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[phrases.git] / phrases

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a maiore ad minus
from the greater to the smaller
From general to particular; "What holds for all X also holds for one particular X." – argumentum a fortiori
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a minore ad maius
from the smaller to the greater
An inference from smaller to bigger; what is forbidden at least is forbidden at more ("If riding a bicycle with two on it is forbidden, riding it with three on it is at least similarly punished".)
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A solis ortu usque ad occasum
from sunrise to sunset

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ab absurdo
from the absurd
Said of an argument either for a conclusion that rests on the alleged absurdity of an opponent's argument (cf. appeal to ridicule) or that another assertion is false because it is absurd. The phrase is distinct from reductio ad absurdum, which is usually a valid logical argument.
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ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia
The inference of a use from its abuse is not valid
i.e., a right is still a right even if it is abused (e.g. practiced in a morally/ethically wrong way); cf. § abusus non tollit usum.
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ab aeterno
from the eternal
Literally, "from the everlasting," "from eternity," or "from outside of time." Philosophically and theologically, it indicates something, e. g., the universe, that was created from outside of time. Sometimes used incorrectly to denote something, not from without time, but from a point within time, i.e. "from time immemorial," "since the beginning of time." or "from an infinitely remote time in the past")
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ab antiquo
from the ancient
i.e., from ancient times
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a bene placito
from one well pleased
i.e., "at will" or "at one's pleasure." This phrase, and its Italian (beneplacito) and Spanish (beneplácito) derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad libitum (at pleasure).
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ab epistulis
from the letters[1]
Regarding or pertaining to correspondence.[1] Ab epistulis was originally the title of the secretarial office in the Roman Empire
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ab extra
from beyond/without
Legal term denoting derivation from an external source, as opposed to a person's self or mind—the latter of which is denoted by ab intra.
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ab hinc
from here on
Also sometimes written as "abhinc"
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ab imo pectore
from the deepest chest
i.e., "from the bottom of my heart," "with deepest affection," or "sincerely." Attributed to Julius Caesar.
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ab inconvenienti
from an inconvenient thing
New 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. The phrase refers to the legal principle that an argument from inconvenience has great weight.
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ab incunabulis
from the cradle
i.e., "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 c. AD 1500.
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ab initio
from the beginning
i.e., "from the outset," referring to an inquiry or investigation. Ab initio mundi means "from the beginning of the world." In literature, it refers to a story told from the beginning rather than in medias res ('from the middle'). In science, it refers to the first principles. In other contexts, it often refers to beginner or training courses. In law, it refers to a thing being true from its beginning or from the instant of the act, rather than from when the court declared it so. Likewise, an annulment is a judicial declaration of the invalidity or nullity of a marriage ab initio: the so-called marriage was "no thing" (Latin: nullius, from which the word "nullity" derives) and never existed, except perhaps in name only.
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ab intestato
from an intestate
i.e., from a (dead) decedent, who died without executing a legal will; cf. ex testamento
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ab intra
from within
i.e., from the inside, as opposed to ab extra ("from without").
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ab invito
against one's will

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ab irato
from/by an angry person
More literally, "from/by an angry man." Though the form irato is masculine, the application of t he phrase is not limited to men. Rather, "person" is meant because the phrase probably elides homo ("man/person"), not vir ("man"). It is used in law to describe a decision or action that is motivated by hatred or anger instead of reason and is detrimental to those whom it affects.
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ab origine
from the source
i.e., from the origin, beginning, source, or commencement; or, "originally."
Root of the word aboriginal.

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ab ovo
from the egg
i.e., from the beginning or origin. Derived from the longer phrase in Horace's Satire 1.3: "ab ovo usque ad mala," meaning "from the egg to the apples," referring to how Ancient Roman meals would typically begin with an egg dish and end with fruit (cf. the English phrase soup to nuts). Thus, ab ovo means "from the beginning," and can connote thoroughness.
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absens haeres non erit
an absent person will not be an heir
Legal principle that a person who is not present is unlikely to inherit.
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absente reo (abs. re.)
[with] the defendant being absent
Legal phrase denoting action "in the absence of the accused."
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absit iniuria
absent from injury
i.e., "no offense," meaning to wish that no insult or injury be presumed or done by the speaker's words.
Also rendered as absit iniuria verbis ("let injury be absent from these words"). cf. absit invidia.

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absit invidia
absent from envy
As opposed to "no offense," absit invidia is said in the context of a statement of excellence, to ward off envious deities who might interpret a statement of excellence as hubris. Also extended to absit invidia verbo ("may ill will/envy be absent from these words"). cf. absit iniuria verbis.[2]
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absit omen
absent from omen
i.e., "let this not be a bad omen," expressing the hope that something ill-boding does not turn out to be bad luck in the future.
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absolutum dominium
absolute dominion
i.e., total or supreme power, dominion, ownership, or sovereignty
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absolvo
I absolve
Legal term pronounced by a judge in order to acquit a defendant following their trial. Te absolvo or absolvo te ("I forgive you") is said by Roman Catholic priests during the Sacrament of Confession, prior to the Second Vatican Council and in vernacular thereafter.
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abundans cautela non nocet
abundant caution does no harm
i.e., "one can never be too careful"
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ab uno disce omnes
from one, learn all
Refers to situations in which a single example or observation indicates a general or universal truth. Coined in Virgil, Aeneid II 65-6. Example: in the court of King Silas in the American television series Kings.
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ab urbe condita (AUC)
from the founding of the City
i.e., "from the founding of Rome," which occurred in 753 BC, according to Livy. It was used as a referential year in ancient Rome from which subsequent years were calculated, prior to being replaced by other dating conventions. Also anno urbis conditae (AUC), literally "in the year of the founded city."
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abusus non tollit usum
misuse does not remove use
The misuse of some thing does not eliminate the possibility of its correct use. cf. ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia
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ab utili
from utility
Used of an argument
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abyssus abyssum invocat
deep calleth unto deep
From Psalms 42:7; some translations have "sea calls to sea."
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a caelo usque ad centrum
from the sky to the center
i.e., "from Heaven all the way to the center of the Earth." In law, it may refer to the proprietary principle of cuius est solum, eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos ("whosoever is the soil, it is his up to the sky and down to the depths [of the Earth]").
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a capite ad calcem
from head to heel
i.e., "from top to bottom," "all the way through," or "from head to toe." See also a pedibus usque ad caput.
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accipe hoc
take this
Motto of the 848 Naval Air Squadron, British Royal Navy
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accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo
no one ought to accuse himself except in the presence of God
Legal principle denoting that an accused person is entitled to plead not guilty, and that a witness is not obligated to respond or submit a document that would incriminate himself. A similar phrase is nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare ("no one is bound to accuse himself").
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a contrario
from the opposite
i.e., "on the contrary" or "au contraire". Thus, an argumentum a contrario ("argument from the contrary") is an argument or proof by contrast or direct opposite.
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acta deos numquam mortalia fallunt
mortal actions never deceive the gods
Derived from Ovid, Tristia, I.ii, 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.")
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acta est fabula plaudite
The play has been performed; applaud!
Common ending to ancient Roman comedies: Suetonius claimed in The Twelve Caesars that these were the last words of Augustus; Sibelius applied them to the third movement of his String Quartet No. 2, so that his audience would recognize that it was the last one, because a fourth would be ordinarily expected.
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acta non verba
Deeds not Words
Motto of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
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acta sanctorum
Deeds of the Saints
Also used in the singular preceding a saint's name: Acta Sancti ("Deeds of Saint") N.; a common title of hagiography works
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actiones secundum fidei
action follows belief
i.e., "we act according to what we believe (ourselves to be)."[3]
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actus me invito factus non est meus actus
the act done by me against my will is not my act

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actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea
The act does not make [a person] guilty unless the mind should be guilty.
Legal principle of the presumption of mens rea in a crime
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actus reus
guilty act
The actual crime that is committed, as opposed to the intent, thinking, and rationalizing that procured the criminal act; the external elements of a crime, rather than the internal elements (i.e. mens rea).
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ad absurdum
to absurdity
In logic, to the point of being silly or nonsensical. See also reductio ad absurdum. Not to be confused with ab absurdo ("from the absurd").
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ad abundantiam
to abundance
Used in legal language when providing additional evidence to an already sufficient collection. Also used commonly as an equivalent of "as if this wasn't enough."
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ad acta
to the archives
Denoting the irrelevance of a thing
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ad altiora tendo
I strive towards higher things

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ad arbitrium
at will, at pleasure

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ad astra
to the stars
A common name or motto, in whole or part, among many publications
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ad astra per aspera
to the stars through difficulties
i.e., "a rough road leads to the stars," as on the Launch Complex 34 memorial plaque for the astronauts of Apollo 1. Used as a motto by the State of Kansas and other organisations
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ad augusta per angusta
through difficulties to honours
i.e., to rise to a high position overcoming hardships.
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ad captandum vulgus
to captivate the mob
i.e., to appeal to the masses. Often said of or used by politicians. Likewise, an argumentum ad captandum is an argument designed to please the crowd.
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ad clerum
to the clergy
Formal letter or communication in the Christian tradition from a bishop to his clergy. An ad clerum may be an encouragement in a time of celebration or a technical explanation of new regulations or canons.
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a Deucalione
from or since Deucalion
A long time ago; from Gaius Lucilius, Satires VI, 284
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ad eundem
to the same
An ad eundem degree (derived from ad eundem gradum, "to the same step or degree") is a courtesy degree awarded by a university or college to an alumnus of another. Rather than an honorary degree, it is a recognition of the formal learning for which the degree was earned at another college.
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ad fontes
to the sources
Motto of Renaissance humanism and the Protestant Reformation
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ad fundum
to the bottom
i.e., "bottoms up!" (during a generic toast) or "back to the basics," depending on context.
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ad hoc
to this
i.e., "for this," in the sense of improvised or intended only for a specific, immediate purpose.
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ad hominem
to/at the man
Provides the term argumentum ad hominem, a logical fallacy in which a person themselves is criticized, when the subject of debate is their idea or argument, on the mistaken assumption that the soundness of an argument is dependent on the qualities of the proponent.
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ad honorem
to/for the honour
i.e., not for the purpose of gaining any material reward
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ad infinitum
to infinity
i.e., enduring forever. Used to designate a property which repeats in all cases in mathematical proof. Also used in philosophical contexts to mean "repeating in all cases."
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ad interim (ad int.)
for the meantime
As in the term "chargé d'affaires ad interim," denoting a diplomatic officer who acts in place of an ambassador.
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ad kalendas graecas
at the Greek Calends
i.e., "when pigs fly." Attributed 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.
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ad libitum (ad lib)
toward pleasure
i.e, "according to what pleases" or "as you wish." In music and theatrical scripts, it typically indicates that the performer has the liberty to change or omit something. Ad lib is often, specifically used when one improvises or ignores limitations. Also used by some restaurants in favor of the colloquial "all you can eat or drink." Libitum comes from the past participle of libere ("to please").
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ad litem
to the lawsuit
Legal phrase 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.
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ad locum (ad loc.)
at the place
Used to suggest looking for information about a term in the corresponding place in a cited work of reference.
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ad lucem
to the light
frequently used motto for educational institutions
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ad maiorem Dei gloriam, or, ad majorem Dei gloriam (AMDG)
For the greater glory of God
Motto of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Edward Elgar dedicated his oratorio The Dream of Gerontius "A.M.D.G."
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ad meliora
towards better things
Motto of St Patrick's College, Cavan, Ireland
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ad mortem
to/at death
Medical phrase serving as a synonym for death
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ad multos annos
to many years
Wish for a long life; similar to "many happy returns."
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ad nauseam
to sickness
i.e., "to the point of disgust." Sometimes used as a humorous alternative to ad infinitum. An argumentum ad nauseam is a logical fallacy in which erroneous proof is proffered by prolonged repetition of the argument, i. e., the argument is repeated so many times that persons are "sick of it".
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ad oculos
to the eyes
i.e., "obvious on sight" or "obvious to anyone that sees it"
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ad pedem litterae
to the foot of the letter
i.e., "exactly as it is written," "to the letter," or "to the very last detail"
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ad perpetuam memoriam
to the perpetual memory
Generally precedes "of" and a person's name, used to wish for someone to be remembered long after death
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ad pondus omnium (ad pond om)
to the weight of all things
i.e., "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.
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ad quod damnum
to whatever damage
i.e., "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.
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ad referendum(ad ref)
to reference
i.e., subject to be proposed, provisionally approved, but still needing official approval. Not the same as a referendum.
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ad rem
to the matter
i.e., "to the point" or "without digression"
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adsumus
here we are
Motto of the Brazilian Marine Corps
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ad susceptum perficiendum
in order to achieve what has been undertaken
Motto of the Association of Trust Schools
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ad terminum qui praeteriit
for the term which has passed
Legal phrase for a writ of entry[4]
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ad undas
to the waves
i.e., "to Hell"
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ad unum
to one

