophecy.

Example: "The Sibyl spoke her prophetic          in the dark cave at Cumae."

cārus

Dear, beloved, precious; expensive.

Example: "Aeneas mourned the loss of his          companion Palinurus."

castrum

Fortress; (in plural castra) military camp. Essential military vocabulary in Caesar.

Example: "Caesar ordered his men to fortify the          with a ditch and rampart."

cāsus

Fall; chance, accident; misfortune, calamity.

Example: "By         , the two armies encountered each other near the river crossing."

causa

Cause, reason, motive; case (legal); causā + genitive = for the sake of.

Example: "The          of the war was a long-standing dispute over territory."

cēdō

To go, move; to yield, give way, withdraw; to grant.

Example: "The enemy was forced to          ground as the Roman legions advanced."

celer

Swift, quick, rapid. A 3rd declension adjective.

Example: "The          messenger arrived just in time to warn the garrison."

cernō

To discern, perceive, distinguish; to decide, determine.

Example: "Through the smoke, Aeneas could barely          the outline of the burning palace."

certus

Sure, certain, fixed, resolved; reliable. Certiōrem facere = to inform.

Example: "Caesar made his lieutenant          of the enemy's position."

cingō

To surround, encircle, gird; to besiege.

Example: "The Roman forces          the enemy stronghold with a ring of fortifications."

cīvis

Citizen, fellow citizen. A core concept in Roman political identity.

Example: "Every Roman          had both rights and duties under the law."

cīvitās

Citizenship; state, community, nation. Frequently used by Caesar to refer to Gallic tribes.

Example: "The Helvetian          decided to migrate from their homeland."

clāmor

Outcry, shout; battle cry; noise, clamor.

Example: "A great          arose from the troops as they charged into battle."

clārus

Clear, bright; famous, distinguished, renowned.

Example: "The          lineage of Aeneas traced back to the goddess Venus."

classis

Fleet (of ships); class, division. Important in both naval and social contexts.

Example: "Aeneas gathered his          and set sail from the coast of Sicily."

coepī

To begin, commence. A defective verb with only perfect-system forms.

Example: "The soldiers          to build fortifications as soon as they arrived."

cōgnōscō

To learn, find out, understand; (in perfect) to know. Common in Caesar's reconnaissance narratives.

Example: "When Caesar          the enemy's plans, he altered his strategy immediately."

cōgō

To drive together, collect, assemble; to compel, force.

Example: "The general was able to          the scattered troops into a defensive formation."

cohors

Cohort (a unit of ~480 soldiers); band, troop, retinue. Key military term in Caesar.

Example: "Caesar placed his best          at the center of the battle line."

colligō

To gather together, collect, assemble; to recover, rally.

Example: "After the rout, Caesar managed to          his scattered troops."

colō

To cultivate, till; to inhabit; to worship, honor.

Example: "The Gauls          the fertile lands between the Rhine and the Alps."

comes

Companion, comrade, partner; attendant. From com- + eō.

Example: "Achates was Aeneas's most faithful          throughout his wanderings."

committō

To join, unite; to entrust; to engage in (battle). Proelium committere = to join battle.

Example: "Caesar decided to          battle before the enemy could receive reinforcements."

condō

To found, establish; to build; to hide, conceal; to compose (a poem).

Example: "Aeneas was destined to          a new city in the land of Latium."

cōnferō

To bring together, collect; to compare; sē cōnferre = to betake oneself, go.

Example: "The survivors          themselves to the safety of the citadel."

cōnficiō

To complete, accomplish, finish; to exhaust, weaken.

Example: "After the long march, the troops were          by hunger and fatigue."

coniunx

Spouse, husband, wife. Frequently refers to Creusa or Dido in the Aeneid.

Example: "Aeneas searched desperately for his          Creusa amid the flames of Troy."

cōnor

To try, attempt, endeavor. A deponent verb.

Example: "The enemy          to break through the Roman fortifications but failed."

cōnsilium

Plan, counsel, advice; deliberation; council, assembly. Very frequent in Caesar.

Example: "Caesar called a          of war to discuss the next move."

cōnstituō

To set up, establish; to decide, determine, resolve.

Example: "The general          a day for the army to assemble."

cōnsuēscō

To accustom, become accustomed; (in perfect) to be accustomed, be wont.

Example: "The Gauls had          to crossing the river at that ford each winter."