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​DEFINING CLASSICAL ​
WITH THE FINESSE OF LATIN

Directory of Word Lists

DEFINING CLASSICAL WITH THE FINESSE OF LATIN
TRANSLATING YOUR WORLD
See Also:
​Whipping up a Latin Prefix
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DISCOVER ALL THE WORDS OF THE WORLD

CLASSICAL WISDOM
of Ancient Latin

LATIN WISDOM

Vincit qui se vincit.
He conquers who conquers himself.
Used as a motto by many schools, this phrase means getting yourself under control and mastering your own urges and temptations before you try to control the outside world.

Non ducor, duco.
I am not led, I lead.
This phrase is a great way to assert your dominance.

Astra inclinant, sed non obligant.
The stars incline us, they do not bind us.
The phrase means that while fate (whether determined by the stars or the gods might point us in a certain direction, we are never forced in it because free will exists and the decision of what to do is ultimately our own.

Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.
If I can not bend the will of Heaven, I shall move Hell.
This phrase is best-known today for appearing as a dedication in Sigmund Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams. You can use it when you’ve been stymied or prevented from achieving your goal. Adapt the translation by telling people who ask that it means “If I can’t move heaven, I shall raise hell.”

Igne natura renovatur integra.
Through fire, nature is reborn whole.
This phrase refers to the cleansing power of fire and the ever-repeating cycle of death and life.

Aut cum scuto aut in scuto.
Either with shield or on shield.
In Sparta, mothers were said to tell their war-bred children to either come back carrying their shield or on it. It means don’t surrender, never give up.

Carthago delenda est.
Carthage must be destroyed.
Following the Second Punic War Cato the Elder would end his speeches with this phrase, which today can be used to add emphasis and vehemence to an argument.
​

​LATIN WORDS AND PHRASES
An aphorism is a concise, terse, laconic, and/or memorable expression of a general truth or principle.
  • ad arbitrium: at will
  • ad infinitum: to infinity; enduring forever
  • ad hon: to this
  • ad valore: according to value
  • amor vincit omnia: love conquers all
  • aqua vitae: water of life
  • bona fide: in good faith
  • carpe diem: seize the day
  • carpe noctem: seize the night
  • caveat emptor: let the buyer beware
  • ceteris paribus: all other things being equal
  • contra legem: against the law
  • cor unum: one heart
  • cum grano salis: with a grain of salt
  • data venia: with due respect
  • deo confidimus: in God we trus
  • dominus vobiscum: the Lord be with you
  • ex mea sententia: in my opinion
  • exempli gratia (e.g.): for the sake of example
  • fiat lux: Let there be light
  • fortis est veritas: truth is strong
  • hic et nunc: here and now
  • in vino veritas: truth in wine
  • iustitia omnibus: justice for all
  • nil desperandum: never despair!
  • nunquam obliviscar: never forget
  • omnia vincit amor: love conquers all
  • onus probandi: burden of proof
  • passim: here and there, everywhere
  • pax in terra: peace on earth
  • per diem: by day
  • post factum: after the fact
  • pro parte: in part
  • pro scientia atque sapientia: for knowledge and wisdom
  • seculo seculorum: forever and ever
  • semper idem : always the same
  • sequere pecuniam: follow the money
  • suum cuique: to each his own
  • temet nosce: know thyself
  • utrinque paratus: ready for anything
  • velle est posse: to be willing is to be able
  • veni, vidi, vici: I came, I saw, I conquered
  • verbatim: word for word
  • veritas omnia vincit: truth conquers all
  • vi et animo: with heart and soul

MORE LATIN WISDOM

Alterius non sit qui suus esse potest: let no man be another's who can be his own

Ars longa, vita brevis: Art is long, life is short

Calamus gladio fortior: The pen is mightier than the sword

Cogito, ergo sum: I think, therefore I am

Condemnant quod non intellegunt: They condemn what they do not understand

Credo ut intelligam: I believe so that I may understand

Docendo disco, scribendo cogito: I learn by teaching, I think by writing

Exitus acta probat: The result justifies the deed

Grandescunt aucta labore: By hard work, all things increase and grow

Igne natura renovatur integra: Through fire, nature is reborn whole.

Ipsa scientia potestas est: Knowledge itself is power

Male parta male dilabuntur: What has been wrongly gained is wrongly lost

Mens sana In corpore sano: A healthy mind in a healthy body.’

Nemo sine vitio est: No one is without fault

Nisi paria non pugnant: It takes two to make a fight

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum: Don't let the bastards grind you down

Non ducor, duco: I am not led, I lead.

Oderint dum metuant: Let them hate so long as they fear.

Omnium rerum principia parva sunt: The beginnings of all things are small

Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim: Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you

Qui totum vult totum perdit: He who wants everything loses everything

Scientia ipsa potentia est: Knowledge itself is power

Timendi causa est nescire: The cause of fear is ignorance

Vincere est vivere: To conquer is to live

Vincit omnia veritas: Truth conquers all

Vitam impendere vero: Dedicate your life to truth

Vivamus, moriendum est: Let us live, since we must die

Vive ut vivas: Live so that you may live

LATIN ABBREVIATIONS
  • AD - anno Domini (in the year of the Lord)
  • A.I. - ad interim (temporarily)
  • A.M. - ante meridiem (before midday)
  • C. - circa (around, about, approximate)
  • C.V. - curriculum vitae (course of life)
  • ET AL - et alii, et alia, et alibi (and others)
  • E.G. - exempli gratia (for example)
  • ETC. - et caetera (and the others)
  • ET SEQ - et sequens (the words, pages, etc. that follow)
  • I.E. - id est (that is, in other words)
  • LB - libra (scale)
  • P.A. - per annum (through a year)
  • PER CENT - per centum (for each one hundred)
  • M.O. - modus operandi (method of operation)
  • OP.CIT. - opere citato (in the work cited)
  • P.M. - post meridiem (after midday)
  • PRO TEM - pro tempore (for the time being, temporarily)
  • P.S. - post scriptum (after what has been written)
  • Q.D. - quaque die (every day)
  • Q.E.D. - quod erat demonstrandum (which was to be demonstrate)
  • RE - in re (in the matter of, concerning)
  • R.I.P. - requiescat in pace (may he/she rest in peace)
  • S.O.S. - si opus sit (if there is need, if occasion require, if necessary)
  • SIC - sic or sic erat scriptum (Thus it was written)
  • STAT - statim (immediately)
  • VS - versus (against)
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