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ad usum Delphini
for the use of the Dauphin
Said of a work that has been expurgated of offensive or improper parts. Originates from editions of Greek and Roman classics which King Louis XIV of France had censored for his heir apparent, the Dauphin. Also rarely in usum Delphini ("into the use of the Dauphin").
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ad usum proprium (ad us. propr.)
for one's own use

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ad utrumque paratus
prepared for either [alternative]
Motto of Lund University, with the implied alternatives being the book (study) and the sword (defending the nation in war), and of the United States Marine Corps' III Marine Expeditionary Force
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ad valorem
according to value
Used in commerce to refer to ad valorem taxes, i. e., taxes based on the assessed value of real estate or personal property
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ad victoriam
to/for victory
Used as a battle cry by the Romans.
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ad vitam aeternam
to eternal life
i.e., "to life everlasting." A common Biblical phrase
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ad vitam aut culpam
for life or until fault
Used in reference to the ending of a political term upon the death or downfall of the officer (demise as in their commission of a sufficiently grave immorality and/or legal crime).
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addendum
thing to be added
i.e., an item to be added, especially as a supplement to a book. The plural is addenda.
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adaequatio rei et intellectus
correspondence of mind and reality
One of the classic definitions of "truth:" when the mind has the same form as reality, we think truth. Also rendered as adaequatio intellectus et rei.
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adaequatio intellectus nostri cum re
conformity of intellect to the fact
Phrase used in epistemology regarding the nature of understanding.
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adsum
I am here
i.e., "present!" or "here!" The opposite of absum ("I am absent").
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adversus solem ne loquitor
do not speak against the Sun
i.e., "do not argue what is obviously/manifestly incorrect."
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advocatus diaboli
Devil's advocate
Someone who, in the face of a specific argument, voices an argument that he does not necessarily accept, for the sake of argument and discovering the truth by testing the opponent's argument. cf. arguendo.
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aegri somnia
a sick man's dreams
i.e., "troubled dreams." From Horace, Ars Poetica VII 7.
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aes alienum
foreign debt
i.e., "someone else's money"
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aetatis suae (aetatis, aetat. or aet.)
of his age or at the age of
The word aetatis means "aged" or "of age" (e.g. "aetatis 36" denotes being "of age 36" or "aged 36 years old.") Appears on portraits, gravestones, monuments, etc. Usually preceded by anno (AAS), "in the year # [of his age/life]." Frequently combined with Anno Domini, giving a date as both the theoretical age of Jesus Christ and the age of the decedent. Example: "Obiit anno Domini MDCXXXVIo (tricensimo sexto), [anno] aetatis suae XXVo (vicensimo quinto)" ("he died in the 1636th year of the Lord, [being] the 25th [year] of his age[/life]").
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a falsis principiis proficisci
to set forth from false principles
Legal phrase. From Cicero, De Finibus IV.53.
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affidavit
he asserted
Legal term derived from fides ("faith"), originating at least from Medieval Latin to denote a statement under oath.
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a fortiori
from the stronger
i.e., "even more so" or "with even stronger reason." Often used to lead from a less certain proposition to a more evident corollary.
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age quod agis
do what you do
i.e., "do what you are doing" or "do well whatever you do." Figuratively, it means "keep going, because you are inspired or dedicated to do so." This is the motto of several Roman Catholic schools, and was also used by Pope John XXIII in the sense of "do not be concerned with any other matter than the task in hand;" he was allaying worry of what would become of him in the future: his sense of age quod agis was "joy" regarding what is presently occurring and "detachment" from concern of the future.[5]
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agere sequitur (esse)
action follows being
Metaphysical and moral principle that indicates the connection of ontology, obligation, and ethics.[3]
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Agnus Dei
Lamb of God
Refers both to the innocence of a lamb and to Christ being a sacrificial lamb after the Jewish religious practice. It is the Latin translation from John 1:36, when St. John the Baptist exclaimes "Ecce Agnus Dei!" ("Behold the Lamb of God!") upon seeing Jesus Christ.
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alea iacta est
the die has been cast
Said by Julius Caesar (Greek: ἀνερρίφθω κύβος, anerrhíphthō kýbos) 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.
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alenda lux ubi orta libertas
Let light be nourished where liberty has arisen
"Light" meaning learning. Motto of Davidson College.
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alias
at another time, otherwise
An assumed name or pseudonym; similar to alter ego, but more specifically referring to a name, not to a "second self."
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alibi
elsewhere
Legal defense where a defendant attempts to show that he was elsewhere at the time a crime was committed (e.g. "his alibi is sound; he gave evidence that he was in another city on the night of the murder.")
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aliquid stat pro aliquo
something stands for something else
Foundational definition in semiotics.
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alis aquilae
on an eagle's wings
From Isaiah 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."
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alis grave nil
nothing [is] heavy with wings
i.e., "nothing is heavy to those who have wings"; motto of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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alis volat propriis
she flies with her own wings
Motto of the State of Oregon, adopted in 1987, replacing the previous state motto of "The Union," which was adopted in 1957.
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alma mater
nourishing mother
Term 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. It is also used for a university's traditional school anthem.
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alter ego
another I
i.e., another 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.
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alterius non sit qui suus esse potest
let no man be another's who can be his own
Usually attributed to Cicero, the phrase is the final sentence in Aesop's ascribed fable "The Frogs Who Desired a King" as appears in the collection commonly known as the "Anonymus Neveleti," in Fable 21B: De ranis a Iove querentibus regem.
Used as a motto by Paracelsus.

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alterum non laedere
to not wound another
One of Justinian I's three basic legal precepts
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alumnus, or, alumna
pupil
Graduate or former student of a school, college, or university. Plural of alumnus is alumni (male).  Plural of alumna is alumnae (female).
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a mari usque ad mare
from sea to sea
From 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.
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amat victoria curam
victory favours care
Motto of several schools
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amicus certus in re incerta
a sure friend in an unsure matter
From Ennius, as quoted by Cicero in Laelius de Amicitia, s. 64
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amicus curiae
friend of the court
i.e., an adviser, or a person who can obtain or grant access to the favour of a powerful group (e. g., the Roman Curia). In current U.S. legal usage, an amicus curiae is a third party who is allowed to submit a legal opinion in the form of an amicus brief to the court.
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Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas.
Plato is my friend, but truth is a better friend.
An assertion that truth is more valuable than friendship. Attributed to Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, 1096a15; and Roger Bacon, Opus Majus, Part 1, Chapter 5.
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amittere legem terrae
to lose the law of the land
An obsolete legal phrase signifying the forfeiture of the right of swearing in any court or cause, or to become infamous.
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amor Dei intellectualis
intellectual love of God
From Baruch Spinoza
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amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus
love is rich with both honey and venom

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amor fati
love of fate
Nietzscheian alternative worldview to that represented through memento mori ("remember you must die"): Nietzsche believed amor fati was more affirmative of life.
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amor omnibus idem
love is the same for all
From Virgil, Georgics III
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amor patriae
love of the fatherland
i.e., "love of the nation;" patriotism
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amor vincit omnia
love conquers all
Originally from Virgil, Eclogues X, 69: omnia vincit amor: et nos cedamus amori ("love conquers all: let us too surrender to love"). The phrase is inscribed on a bracelet worn by the Prioress in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
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An nescis, mi fili, quantilla prudentia mundus regatur?
Do you not know, my son, with how little wisdom the world is governed?
Said by Axel Oxenstierna to encourage his son, a delegate to the negotiations that would lead to the Peace of Westphalia, who worried about his ability to hold his own amidst experienced and eminent statesmen and diplomats.
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anglice
in English
Used before the anglicized version of a word or name. For example, "Terra Mariae, anglice, Maryland".
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animus in consulendo liber
a mind unfettered in deliberation
Motto of NATO
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anno (an.)
in the year
Also used in such phrases as anno urbis conditae (see ab urbe condita), Anno Domini, and anno regni.
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anno Domini (A.D.)
in the year of our Lord
Abbreviation of Anno Domini Nostri Jesu 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 His birth were formerly signified by a. C. n (ante Christum natum, "before Christ was born"), but now use the English abbreviation "BC" ("before Christ"). For example, Augustus was born in the year 63 BC and died in AD 14.
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anno regni
In the year of the reign
Precedes "of" and the current ruler
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annuit cœptis
he nods at things now begun
i.e., "he approves our undertakings." Motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and, consequently, on the reverse of the United States one-dollar bill; in this context the motto refers to God.
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annus horribilis
horrible year
Variation on annus mirabilis, recorded in print from 1890.[6] Notably used in a speech by Queen Elizabeth II to describe what a bad year 1992 had been for her. In Classical Latin, this phrase actually means "terrifying year". See also annus terribilis.
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annus mirabilis
wonderful year
Used particularly to refer to the years 1665 and 1666, 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, mass-energy equivalence, and the special theory of relativity. (See Annus Mirabilis papers)
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annus terribilis
dreadful year
Used to describe 1348, the year the Black Death began to afflict Europe.
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ante bellum
before the war
As 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.
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ante cibum (a.c.)
before food
Medical shorthand for "before meals"
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Ante faciem Domini
before the face of the Lord
Motto of the Christian Brothers College, Adelaide
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ante litteram
before the letter
Said 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.
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ante meridiem (a.m.)
before midday
From midnight to noon; confer post meridiem
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ante mortem
before death
See post mortem ("after death")
%
ante omnia armari
before all else, be armed

