Latin phrases updated March 2021

Bona Fortuna!

Good Luck!

Latina est gaudium et utilis!

Latin is a joy (fun) and useful!

Ego amo te.

I love you.

a.m. (ante meridiem)

before noon.

p.m. (post meridiem)

after noon.

A.D. (Anno Domini)

In the year of our Lord.

semper paratus

always prepared (Coast Guard).

semper fidelis (semper fi)

always faithful (Marines).

semper ubi sub ubi

always wear underwear.

ET (extraterrestrial)

extra + terra--- outside the earth.

terra firma

solid earth/ground (figuratively—certainty).

terra incognita

unknown land.

etc. (et cetera)

and the rest.

et al. (et alii)

and the others.

inter alia

among other things.

per se

by itself.

cf. (confer)

compare.

vox populi

voice of the people.

prima facie

at first look (accepted as correct until proved otherwise).

quot homines, tot sententiae

There are as many opinions as there are men.

non sequitur

it does not follow (logically unrelated statement).

rara avis

rare bird.

sub rosa

under the rose.

sub poena

under penalty (subpoena).

cogito ergo sum

I think; therefore, I am.

e.g. (exempli gratia)

for sake of example.

in absentia

while absent.

INRI (Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum)

Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.

N.B. (Nota Bene)

Note well.

P.S. (Post Scriptum)

Written afterwards.

pro and con (pro et contra)

for and against.

mens sana in corpore sano

sound mind in a sound body.

animus sanus in corpore sano (ASICS)

Healthy mind in a healthy body.

non compos mentis

not of sound mind.

NIKE (Greek, Latin)

Victory.

mea culpa

my fault.

verbum satis sapienti est

A word to the wise is sufficient.

deus ex machina

god from a machine (dramatic rescue element).

dramatis personae

characters in a play.

exeunt

they go out (stage direction).

exit

he goes out (stage direction).

in medias res

into the middle of things.

pro tem (pro tempore)

for the time being.

ad hoc

for this particular purpose.

vs. (v. versus)

against.

facta non verba

deeds, not words.

RIP (Requiescat in Pace)

(May he) rest in peace.

SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus)

Senate and the Roman People.

e pluribus unum

out of many, one.

ad infinitum

to eternity (endlessly).

ad nauseam

to nausea.

alias

otherwise (named).

Plenus venter non student libenter.

A full stomach doesn’t like to study.

alma mater

foster mother (school).

alumnus, alumna

foster child (graduate).

alumni, alumnae (plural)

graduates.

emeritus/emerita

retired.

honoris causa

for the sake of honor (honorary degree).

Scientia est potentia.

Knowledge is power.

Baccalaureus Artium (B.A.)

Bachelor of Arts.

Magister Artium (M.A.)

Master of Arts.

antebellum

before the war.

ars gratia artis

art for the sake of art.

ars longa, vita brevis

art is long, life is short.

qui audet adipiscitur

He who dares, wins.

bona fide

in good faith (real, genuine).

cum grano salis

with a grain of salt.

Carpe diem.

Seize the day.

Patientia est virtus

Patience is a virtue.

ipso facto

by that very fact.

ipso jure

by the law itself.

res ipsa loquitur

The matter speaks for itself.

sui juris

of his own right.

sui generis

of his own kind (unique).

ipse dixit

he himself said.

de mortuis nil nisi bonum

(say) nothing but good about the dead.

Dominus vobiscum

Lord (be) with you.

pax vobiscum

peace (be) with you.

Dona nobis pacem

Give us peace.

Laborare est orare.

To work is to pray.

Alea iacta est.

The die has been cast.

veni, vidi, vici

I came, I saw, I conquered.

veni, vidi, visa

I came, I saw, I bought.

veni, vidi, vegi

I came, I saw, I had a salad.

sine qua non

without which not (indispensable).

a posteriori

from the latter (based on experience).

a priori

from the earlier (independent of experience).

in situ

in that place (in its original place).

horribile dictu

horrible to say.

mirabile dictu

amazing to say.

quid pro quo

one thing in return for another (this for that).

quo jure

by what (legal) right.

quo animo

with what intention.

Nullum crimen sine lege, nulla poena sine lege

No crime and no punishment without a law.

ex tempore

out of the moment (extemporaneous).

habeas corpus

you may have the body.

affidavit

he has stated an oath.

in loco parentis

in place of a parent.

modus operandi (m.o.)

method of working.

in flagrante delicto

caught in the act of committing a crime.