%
ante prandium (a.p.)
before lunch
Used on pharmaceutical prescriptions to denote "before a meal". Less common is post prandium ("after lunch").
%
antiqui colant antiquum dierum
let the ancients worship the ancient of days
The motto of Chester
%
a pedibus usque ad caput
from feet to head
i.e., "completely," "from tip to toe," "from head to toe." Equally a capite ad calcem. See also ab ovo usque ad mala.
%
aperire terram gentibus
open the land to nations
Motto of Ferdinand de Lesseps referring to the Suez and Panama Canals. Also appears on a plaque at Kinshasa train station.
%
a posse ad esse
from being able to being
"From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to being actual".
%
a posteriori
from the latter
Based on observation, i. e., empirical evidence. Opposite 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.
%
apparatus criticus
tools of a critic
Textual notes or a list of other readings relating to a document, especially in a scholarly edition of a text.
%
a priori
from the former
Presupposed 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.
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apologia pro vita sua
defense of one's life
[7]
%
apud
in the writings of
Used in scholarly works to cite a reference at second hand
%
aqua (aq.)
water

%
aqua fortis
strong water
Refers to nitric acid, thus called because of its ability to dissolve all materials except gold and platinum
%
aqua pura
pure water
Or, "clear water" or "clean water"
%
aqua regia
royal water
Refers to a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, thus called because of its ability to dissolve gold and platinum
%
aqua vitae
water 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 the Netherlands, brandy (eau de vie) in France, and akvavit in Scandinavia.
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aquila non capit muscas
an eagle does not catch flies
Or, "a noble or important person does not deal with insignificant matters"
%
arare litus
to plough the seashore
Desiderius Erasmus, Adagia (AD 1508); meaning "wasted labor"
%
arbiter elegantiarum
judge of tastes
One who prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority on matters of social behavior and taste. Said of Petronius. Sometimes found in the singular as arbiter elegantiae ("judge of taste").
%
arcana imperii
the secrets of power
Originally used by Tacitus to refer to the state secrets and unaccountable acts of the Roman imperial government
%
arcanum boni tenoris animae
The secret behind a good mood
Motto of the Starobrno Brewery in Brno
%
arcus senilis
bow of an old person
An opaque circle around the cornea of the eye, often seen in elderly people
%
arduus ad solem
Striving towards the Sun
Motto of Victoria University of Manchester
%
argentum album
white silver
Also "silver coin"; mentioned in the Domesday Book; signifies bullion or silver uncoined
%
arguendo
for arguing
Or, "for the sake of argument". Said when something is done purely in order to discuss a matter or illustrate a point. E. g., "let us assume, arguendo, that your claim is correct."
%
argumentum
argument
Or "reasoning", "inference", "appeal", or "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 invidiam (to envy/jealousy/odium/hatred/reproach – appealing to low passions), 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).
%
  armata potentia
armed and powerful
charge made by a Justice of the Peace in Medieval England against those who rode in arms against the King's Peace.
%
ars celare artem
art [is] to conceal art
An aesthetic ideal that good art should appear natural rather than contrived. Of medieval origin, but often incorrectly attributed to Ovid.[8]
%
ars gratia artis
art for the sake of art
Translated into Latin from Baudelaire's L'art pour l'art. Motto of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. While symmetrical for the logo of MGM, the better word order in Latin is "Ars artis gratia".
%
ars longa, vita brevis
art is long, life is short
Seneca, De Brevitate Vitae, 1.1, translating a phrase of Hippocrates that is 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 labore
by art and by labour
Motto of Blackburn Rovers F.C.
%
arte et marte
by skill and by fighting
Motto of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Branch of the Canadian Forces
%
Artis Bohemiae Amicis
Friends of Czech Arts
Award of the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic for the promotion of the positive reputation of Czech culture abroad
%
asinus ad lyram
an ass to the lyre
Desiderius Erasmus, Adagia (AD 1508); meaning "an awkward or incompetent individual"
%
asinus asinum fricat
the jackass rubs the jackass
Used to describe 2 persons who are lavishing excessive praise on one another
%
assecuratus non quaerit lucrum sed agit ne in damno sit
the assured does not seek profit but makes [it his profit] that he not be in loss
Refers to the insurance principle that the indemnity can not be larger than the loss
%
astra inclinant, sed non obligant
the stars incline us, they do not bind us
Refers to the distinction of free will from astrological determinism
%
auctores varii
various authors
Used in bibliography for books, texts, publications, or articles that have more than 3 collaborators
%
auctoritas
authority
Level of prestige a person had in Roman society
%
auctoritas non veritas facit legem
authority, not truth, makes law
This formula appears in the 1668 Latin revised edition of Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan, book 2, chapter 26, p. 133.
%
audacia pro muro et scuto opus
boldness is our wall, action is our shield
Cornelis Jol,[9] in a bid to rally his rebellious captains to fight and conquer the Spanish treasure fleet in 1638.
%
audacter calumniare, semper aliquid haeret
slander boldly, something always sticks
Francis Bacon, De Augmentis Scientiarum (AD 1623)
%
audax at fidelis
bold but faithful
Motto of Queensland, Australia
%
audeamus
let us dare
Motto of the Canadian Special Operations Regiment [CSOR] on their regimental coat of arms; of Otago University Students' Association, a direct response to the university's motto of sapere aude ("dare to be wise"); and of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.
%
audemus jura nostra defendere
we dare to defend our rights
Motto of the State of Alabama, adopted in AD 1923; translated into Latin from a paraphrase of the stanza "Men who their duties know / But know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain" from William Jones, "What Constitutes a State?"
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audentes fortuna iuvat
fortune favors the bold
From Virgil, Aeneid, Book 10, 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 in the latter form.
%
audere est facere
to dare is to do
Motto of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
%
audi alteram partem
hear the other side
Legal principle; also worded as audiatur et altera pars ("let the other side be heard also")
%
audio hostem
I hear the enemy
Motto of the 845 NAS Royal Navy
%
audi, vide, tace
hear, see, be silent

%
aurea mediocritas
golden mean
From Horace's Odes, 2, 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 fames
accursed hunger for gold
From Virgil, Aeneid, Book 3, 57. Later quoted by Seneca as quod non mortalia pectora coges, auri sacra fames ("what do not you force mortal hearts [to do], accursed hunger for gold").
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auribus teneo lupum
I hold a wolf by the ears
Common ancient proverb, this version from Terence. It 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".
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aurora australis
southern dawn
The Southern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Southern Hemisphere. It is less well-known than the Northern Lights (aurorea borealis). The Aurora Australis is also the name of an Antarctic icebreaker ship.
%
aurora borealis
northern dawn
The Northern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Northern Hemisphere.
%
aurora musis amica
dawn is a friend to the muses
Title of a distich by Iohannes Christenius (1599–1672): "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 est
gold is power
Motto of the fictional Fowl Family in the Artemis Fowl series, written by Eoin Colfer
%
auspicium melioris aevi
hope/token of a better age
Motto of the Order of St Michael and St George and of Raffles Institution in Singapore
%
aut Caesar aut nihil
either Caesar or nothing
Denotes an absolute aspiration to become the Emperor, or the equivalent supreme magistrate, and nothing else. More generally, "all or nothing". A personal motto of Cesare Borgia. Charlie Chaplin also used the phrase in The Great Dictator to ridicule Hynkel's (Chaplin's parody of Hitler) ambition for power, but substituted "nullus" for "nihil".
%
aut consilio aut ense
either by meeting or the sword
I. e., either through reasoned discussion or through war. It was the first motto of Chile (see coat of arms), changed to Spanish: Por la razón o la fuerza. Name of episode 1 in season 3 of Berlin Station.
%
aut cum scuto aut in scuto
either with shield or on shield
Or, "do or die" or "no retreat". A Greek expression («Ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς») that Spartan mothers said to their sons as they departed for battle. It refers to the practices that a Greek hoplite would drop his cumbersome shield in order to flee the battlefield, and a slain warrior would be borne home atop his shield.
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aut imiteris aut oderis
imitate or loathe it
Seneca the Younger, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, 7:7. From the full phrase: "necesse est aut imiteris aut oderis" ("you must either imitate or loathe the world").
%
aut neca aut necare
either kill or be killed
Also: "neca ne neceris" ("kill lest you be killed")
%
aut pax aut bellum
either peace or war
Motto of the Gunn Clan
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aut simul stabunt aut simul cadent
they will either stand together or fall together
Said of two situations that can only occur simultaneously: if one ends, so does the other, and vice versa.[10]
%
aut viam inveniam aut faciam
I will either find a way or make one
Hannibal
%
aut vincere aut mori
either to conquer or to die
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 United States 1st Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
%
ave atque vale
hail and farewell
Catullus, Carmen 101, addressed to his deceased brother
%
ave Europa nostra vera patria
hail Europe, our true fatherland
Anthem of Imperium Europa
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Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant
Hail, 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 naumachiarii–captives 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 Maria
Hail, Mary
Roman Catholic prayer of intercession asking St. Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ to pray for the petitioner
%
ave mater Angliae
Hail, Mother of England
Motto of Canterbury, England
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barba crescit caput nescit
beard grows, head doesn't grow wiser

%
barba non facit philosophum
a beard doesn't make one a philosopher

%
barba tenus sapientes
wise as far as the beard
Wise only in appearance. From Erasmus's collection of Adages.
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Beata Virgo Maria (BVM)
Blessed Virgin Mary
A 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).
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beatae memoriae
of blessed memory
See in memoriam
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beati pauperes spiritu
blessed 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".
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beati possidentes
blessed [are] those who possess
Translated from Euripides
%
beati qui ambulant lege domini
blessed are they who walk in the law of the Lord
Inscription above the entrance to St. Andrew's Church (New York City), based on the second half of Psalm 119:1
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beati quorum via integra est
blessed are they whose way is upright
first half of Psalm 119:1, base of several musical setting such as Beati quorum via (Stanford)
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beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
blessed is the man who finds wisdom
From Proverbs 3:13; set to music in a 1577 motet of the same name by Orlando di Lasso.
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Bella, mulier qui hominum allicit et accipit eos per fortis
war, a woman who lures men and takes them by force
Latin proverb[citation needed]
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bella gerant aliiProtesilaus amet!
let others wage warProtesilaus should love!
Originally from Ovid, Heroides 13.84,[11] 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.
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bella detesta matribus
war hateful to mothers
From Horace
%
bello et jure senesco
I grow old through war and law
Motto of the House of d'Udekem d'Acoz [nl]
%
bellum omnium contra omnes
war of all against all
A phrase used by Thomas Hobbes to describe the state of nature
%
bellum Romanum
war as the Romans did it
All-out war without restraint as Romans practiced against groups they considered to be barbarians
%
bellum se ipsum alet
war feeds itself

%
Biblia pauperum
Paupers' Bible
Tradition of biblical pictures displaying the essential facts of Christian salvation
%
bibo ergo sum
I drink, therefore I am
A play on "cogito ergo sum", "I think therefore I am"
%
bis dat qui cito dat
he gives twice, who gives promptly
A gift given without hesitation is as good as two gifts.
%
bis in die (bid)
twice in a day
Medical shorthand for "twice a day"
%
bona fide
in good faith
In 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.
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bona notabilia
note-worthy goods
In 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.
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bona officia
good services
A nation's offer to mediate in disputes between two other nations
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bona patria
goods of a country
A jury or assize of countrymen, or good neighbors
%
bona vacantia
vacant goods
United Kingdom legal term for ownerless property that passes to The Crown
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boni pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubere
it is a good shepherd's [job] to shear his flock, not to flay them
Tiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a warning against taxing the populace excessively.
%
bono malum superate
overcome evil with good
Motto of Westonbirt School
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bonum commune communitatis
common good of the community
Or "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 hominis
common good of a man
Refers 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.
%
boreas domus, mare amicus
the North is our home, the sea is our friend
Motto of Orkney
%
brutum fulmen
harmless (or inert) thunderbolt
Used to indicate either an empty threat, or a judgement at law which has no practical effect
%
busillis [it]
baffling puzzle, thorny problem
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 (“in those days”), which the scribe misread as in die busillis (“at the day of Busillis”) believing this was a famous man. This mondegreen has since entered the literature; it occurs in Alessandro Manzoni’s novel The Betrothed (1827), in Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov (1880), and in Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano series.
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cacatum non est pictum
That what's shat, is not painted.
From Gottfried August Bürger's Prinzessin Europa (line 60); popularised by Heinrich Heine's Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen (XI, 44); also the title of Joseph Haydn's canon for four voices, Hob. XXVIIb:16; Ludwig van Beethoven set the text by Bürger as a three-voice canon, WoO 224. Contemporary critics applied this epithet to both of Turner's Regulus (1828 and 1837).[12]
%
cacoethes scribendi
insatiable desire to write
Cacoēthes[13] "bad habit", or medically, "malignant disease" is a borrowing of Greek kakoēthes.[14] 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 innumera
truly countless bodies
Used 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 at Béziers during the Albigensian Crusade, recorded 30 years later, according to Caesarius of Heisterbach. cf. "Kill them all and let God sort them out."
%
Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt
Those who hurry across the sea change the sky [upon them], not their souls or state of mind
Hexameter by Horace (Epistula XI).[15] Seneca shortens it to Animum debes mutare, non caelum (You must change [your] disposition, not [your] sky) in his Letter to Lucilium XXVIII, 1.
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Caesar non supra grammaticos
Caesar has no authority over the grammarians
Political power is limited; it does not include power over grammar.[16]
%
caetera desunt
the rest is missing
Caetera is Medieval Latin spelling for cētera.
%
calix meus inebrians
my cup making me drunk

%
calamus gladio fortior
The pen is mightier than the sword

%
camera obscura
dark chamber
An optical device used in drawing, and an ancestor of modern photography. The source of the word camera.
%
Cane Nero magna bella Persica
Tell, oh Nero, of the great wars of Persia
Perfectly correct Latin sentence usually reported as funny from modern Italians because the same exact words, in today's dialect of Rome, mean "A black dog eats a beautiful peach", which has a ridiculously different meaning.
%
canes pugnaces
war dogs or fighting dogs

%
canis canem edit
dog eats dog
Refers to a situation where nobody is safe from anybody, each man for himself. Original name of the video game Bully.
%
capax Dei
capable of receiving God
From Augustine, De Trinitate XIV, 8.11: Mens eo ipso imago Dei est quo eius capax est,[17] "The mind is the image of God, in that it is capable of Him and can be partaker of Him."
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capax imperii nisi imperasset
capable of imperial power if only he had not held it
Written by Tacitus in The Histories to describe Galba as emperor.[18]
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capax infiniti
holding the infinite
Capability of achieving goals by force of many instead of a single individual.
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caput inter nubila (condit)
(she plunges) [her] head in the clouds
So 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 mortuum
dead head
Originally 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 Christi
The love of Christ
It implies a command to love as Christ loved. Motto of St. Francis Xavier High School located in West Meadowlark Park, Edmonton.
%
Caritas in veritate
Charity in truth
Pope Benedict XVI's third encyclical[19]
%
carpe diem
seize the day
An 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 noctem
seize the night
An 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 vinum
seize the wine

%
Carthago delenda est
Carthage must be destroyed
The 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."
%
castigat ridendo mores
One corrects customs by laughing at them
Or, "[Comedy/Satire] criticises customs through humour", is a phrase coined by French New Latin poet Jean-Baptiste de Santeul (1630–1697), but sometimes wrongly attributed to his contemporary Molière or to Roman lyric poet Horace.
%
casus belli
event of war
Refers to an incident that is the justification or case for war.
%
causa latet, vis est notissima
The cause is hidden, but the result is well known.
Ovid: Metamorphoses IV, 287; motto of Alpha Sigma Phi.
%
causa mortis
cause of death

%
cave
beware!
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 canem
Beware of the dog
Earliest written example is in the Satyricon of Petronius, circa 1st century C.E.
%
caveat emptor
let the buyer beware
The 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 venditor
let the seller beware
It 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 togae
let arms yield to the gown
"Let military power yield to civilian power", Cicero, De Officiis I:77. Former motto of the Territory of Wyoming. See also Toga#Roman_military.
%
cedere nescio
I know not how to yield
Motto of HMAS Norman
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Celer – Silens – Mortalis
Swift – Silent – Deadly
Motto of the United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance, also known as FORCE RECON or FORECON, one of the United States Marine Corps Special Operations Capable Forces (SOC) that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), supporting their task force commanders, and their subordinate operating units of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF).
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celerius quam asparagi cocuntur
more swiftly than asparagus [stem]s are cooked
Or 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 corpus
I have taken the body
In 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.
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certum est quod certum reddi potest
it is certain, whatever can be rendered certain
Or "... 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 lex
when the reason for the law ceases, the law itself ceases
A 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 desunt
the rest are missing
Also spelled "caetera desunt".
%
ceteris paribus
all other things being equal
That is, disregarding or eliminating extraneous factors in a situation.
%
charta pardonationis se defendendo
a paper of pardon to defend oneself
The form of a pardon for killing another man in self-defence (see manslaughter).
%
charta pardonationis utlagariae
a paper of pardon to the outlaw
The 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 Doctrinae
For Christ and Learning
The motto of Furman University.
%
Christus nos liberavit
Christ has freed us
title of volume I, book 5, chapter XI of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.
%
Christus Rex
Christ the King
A Christian title for Jesus.
%
Cicero pro domo sua [it]
Cicero's speech in 57 BC to regain his confiscated house
Said of someone who pleads cases for their own benefit; see List of Latin phrases (P) § pro domo
%
circa (c.) or (ca.)
around
In the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a date.
%
circulus in probando
circle made in testing [a premise]
Circular reasoning. Similar term to circulus vitiosus.
%
circulus vitiosus
vicious circle
In 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 fortius
faster, higher, stronger
Motto of the modern Olympics.
%
civis romanus sum
I am (a) Roman citizen
Is a phrase used in Cicero's In Verrem as a plea for the legal rights of a Roman citizen
%
clamea admittenda in itinere per atturnatum
 
A 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.
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clarere audere gaudere
[be] bright, daring, joyful
Motto of the Geal family.
%
clausum fregit
 
A 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.
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claves Sancti Petri
the keys of Saint Peter
A symbol of the Papacy.
%
clavis aurea
golden key
The means of discovering hidden or mysterious meanings in texts, particularly applied in theology and alchemy.
%
clerico admittendo
for being made a clerk
In 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.
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clerico capto per statutum mercatorum
 
In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk out of prison, who is imprisoned upon the breach of statute merchant.
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clerico convicto commisso gaolae in defectu ordinarii deliberando
 
In 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.
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clerico intra sacros ordines constituto non eligendo in officium
 
In 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 Canonici
Book of Canon Law
The official code of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Corpus Iuris Canonici).
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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 (1906).
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cogito, ergo sum
I think, therefore I am.
A rationalistic argument used by French philosopher René Descartes to attempt to prove his own existence.
%
coitus interruptus
interrupted congress
Aborting sexual intercourse prior to ejaculation—the only permitted form of birth control in some religions.
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coitus more ferarum
congress in the way of beasts
A medical euphemism for the doggy-style sexual position.
%
collige virgo rosas
pick, girl, the roses



Exhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from "De rosis nascentibus" (also titled "Idyllium de rosis"), attributed to Ausonius or Virgil.[20]



"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse


Exhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from "De rosis nascentibus" (also titled "Idyllium de rosis"), attributed to Ausonius or Virgil.[20]



"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse
%
Exhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from "De rosis nascentibus" (also titled "Idyllium de rosis"), attributed to Ausonius or Virgil.[20]



"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse
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combinatio nova
new combination
It 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 annis
in common years
One year with another; on an average. "Common" here does not mean "ordinary", but "common to every situation"
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communibus locis
in common places
A 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"
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communis opinio
common opinion
prevailing doctrine, generally accepted view (in an academic field), scientific consensus; originally communis opinio doctorum, "common opinion of the doctors"
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compos mentis
in control of the mind
Describes 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.
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concilio et labore
by wisdom and effort
Motto of the city of Manchester.
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concordia cum veritate
in harmony with truth
Motto of the University of Waterloo
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concordia salus
well-being through harmony
Motto of Montreal. It is also the Bank of Montreal coat of arms and motto.
%
concordia parvae res crescunt
small things grow in harmony
Motto of Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
%
condemnant quod non intellegunt
They condemn what they do not understand orThey condemn because they do not understand
The quod here is ambiguous: it may be the relative pronoun or a conjunction.
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condicio sine qua non
condition without which not
A required, indispensable condition. Commonly mistakenly rendered with conditio ("seasoning" or "preserving") in place of condicio ("arrangement" or "condition").
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conditur in petra
it is founded on the rock
Motto of Peterhouse Boys' School and Peterhouse Girls' School
%
confer (cf.)[21][22]
compare
The abbreviation cf. is used in text to suggest a comparison with something else (cf. citation signal).
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Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris C.Ss.R
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
Redemptorists
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coniunctis viribus
with connected strength
Or "with united powers". Sometimes rendered conjunctis viribus. Motto of Queen Mary, University of London.
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consensu
with consent
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consuetudo pro lege servatur
Custom is held as law.
Where there are no specific laws, the matter should be decided by custom;[23] established customs have the force of laws.[24] Also consuetudo est altera lex (custom is another law) and consuetudo vincit communem legem (custom overrules the common law); see also: Consuetudinary.
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consummatum est
It is completed.
The last words of Jesus on the cross in the Latin translation of John 19:30.
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contemptus mundi/saeculi
scorn for the world/times
Despising the secular world. The monk or philosopher's rejection of a mundane life and worldly values.
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contra bonos mores
against good morals
Offensive to the conscience and to a sense of justice.
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contra legem
against the law
Especially 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.
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contra proferentem
against the proferror
In 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.
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contra spem spero
I hope against hope
Title of a poem by Lesya Ukrainka; it derives from an expression found in Paul's Letter to the Romans 4:18 (Greek: παρ' ἐλπίδα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι) with reference to Abraham the Patriarch who maintained faith in becoming the father of many nations despite being childless and well-advanced in years.
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contra vim mortis non crescit herba (or salvia) in hortis
No herb (or sage) grows in the gardens against the power of death
there is no medicine against death; from various medieval medicinal texts
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contradictio in terminis
contradiction in terms
A 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 disputandum
there can be no debate with those who deny the foundations
Debate is fruitless when you don't agree on common rules, facts, presuppositions.
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cor ad cor loquitur
heart speaks to heart
From 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.
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cor aut mors
Heart 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.)
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cor meum tibi offero domine prompte et sincere
my heart I offer to you Lord promptly and sincerely
John Calvin's personal motto, also adopted by Calvin College
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cor unum
one heart
A popular school motto. Often used as names for religious and other organisations such as the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.
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coram Deo
in the presence of God
A 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; see also coram Deo (disambiguation).
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coram nobis, coram vobis
in our presence, in your presence
Two kinds of writs of error.
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coram populo
in the presence of the people
Thus, openly.
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coram publico
in view of the public

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Corpus Christi
Body of Christ
The 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.
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corpus delicti
body of the offence
The 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.
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Corpus Iuris Canonici
Body of Canon Law
The official compilation of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Codex Iuris Canonici).
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Corpus Iuris Civilis
Body of Civil Law
The body of Roman or civil law.
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corpus vile
worthless body
A person or thing fit only to be the object of an experiment, as in the phrase 'Fiat experimentum in corpore vili.'
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corrigenda
things to be corrected

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corruptio optimi pessima
the corruption of the best is the worst

%
corruptissima re publica plurimae leges
When the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous
Tacitus
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corvus oculum corvi non eruit
a raven does not pick out an eye of another raven

%
corruptus in extremis
corrupt to the extreme
Motto of the fictional Mayor's office in The Simpsons
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cras amet qui nunquam amavit; quique amavit, cras amet
May he who has never loved before, love tomorrow; And may he who has loved, love tomorrow as well
The 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.
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cras es noster
Tomorrow, be ours
As "The Future is Ours", motto of San Jacinto College, Texas
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creatio ex nihilo
creation out of nothing
A 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.
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Credo in Unum Deum
I Believe in One God
The first words of the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.
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credo quia absurdum est
I believe it because it is absurd
A 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.
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credo ut intelligam
I believe so that I may understand
A motto of St Anselm, used as the motto of St. Anselm Hall, Manchester
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crescamus in Illo per omnia
May we grow in Him through all things
Motto of Cheverus High School.
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crescat scientia vita excolatur
let knowledge grow, let life be enriched
Motto of the University of Chicago. Often rendered in English as "Let knowledge grow from more to more, And so be human life enriched," so as to achieve an iambic meter.
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crescente luce
Light ever increasing
Motto of James Cook University.
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crescit cum commercio civitas
Civilization prospers with commerce
Motto of Claremont McKenna College.
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crescit eundo
it grows as it goes
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. This metaphor was adapted as the state motto of New Mexico (adopted in 1887 as the territory's motto, and kept in 1912 when New Mexico received statehood) and is seen on the seal. Also the motto of Rocky Mount, Virginia.
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cruci dum spiro fido
while I live, I trust in the cross, Whilst I trust in the Cross I have life
Motto of the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) and its associated schools.
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cucullus non facit monachum
The hood does not make the monk
William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Scene I, Act V 48–50
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cui bono
Good 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?).
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cui prodest
for whom it advances
Short 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).
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cuique suum
to each his own

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cuius est solum, eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos
Whose 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."
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cuius regio, eius religio
whose region, his religion
The 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.
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cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare.
Anyone can err, but only the fool persists in his fault
Cicero, Philippica XII, 5.
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culpa
fault
Also "blame" or "guilt". In law, an act of neglect. In general, guilt, sin, or a fault. See also mea culpa.
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cum gladiis et fustibus
with swords and clubs
From the Bible. Occurs in Matthew 26:47 and Luke 22:52.
%
cum gladio et sale
with sword and salt
Motto of a well-paid soldier. See salary.
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cum grano salis
with a grain of salt
Not to be taken too seriously or as the literal truth.
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cum hoc ergo propter hoc
with this, therefore on account of this
Fallacy of assuming that correlation implies causation.
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cum laude
with praise
The standard formula for academic Latin honors in the United States. Greater honors include magna cum laude and summa cum laude.
%
cum mortuis in lingua mortua
with the dead in a dead language
Movement from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky
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cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum
with the exclusive right to print
Copyright notice used in 16th-century England, used for comic effect in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
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cuncti adsint meritaeque expectent praemia palmae
let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
Motto of University College London.
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cupio dissolvi
desire to be dissolved
From the Bible, locution indicating a will to death ("I want to die").
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cur Deus Homo
Why the God-Man
The 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?"
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cura personalis
care for the whole person
Motto of Georgetown University School of Medicine and University of Scranton.
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cura te ipsum
take care of your own self
An exhortation to physicians, or experts in general, to deal with their own problems before addressing those of others.
%
curriculum vitae
course of life
An overview of a person's life and qualifications, similar to a résumé.
%
custodi civitatem, Domine
guard the city, O Lord
Motto of the City of Westminster.
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custos morum
keeper of morals
A censor.
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cygnis insignis
distinguished by its swans
Motto of Western Australia.
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cygnus inter anates
swan among ducks

%
da Deus fortunae
O God, give fortune/happiness
A traditional greeting of Czech brewers.
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da mihi factum, dabo tibi ius
Give me the fact, I will give you the law
Also da mihi facta, dabo tibi ius (plural "facta" (facts) for the singular "factum"). A legal principle of Roman law that parties to a suit should present the facts and the judge will rule on the law that governs them. Related to iura novit curia (the court knows the law).
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damnant quod non intellegunt
They condemn what they do not understand
Paraphrase of Quintilianus, De Institutione Oratoria, Book 10, Chapter 1, 26:
Modesto tamen et circumspecto iudicio de tantis viris pronuntiandum est, ne, quod plerisque accidit, damnent quae non intellegunt.
Yet students must pronounce with diffidence and circumspection on the merits of such illustrious characters, lest, as is the case with many, they condemn what they do not understand. (translated by Rev. John Selby Watson)
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damnatio ad bestias
condemnation to [the] beasts
Colloquially, "thrown to the lions".
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damnatio memoriae
damnation of memory
The ancient Roman custom by which it was pretended that disgraced Romans, especially former emperors), never existed, by eliminating all records and likenesses of them.
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damnum absque injuria
damage without injury
Meaning a loss that results from no one's wrongdoing. In Roman law, a person is not responsible for unintended, consequential injury to another that results from a lawful act. This protection does not necessarily apply to unintended damage caused by one's negligence or folly.
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dat deus incrementum, or, deus dat incrementum
God gives growth
Motto of several schools.
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data venia
with due respect / given the excuse
Used before disagreeing with someone.
%
datum perficiemus munus
We shall accomplish the mission assigned
Motto of Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais (BOPE), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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de bene esse
as well done
In law, a 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 asportatis
carrying goods away
In law, trespass de bonis asportatis was the traditional name for larceny, i.e., the unlawful theft of chattels (moveable goods).
%
de dato
of the date
Used, e.g., in "as we agreed in the meeting d.d. 26th May 2006".
%
de facto
by deed
Said 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 of the matter in question.
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de fideli
with faithfulness
A clerk of a court makes this declaration when he is appointed, by which he promises to perform his duties faithfully as a servant of the court.
%
de fideli administratione
of faithful administration
Describes an oath taken to faithfully administer the duties of a job or office, like that taken by a court reporter.[25]
%
de futuro
regarding the future
Usually used in the context of "at a future time".
%
de gustibus non est disputandum
Of tastes there is nothing to be disputed
Less literally, "there is no accounting for taste", because they are judged subjectively and not objectively: everyone has his own and none deserve preeminence. The complete phrase is "de gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum" ("when we talk about tastes and colours there is nothing to be disputed"). Probably of Scholastic origin; see Wiktionary.
%
de integro
again, a second time

%
de jure
by law
"Official", in contrast with de facto; analogous to "in principle", whereas de facto is to "in practice". In other contexts, it can mean "according to law", "by right", and "legally".
%
de lege ferenda
of/from law to be passed

%
de lege lata
of/from law passed / of/from law in force

%
de minimis non curat lex
The law does not care about the smallest things.
A court does not care about small, trivial things. A case must have some importance in order for a court to hear it. See "de minimis non curat praetor".
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de minimis non curat praetor
The commander does not care about 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 (king) or lex (law) is used in place of praetor. De minimis is a legal phrase referring to things unworthy of the law's attention.
%
de mortuis aut bene aut nihil
about the dead, either well or nothing
Less literally, "speak well of the dead or not at all"; cf. de mortuis nil nisi bonum.
%
de mortuis nil nisi bonum
about the dead, nothing unless a good thing
From de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est ("nothing must be said about the dead except the good"), attributed by Diogenes Laërtius to Chilon. In legal contexts, this quotation is used with the opposite meaning: defamation of a deceased person is not a crime. In other contexts, it refers to taboos against criticizing the recently deceased.
%
de nobis fabula narratur
About us is the story told
Thus: "their story is our story". Originally it referred to the end of Rome's dominance. Now often used when comparing any current situation to a past story or event.
%
de novo
from 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. (Cf. ex novo)
%
de omni re scibili et quibusdam aliis
about every knowable thing, and even certain other things
The Italian scholar Giovanni Pico della Mirandola of the 15th century wrote the De omni re scibili ("concerning every knowable thing") part, and a wag added et quibusdam aliis ("and even certain other things").
%
de omnibus dubitandum
Be suspicious of everything / doubt everything
Attributed to the French philosopher René Descartes. It was also Karl Marx's favorite motto and a title of one of Søren Kierkegaard's works, namely, De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.
%
de oppresso liber
free from having been oppressed
Loosely, "to liberate the oppressed". Motto of the United States Army Special Forces.[26]
%
de praescientia Dei
from/through the foreknowledge of God
Motto of the Worshipful Company of Barbers.
%
de profundis
from the depths
Meaning from out of the depths of misery or dejection. From the Latin translation of the Vulgate Bible of Psalm 130, of which it is a traditional title in Roman Catholic liturgy.
%
de re
about/regarding the matter
In logic, de dicto statements regarding the truth of a proposition are distinguished from de re statements regarding the properties of a thing itself.
%
decessit sine prole
died without issue
Used in genealogical records, often abbreviated as d.s.p., to indicate a person who died without having had any children.
%
decessit sine prole legitima
died without legitimate issue
Used in genealogical records, often abbreviated as d.s.p.l., to indicate a person who died without having had any children with a spouse.
%
decessit sine prole mascula legitima
died without legitimate male issue
Used in genealogical records in cases of nobility or other hereditary titles, often abbreviated as d.s.p.m.l. or d.s.p.m. legit, to indicate a person who died without having had any legitimate male children (indicating there were illegitimate male children)
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decessit sine prole mascula superstite
died without surviving male issue
Used in genealogical records, often abbreviated as d.s.p.m., to indicate a person who died without having had any male children who survived, i.e., outlived, him.
%
decessit sine prole superstite
died without surviving issue
Used in genealogical records, often abbreviated as d.s.p.s., to indicate a person who died without having had any children who survived, i.e., outlived him.
%
decessit vita matris
died in the lifetime of the mother
Used in genealogical records, often abbreviated as d.v.m., to indicate a person who predeceased his mother.
%
decessit vita patris
died in the lifetime of the father
Used in genealogical records, often abbreviated as d.v.p., to indicate a person who predeceased his father.
%
decus et tutamen
an ornament and a safeguard
A phrase from the Aeneid of Virgil. Inscription on British one-pound coins. Originally inscribed on coins of the 17th century, it refers to the inscribed edge of the coin as a protection against the clipping of its precious metal.
%
defendit numerus
There is safety in numbers

%
Defensor Fortis
Defender of the Force
Official motto of the United States Air Force Security Forces (Security Police).
%
Dei gratia
By the grace of God
Part of the full style of a monarch historically considered to be ruling by divine right, notably in the style of the English and British monarch since 1521
%
Dei gratia regina
By the Grace of God, Queen
Also Dei gratia rex ("By the Grace of God, King"). Abbreviated as D G REG preceding Fidei Defensor (F D) on British pound coins, and as D G Regina on Canadian coins.
%
Dei sub numine viget
Under God's Spirit she flourishes
Motto of Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States.
%
delectatio morosa
peevish delight
In Catholic theology, pleasure taken in a sinful thought or imagination, such as brooding on sexual images. As voluntary and complacent erotic fantasizing, without attempt to suppress such thoughts, it is distinct from actual sexual desire.
%
delegata potestas non potest delegari
Delegated powers can not be [further] delegated
A legal principle whereby one to whom certain powers were delegated may not ipso facto re-delegate them to another. A distinction may be had between delegated powers and the additional power to re-delegate them.
%
delirant isti Romani
They are mad, those Romans[!]
A Latin translation of René Goscinny's phrase in French ils sont fous, ces romains! or Italian Sono pazzi questi Romani. Cf. SPQR, which Obelix frequently used in the Asterix comics.
%
Deo ac veritati
for God and for truth
Motto of Colgate University.
%
Deo confidimus
In God we trust
Motto of Somerset College.
%
Deo domuique
For God and for home
Motto of Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne.
%
Deo et patriae
For God and country
Motto of Regis High School in New York City, New York, United States.
%
Deo gratias
Thanks [be] to God
A frequent phrase in the Roman Catholic liturgy, used especially after the recitation of a lesson, the Last Gospel at Mass or as a response to Ite Missa Est / Benedicamus Domino.
%
Deo juvante
with God's help
Motto of Monaco and its monarch, which is inscribed on the royal arms.
%
Deo non fortuna
by God, not fortune/luck
Motto of the Epsom College in Surrey, England.
%
Deo optimo maximo (DOM)
To the best and greatest God
Derived from the pagan Iupiter optimo maximo ("to the best and greatest Jupiter"). Printed on bottles of Bénédictine liqueur.
%
Deo patriae litteris
For God, country, [and] learning
Motto of Scotch College (Melbourne).
%
Deo regi vicino

For God, king and neighbour

Motto of Bromsgrove School.
%
Deo volente
God willing
This 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.
%
descensus in cuniculi cavum
The descent into the cave of the rabbit
Down the rabbit hole. See Alice's Adventures in Wonderland#Famous lines and expressions.
%
desiderantes meliorem patriam
they desired a better land
From Hebrews 11: 16. Adopted as the motto of the Order of Canada.
%
Deus caritas est
God Is Love
Title and first words of the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI. For other meanings see Deus caritas est (disambiguation).
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deus ex machina
a god from a machine
From the Greek ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός (apò mēchanēs theós). A contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary plot. Refers to the practice in Greek drama of lowering by crane (the mechanê) 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.
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Deus lux mea est
God is my light
The motto of The Catholic University of America.
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Deus meumque jus
God and my right
The principal motto of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. See also Dieu et mon droit.
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Deus nobis haec otia fecit
God has given us these days of leisure
Motto of the city of Liverpool, England.
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Deus nolens exitus
Get results, whether God likes it or not
Literally: Results, God unwilling. Can also be rendered as "Deus Nolens Exituus".
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Deus otiosus
God at leisure

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Deus spes nostra
God is our hope
The motto of Sir Thomas de Boteler, founder of Boteler Grammar School in Warrington in 1526.
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Deus vult
God wills it
The principal slogan of the Crusades. Motto of Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey, United States.
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dictatum erat (dict)
as previously stated
A recent academic substitution for the spacious and inconvenient phrase "as previously stated". Literally, has been stated. Compare also "dicta prius"; literally, said previously.
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dicto simpliciter
[from] a maxim, simply
I.e. "from a rule without exception." Short for a dicto simpliciter, the a is often dropped because it is confused with the English indefinite article. A dicto simpliciter occurs when an acceptable exception is ignored or eliminated. For example, the appropriateness of using opiates is contingent on suffering extreme pain. To justify the recreational use of opiates by referring to a cancer patient or to justify arresting said patient by comparing him to the recreational user would be a dicto simpliciter.
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dictum factum
what is said is done
Motto of United States Navy Fighter Squadron VF-194.
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dictum meum pactum
my word [is] my bond
Motto of the London Stock Exchange.
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diem perdidi
I have lost the day
From the Roman Emperor Titus. Recorded in the biography of him by Suetonius in Lives of the Twelve Caesars.
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dies irae
Day of wrath
Reference to the Judgment Day in Christian eschatology. The title of a famous Medieval Latin hymn by Tommaso da Celano in the 13th century and used in the Requiem Mass.
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dies non juridicum
Day without judiciary
Days under common law (traditionally Sunday), during which no legal process can be served and any legal judgment is invalid. The English Parliament first codified this precept in the reign of King Charles II.
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Dies tenebrosa sicut nox
a day as dark as night
First entry in Annales Cambriae, for the year 447.[27]
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dirigo
I direct
In Classical Latin, "I arrange". Motto of the State of Maine, United States; based on a comparison of the State to the star Polaris.
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dis aliter visum
It seemed otherwise to the gods
In other words, the gods have ideas different to those of mortals, and so events do not always occur in the way persons wish them to. Confer Virgil, Aeneid, 2: 428. Also confer "Man proposes and God disposes" and "My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways", Isaiah 55, 8-9.
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dis manibus sacrum (D.M.S.)
Sacred to the ghost-gods
Refers to the Manes, i.e. Roman spirits of the dead. Loosely, "to the memory of". A conventional pagan inscription preceding the name of the deceased on his tombstone; 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".
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disce aut discede
learn or depart / learn or leave
Motto of Royal College, Colombo and of King's School, Rochester.
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disce ut semper victurus, vive ut cras moriturus
Learn as if always going to live; live as if tomorrow going to die.
Attributed to St. Edmund of Abingdon. First seen in Isidoro de Sevilla
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discendo discimus
while learning we learn
See also docendo…(2).
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discere faciendo
learn by doing
Motto of California Polytechnic State University, California, United States.
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disiecta membra
scattered limbs
I.e., "scattered remains". Paraphrased from Horace, Satires, 1, 4, 62, where it is written "disiecti membra poetae" (limbs of a scattered poet).
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ditat Deus
God enriches
Motto of the State of Arizona, United States, adopted in 1911. Probably derived from the translation of the Vulgate Bible of Genesis 14: 23.
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divide et impera
divide and rule / "divide and conquer"
A Roman maxim adopted by Roman Dictator Julius Caesar, King Louis XI of France and the Italian political author Niccolò Machiavelli.
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dixi
I have spoken
A popular, eloquent expression, usually used in the end of a speech. The implied meaning is that the speaker has said all that he had to say and thus his argument is completed.
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["...", ...] dixit
["...", ...] said
Used to attribute a statement or opinion to its author, rather than the speaker.
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do ut des
I give that you may give
Often said or written of sacrifices, in which one "gives" and expects a return from the gods.
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docendo discitur
It is learned by teaching / one learns by teaching
Attributed to Seneca the Younger.
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docendo disco, scribendo cogito
I learn by teaching, I think by writing

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dolus specialis
special 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 A. Schabas)[28]
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Domine dirige nos
O Lord, guide us
Motto of the City of London, England.
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Domine salvum fac regem
O Lord, save the king
Psalm 20, 10.
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Domine salvam fac reginam
O Lord, save the queen
After Psalm 20, 10.
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Dominica in albis [depositis]
Sunday in [Setting Aside the] White Garments
Latin name of the Octave of Easter in the Roman Catholic liturgy.
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Dominus fortitudo nostra
The Lord is our strength
Motto of the Southland College, Philippines. Psalm 28, 8.
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Dominus illuminatio mea
The Lord is my light
Motto of the University of Oxford, England. Psalm 27, 1.
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Dominus pastor
The Lord is [our] shepherd
Motto of St. John's College and Prep School, Harare, Zimbabwe. After Psalm 23, 1.
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Dominus vobiscum
The Lord be with you.
A phrase used in the Roman Catholic liturgy, and sometimes in its sermons and homilies, and a general form of greeting among and towards members of Catholic organizations. See also Pax vobiscum.
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dona nobis pacem
give us peace
Often set to music, either by itself or as the final phrase of the Agnus Dei prayer of the Holy Mass. Also an ending in the video game Haunting Ground.
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donatio mortis causa
a donation in expectation of death
A legal concept in which a person in imminent mortal danger need not satisfy the otherwise requisite consideration to effect a testamentary donation, i.e., a donation by instituting or modifying a will.
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draco dormiens nunquam titillandus
a sleeping dragon is never to be tickled
Motto of the fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of the Harry Potter series; translated more loosely in the books as "never tickle a sleeping dragon".
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dramatis personae
the parts/characters of the play
More literally, "the masks of the drama"; the cast of characters of a dramatic work.
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duae tabulae rasae in quibus nihil scriptum est
two blank slates with nothing written upon them
Stan Laurel, inscription for the fan club logo of The Sons of the Desert.
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ducimus
we lead
Motto of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps.
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ducit amor patriae
love of country leads me
Motto of the 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment, Australia.
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ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt
the fates lead the willing and drag the unwilling
Attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Sen. Ep. 107.11).
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ductus exemplo
leadership by example
Motto of the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, at the base in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
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dulce bellum inexpertis
war is sweet to the inexperienced
Meaning: "war may seem pleasant to those who have never been involved in it, though the experienced know better". Erasmus of Rotterdam.
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dulce est desipere in loco
It is sweet on occasion to play the fool. / It is pleasant to relax once in a while.
Horace, Odes 4, 12, 28. Also used by George Knapton for the portrait of Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th Baronet in 1744.
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dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
It is sweet and honorable to die for the fatherland.
Horace, Odes 3, 2, 13. Also used by Wilfred Owen for the title of a poem regarding World War I, Dulce et Decorum Est.
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dulce et utile
a sweet and useful thing / pleasant and profitable
Horace, Ars Poetica: poetry must be dulce et utile, i.e., both enjoyable and instructive.
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dulce periculum
danger is sweet
Horace, Odes, 3 25, 16. Motto of the Scottish clan MacAulay.
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dulcius ex asperis
sweeter after difficulties
Motto of the Scottish clan Fergusson.[29]
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dum cresco spero
I hope when I grow
Motto of The Ravensbourne School.
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dum Roma deliberat Saguntum perit
while Rome debates, Saguntum is in danger
Used 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.
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dum spiro spero
while I breathe, I hope
Cicero. Motto of the State of South Carolina. Motto of the Clan MacLennan.
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dum vita est, spes est
while there is life, there is hope

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dum vivimus servimus
while we live, we serve
Motto of Presbyterian College.
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dum vivimus, vivamus
while we live, let us live
An encouragement to embrace life. Motto inscribed on the sword of the main character of the novel Glory Road.
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duos habet et bene pendentes
he has two, and they dangle nicely
According to legend, the words spoken by the cardinal verifying that a newly-elected pope was a man, in a test employed after the reign of pope Joan.
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dura lex sed lex
[the] law [is] harsh, but [it is the] law
Ulpian, Digesta Iustiniani, Roman jurist of the 3rd century AD.
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dura mater
tough mother
The outer covering of the brain.
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durante bene placito
during good pleasure
Meaning: "serving at the pleasure of the authority or officer who appointed". A Mediaeval legal Latin phrase.
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durante munere
while in office
For example, the Governor General of Canada is durante munere the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada.
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dux bellorum
war leader

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e causa ignota
of unknown cause
Often used in medicine when the underlying disease causing a symptom is not known. See also idiopathic.
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E pluribus unum
out of many, one
Literally, out of more (than one), one. The former national motto of the United States, which "In God We Trust" later replaced; therefore, it is still inscribed on many US coins and on the United States Capitol. Also the motto of S.L. Benfica. Less commonly written as ex pluribus unum.
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ecce ancilla domini
behold the handmaiden of the Lord
From Luke 1:38 in the Vulgate Bible. Name of an oil painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and motto of Bishopslea Preparatory School.
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ecce homo
behold the man
From the Gospel of John in the Vulgate 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").
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ecce panis angelorum
behold the bread of angels
From the Catholic hymn Lauda Sion; occasionally inscribed near the altar of Catholic churches; it refers to the Eucharist, the Bread of Heaven; the Body of Christ. See also: Panis angelicus.
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editio princeps
first edition
The first published edition of a work.
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ejusdem generis
of the same kinds, class, or nature
From the canons of statutory interpretation in law. When more general descriptors follow a list of many specific descriptors, the otherwise wide meaning of the general descriptors is interpreted as restricted to the same class, if any, of the preceding specific descriptors.
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ego te absolvo
I absolve you
Part of the formula of Catholic sacramental absolution, i. e., spoken by a priest as part of the Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church) (see also absolvo).
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ego te provoco
I challenge you
Used as a challenge; "I dare you". Can also be written as te provoco.
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eheu fugaces labuntur anni
Alas, the fleeting years slip by
From Horace's Odes, 2, 14.
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eluceat omnibus lux
let the light shine out from all
The motto of Sidwell Friends School.
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emeritus
veteran
Retired from office. Often used to denote an office held at the time of one's retirement, as an honorary title, e. g. professor emeritus and provost emeritus. Inclusion in one's title does not necessarily denote that the honorand is inactive in the pertinent office.
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emollit mores nec sinit esse feros
a faithful study of the liberal arts humanizes character and permits it not to be cruel
From Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto (II, 9, 48). Motto of University of South Carolina.
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ens causa sui
existing because of oneself
Or "being one's own cause". Traditionally, a being that owes its existence to no other being, hence God or a Supreme Being (see also Primum Mobile).
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ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem
by the sword she seeks a serene repose under liberty
Motto of the US state of Massachusetts, adopted in 1775.
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entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity
Occam's razor or Law of Parsimony; arguments which do not introduce extraneous variables are to be preferred in logical argumentation.
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entitas ipsa involvit aptitudinem ad extorquendum certum assensum
reality involves a power to compel certain assent
A phrase used in modern Western philosophy on the nature of truth.
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eo ipso
by that very (act)
Technical term in philosophy and law. Similar to ipso facto. Example: "The fact that I am does not eo ipso mean that I think." From the Latin ablative form of id ipsum ("that thing itself").
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eo nomine
by that name

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equo ne credite
do not trust the horse
From Virgil, Aeneid, II. 48–49; a reference to the Trojan Horse.
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erga omnes
in relation to everyone
Used in law, especially international law, to denote a kind of universal obligation.
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ergo
therefore
Denotes a logical conclusion (see also cogito ergo sum).
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errare humanum est
to err is human
Sometimes attributed to Seneca the Younger, but not attested: 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, 2, 5). Cicero, being well-versed in ancient Greek, may well have been alluding to Euripides' play Hippolytus some four centuries earlier.[30] 300 years later Saint Augustine of Hippo recycled the idea in his Sermones, 164, 14: Humanum fuit errare, diabolicum est per animositatem in errore manere.[31] The phrase gained currency in the English language after Alexander Pope's An Essay on Criticism of 1711: "To err is human, to forgive divine" (line 325).
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erratum
error
I. e., mistake. Lists of errors in a previous edition of a work are often marked with the plural errata ("errors").
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errantis voluntas nulla est
the will of a mistaken party is void
Roman 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 invalid.
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eruditio et religio
scholarship and duty
Motto of Duke University
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esse est percipi
to be is to be perceived
Motto of George Berkeley for his subjective idealist philosophical position that nothing exists independently of its perception by a mind except minds themselves.
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esse quam videri
to be, rather than to seem
Truly being a thing, rather than merely seeming to be a thing. The motto of many institutions. From Cicero, De amicitia (On Friendship), Chapter 26. Prior to Cicero, Sallust used the phrase in Bellum Catilinae, 54, 6, writing that Cato esse quam videri bonus malebat ("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").
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est modus in rebus
there is measure in things
there is a middle or mean in things, there is a middle way or position; from Horace, Satires 1.1.106; see also: Golden mean (philosophy). According to Potempski and Galmarini (Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 9471-9489, 2009) the sentence should be translated as: "There is an optimal condition in all things", which in the original text is followed by sunt certi denique fines quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum ("There are therefore precise boundaries beyond which one cannot find the right thing").
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esto perpetua
may it be perpetual
Said of Venice, Italy, by the Venetian historian Fra Paolo Sarpi shortly before his death. Motto of the US state of Idaho, adopted in 1867; of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka; of Sigma Phi Society.
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esto quod es
be what you are
Motto of Wells Cathedral School.
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et adhuc sub iudice lis est
it is still before the court
From Horace, Ars Poetica (The Art of Poetry) 1.78.
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et alibi (et al.)
and elsewhere
A less common variant on et cetera ("and the rest") used at the end of a list of locations to denote unenumerated/omitted ones.
%
et alii (et al.)
and others
Used similarly to et cetera ("and the rest") to denote names that, usually for the sake of space, are unenumerated/omitted. Alii is masculine, and therefore it can be used to refer to men, or groups of men and women; the feminine et aliae is proper when the "others" are all female, but as with many loanwords, interlingual use, such as in reference lists, is often invariable. Et alia is neuter plural and thus in Latin text is properly used only for inanimate, genderless objects, but some use it as a gender-neutral alternative.[32] APA style uses et al. (normal font)[33] if the work cited was written by more than six authors; MLA style uses et al. for more than three authors; AMA style lists all authors if ≤6, and 3 + et al if >6. AMA style forgoes the period (because it forgoes the period on abbreviations generally) and it forgoes the italic (as it does with other loanwords naturalized into scientific English); many journals that follow AMA style do likewise.
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et cetera (etc. (US English); etc (UK English)) or (&c. (US); &c (UK))
and the rest
In modern usage, used to mean "and so on" or "and more".
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et cum spiritu tuo
and with your spirit
A response in the Sursum corda element of the Catholic Mass.
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et facere et pati fortia Romanum est
Acting and suffering bravely is the attribute of a Roman
The words of Gaius Mucius Scaevola when Lars Porsena captured him.
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et facta est lux
And light came to be or was made
From Genesis, 1:3: "and there was light". Motto of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. See also Fiat lux.
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et hoc genus omne
and all that sort of thing
Abbreviated as e.h.g.o. or ehgo
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et in Arcadia ego
and in Arcadia [am] I
In other words, "I too am in Arcadia". See also memento mori.
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et lux in tenebris lucet
and light shines in the darkness
See also Lux in Tenebris. Motto of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.
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et nunc reges intelligite erudimini qui judicatis terram
"And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth."
From the Book of Psalms, II.x. (Vulgate), 2.10 (Douay-Rheims).
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et passim (et pass.)
and throughout
Used in citations after a page number to indicate that further information in other locations in the cited resource. See also passim.
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et sequentes (et seq.)
and the following (masculine/feminine plural)
Also et sequentia ("and the following things": neut.), abbreviations: et seqq., et seq., or sqq. Commonly used in legal citations to refer to statutes that comprise several sequential sections of a code of statutes (e. g. National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 159 et seq.; New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:25-17 et seq.).
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et suppositio nil ponit in esse
and a supposition puts nothing in being
More usually translated as "Sayin' it don't make it so".
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Et tu, Brute?
And you, Brutus?
Or "Even you, Brutus?" or "You too, Brutus?" Indicates betrayal by an intimate associate. From William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, based on the traditional dying words of Julius Caesar. However, these were almost certainly not Caesar's true last words: Plutarch quotes Caesar as saying in Greek, the language of the Roman elite at the time, καὶ σὺ τέκνον (Kaì sù téknon?), translated as "You too, (my) child?", quoting from Menander.
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et uxor (et ux.)
and wife
A legal term.
%
et vir
and husband
A legal term.
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Etiam si omnes, ego non
Even if all others, I will never
Saint Peter to Jesus Christ, from the Vulgate, Gospel of Matthew 26:33; New King James Version: Matthew 26:33).
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etsi deus non daretur
even if God were not a given
This sentence synthesizes a famous concept of Hugo Grotius (1625).
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ex abundanti cautela
out of an abundance of caution
In law, describes someone taking precautions against a very remote contingency. "One might wear a belt in addition to braces ex abundanti cautela".[34] In banking, a loan in which the collateral is more than the loan itself. Also the basis for the term "an abundance of caution" employed by United States President Barack Obama to explain why the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court John Roberts had to re-administer the presidential oath of office, and again in reference to terrorist threats.
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ex abundantia enim cordis os loquitur
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
From the Gospel of Matthew, XII.xxxiv (Vulgate), 12.34 (Douay-Rheims) and the Gospel of Luke, VI.xlv (Vulgate), 6.45 (Douay-Rheims). Sometimes rendered without enim ("for").
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ex aequo
from the equal
Denoting "on equal footing", i. e., in a tie. Used for those two (seldom more) participants of a competition who demonstrated identical performance.
%
ex Africa semper aliquid novi
"(There is) always something new (coming) out of Africa"
Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 8, 42 (unde etiam vulgare Graeciae dictum semper aliquid novi Africam adferre[35]), a translation of the Greek «Ἀεὶ Λιβύη φέρει τι καινόν».
%
ex amicitia pax
peace from friendship
Often used on internal diplomatic event invitations. A motto sometimes inscribed on flags and mission plaques of diplomatic corps.
%
ex animo
from the soul
Sincerely.
%
ex ante
from before
Denoting "beforehand", "before the event", or "based on prior assumptions"; denoting a prediction.
%
Ex Astris Scientia
From the Stars, Knowledge
The motto of the fictional Starfleet Academy of Star Trek. Adapted from ex luna scientia, which in turn derived from ex scientia tridens.
%
ex cathedra
from the chair
A phrase applied to the declarations or promulgations of the Catholic Supreme Pontiff (Pope) when, preserved from the possibility of error by the Holy Spirit (see Papal infallibility), he solemnly declares or promulgates ("from the chair" that was the ancient symbol of the teacher and governor, in this case of the Church) a dogmatic doctrine on faith or morals as being contained in divine revelation, or at least being intimately connected to divine revelation. Used, by extension, of anyone who is perceived as speaking as though with supreme authority.
%
ex cultu robur
from culture [comes] strength
The motto of Cranleigh School, Surrey.
%
ex Deo
from God

%
ex dolo malo
from fraud
"From harmful deceit"; dolus malus is the Latin legal term denoting "fraud". The full legal phrase is ex dolo malo non oritur actio ("an action does not arise from fraud"). When an action has its origin in fraud or deceit, it cannot be supported; thus, a court of law will not assist a man who bases his course of action on an immoral or illegal act.
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ex duris gloria
From suffering [comes] glory
Motto of Rapha Cycling club (see also Rapha (sportswear)).
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ex facie
from the face
Idiomatically rendered "on the face of it". A legal term typically used to state that a document's explicit terms are defective absent further investigation.
%
ex fide fiducia
from faith [comes] confidence
Motto of St George's College, Harare and Hartmann House Preparatory School.
%
ex fide fortis
from faith [comes] strength
Motto of Loyola School in New York City, New York, United States.
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ex glande quercus
from the acorn the oak
Motto of the Municipal Borough of Southgate, London, England, United Kingdom.
%
ex gratia
from kindness
More literally "from grace". Refers to someone voluntarily performing an act purely from kindness, as opposed to for personal gain or from being compelled to do it. In law, an ex gratia payment is one made without recognizing any liability or obligation.
%
ex hypothesi
from the hypothesis
Denoting "by hypothesis".
%
ex ignorantia ad sapientiam; ex luce ad tenebras (e.i.)
from ignorance into wisdom; from light into darkness
Motto of the fictional Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts, from the Cthulhu Mythos
%
ex infra (e.i.)
"from below"
Recent academic notation denoting "from below in this writing". See also ex supra.
%
ex juvantibus
from that which helps
The medical pitfall in which response to a therapeutic regimen substitutes proper diagnosis.
%
ex lege
from the law

%
ex libris
from the books
Precedes a person's name, denoting "from the library of" the nominate; also a synonym for "bookplate".
%
ex luna scientia
from the moon, knowledge
The motto of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, derived from ex scientia tridens, the motto of Jim Lovell's alma mater, the United States Naval Academy.
%
ex malo bonum
good out of evil
From Saint Augustine of Hippo, "Sermon LXI", in which he contradicts the dictum of Seneca the Younger in Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, 87:22: bonum ex malo non fit ("good does not come from evil"). Also the alias of the song "Miserabile Visu" by Anberlin in the album New Surrender.
%
ex mea sententia
in my opinion

%
ex mero motu
out of mere impulse, or of one's own accord

%
ex nihilo nihil fit
nothing comes from nothing
From Lucretius, and said earlier by Empedocles. Its original meaning is "work is required to succeed", but its modern meaning is a more general "everything has its origins in something" (see also causality). It is commonly applied to the conservation laws in philosophy and modern science. Ex nihilo is often used in conjunction with "creation", as in creatio ex nihilo, denoting "creation out of nothing". It is often used in philosophy and theology in connection with the proposition that God created the universe from nothing. It is also mentioned in the final ad-lib of the Monty Python song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
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ex novo
anew
Denotes something that has been newly made or made from scratch (see also de novo).
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Ex Oblivione
from oblivion
The title of a short story by H. P. Lovecraft.
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ex officio
from the office
By virtue or right of office. Often used when someone holds one office by virtue of holding another: for example, the President of France is an ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. A common misconception is that all ex officio members of a committee or congress may not vote; but in some cases they do. In law ex officio can also refer to an administrative or judicial office taking action of its own accord, in the case of the latter the more common term is ex proprio motu or ex meru motu, for example to invalidate a patent or prosecute infringers of copyright.[36]
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ex opere operantis
from the work of the one working
A theological phrase contrasted with ex opere operato, referring to the notion that the validity or promised benefit of a sacrament depends on the person administering it.
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ex opere operato
from the work worked
A theological phrase meaning that the act of receiving a sacrament actually confers the promised benefit, such as a baptism actually and literally cleansing one's sins. The Catholic Church affirms that the source of grace is God, not just the actions or disposition of the minister or the recipient of the sacrament.
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ex oriente lux
light from the east
Originally refers to the sun rising in the east, but alludes to culture coming from the Eastern world. Motto of several institutions.
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ex oriente pax
peace comes from the east (i.e. from the Soviet Union)
Shown on the logo as used by East Germany's CDU, a blue flag with two yellow stripes, a dove, and the CDU symbol in the center with the words ex oriente pax.
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ex parte
from a part
A legal term that means "by one party" or "for one party". Thus, on behalf of one side or party only.
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ex pede Herculem
from his foot, so Hercules
From the measure of Hercules' foot you shall know his size; from a part, the whole.
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ex post
from after
"Afterward", "after the event". Based on knowledge of the past. Measure of past performance.
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ex post facto
from a thing done afterward
Said of a law with retroactive effect.
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ex professo
from one declaring [an art or science]
Or 'with due competence'. Said of the person who perfectly knows his art or science. Also used to mean "expressly".[37]
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ex rel., or, ex relatio
[arising] out of the relation/narration [of the relator]
The term is a legal phrase; the legal citation guide called the Bluebook describes ex rel. as a "procedural phrase" and requires using it to abbreviate "on the relation of," "for the use of," "on behalf of," and similar expressions. An example of use is in court case titles such as Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar
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ex scientia tridens
from knowledge, sea power.
The United States Naval Academy motto. Refers to knowledge bringing men power over the sea comparable to that of the trident-bearing Greek god Poseidon.
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ex scientia vera
from knowledge, truth
The motto of the College of Graduate Studies at Middle Tennessee State University.
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ex silentio
from silence
In general, the claim that the absence of something demonstrates the proof of a proposition. An argumentum ex silentio ("argument from silence") is an argument based on the assumption that someone's silence on a matter suggests ("proves" when a logical fallacy) that person's ignorance of the matter or their inability to counterargue validly.
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ex situ
out of position
opposite of "in situ"
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ex solo ad solem
from the Earth to the Sun
The motto of the University of Central Lancashire, Preston
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ex supra (e.s.)
"from above"
Recent academic notation for "from above in this writing". See also ex infra.
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ex tempore
from [this moment of] time
"This instant", "right away" or "immediately". Also written extempore.
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Ex turpi causa non oritur actio
From a dishonorable cause an action does not arise
A legal doctrine which states that a claimant will be unable to pursue a cause of action, if it arises in connection with his own illegal act. Particularly relevant in the law of contract, tort and trusts.
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ex umbra in solem
from the shadow into the light
Motto of Federico Santa María Technical University.
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ex undis
from the waves [of the sea]
motto in the coat of arms of Eemsmond
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Ex Unitate Vires
union is strength, or unity is strength
Former motto of South Africa.
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ex vi termini
from the force of the term
Thus, "by definition".
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ex vita discedo, tanquam ex hospitio, non tanquam ex domo
I depart from life as from an inn, not as from home
Cicero, Cato Maior de Senectute (On Old Age) 23
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ex vivo
out of or from life
Used in reference to the study or assay of living tissue in an artificial environment outside the living organism.
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ex voto
from the vow
Thus, in accordance with a promise. An ex voto is also an offering made in fulfillment of a vow.
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ex vulgus scientia
from crowd, knowledge
used to describe social computing, in The Wisdom of Crowds and discourse referring to it.
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excelsior
higher
"Ever upward!" The state motto of New York. Also a catchphrase used by Marvel Comics head Stan Lee.
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exceptio firmat (or probat) regulam in casibus non exceptis
The exception confirms the rule in cases which are not excepted
A juridical principle which means that the statement of a rule's exception (e.g., "no parking on Sundays") implicitly confirms the rule (i.e., that parking is allowed Monday through Saturday). Often mistranslated as "the exception that proves the rule".
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excusatio non petita accusatio manifesta
an excuse that has not been sought [is] an obvious accusation
More loosely, "he who excuses himself, accuses himself"—an unprovoked excuse is a sign of guilt. In French, qui s'excuse, s'accuse.
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exeat
s/he may go out
A formal leave of absence.
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exegi monumentum aere perennius
I have reared a monument more enduring than bronze
Horace, Carmina III:XXX:I
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exempli gratia (e.g.)
for the sake of example, for example
Exempli gratiā, 'for example', is usually abbreviated "e.g." (less commonly, ex. gr.). The abbreviation "e.g." often is interpreted anglicised as 'example given'. It is not usually followed by a comma in British English, but it is in American usage. E.g. is often confused with i.e. (id est, meaning 'that is' or 'in other words').[38] Some writing styles give such abbreviations without punctuation, as ie and eg.[a]
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Exemplum virtutis
a model of virtue
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exercitus sine duce corpus est sine spiritu
an army without a leader is a body without a spirit
On a plaque at the former military staff building of the Swedish Armed Forces.
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exeunt
they leave
Third-person plural present active indicative of the Latin verb exire; also seen in exeunt omnes, "all leave"; singular: exit.
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experientia docet
experience teaches
This term has been used in dermatopathology to express that there is no substitute for experience in dealing with all the numerous variations that may occur with skin conditions.[55] The term has also been used in gastroenterology.[56] It is also the motto of San Francisco State University.
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experimentum crucis
experiment of the cross
Or "crucial experiment". A decisive test of a scientific theory.
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experto crede
trust the expert
Literally "believe one who has had experience". An author's aside to the reader.
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expressio unius est exclusio alterius
the expression of the one is the exclusion of the other
"Mentioning one thing may exclude another thing". A principle of legal statutory interpretation: the explicit presence of a thing implies intention to exclude others; e.g., a reference in the Poor Relief Act 1601 to "lands, houses, tithes and coal mines" was held to exclude mines other than coal mines. Sometimes expressed as expressum facit cessare tacitum (broadly, "the expression of one thing excludes the implication of something else").
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extra domum
[placed] outside of the house
Refers to a possible result of Catholic ecclesiastical legal proceedings when the culprit is removed from being part of a group like a monastery.
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extra Ecclesiam nulla salus
outside the Church [there is] no salvation
This expression comes from the Epistle to Jubaianus, paragraph 21, written by Saint Cyprian of Carthage, a bishop of the third century. It is often used to summarise the doctrine that the Catholic Church is absolutely necessary for salvation.
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extra omnes
outside, all [of you]
It is issued by the Master of the Papal Liturgical Celebrations before a session of the Papal conclave which will elect a new Pope. When spoken, all those who are not Cardinals, or those otherwise mandated to be present at the Conclave, must leave the Sistine Chapel.
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extra territorium jus dicenti impune non paretur
he who administers justice outside of his territory is disobeyed with impunity
Refers to extraterritorial jurisdiction. Often cited in law of the sea cases on the high seas.
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extrema ratio
"extreme solution", "last possibility", "last possible course of action"

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faber est suae quisque fortunae
every man is the artisan of his own fortune
Appius Claudius Caecus; motto of Fort Street High School in Petersham, Sydney, Australia
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fac et spera
do and hope
motto of Clan Matheson
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fac fortia et patere
do brave deeds and endure
motto of Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, Australia
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fac simile
make a similar thing
origin of the word facsimile, and, through it, of fax
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faciam eos in gentem unum
I will make them into one nation
appeared on British coinage following the Union of the Crowns
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faciam quodlibet quod necesse est
I'll do whatever it takes

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faciam ut mei memineris
I'll make you remember me
from Plautus, Persa IV.3–24; used by Russian hooligans as tattoo inscription
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facile princeps
easily the first
said of the acknowledged leader in some field, especially in the arts and humanities
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facilius est multa facere quam diu
It is easier to do many things, than one thing consecutively
Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 1/12:7
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facio liberos ex liberis libris libraque
"I make free adults out of children by means of books and a balance."
motto of St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico
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facta, non verba
deeds, not words
Frequently used as motto
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factum fieri infectum non potest
It is impossible for a deed to be undone
Terence, Phormio 5/8:45
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falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus
false in one, false in all
A Roman legal principle indicating that a witness who willfully falsifies one matter is not credible on any matter. The underlying motive for attorneys to impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without corroboration.
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familia supra omnia
family over everything
frequently used as a family motto
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fas est et ab hoste doceri
It is lawful to be taught even by an enemy
Ovid, Metamorphoses 4:428
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febris amatoria
fever of love
Hypochromic anemia or chlorosis, once described as the "fever of love", which was believed to stem from the yearning for passion in virgins. First written about in 1554 by the German physician Johannes Lange. Also known as "Disease of the Virgins".[57]
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feci quod potui, faciant meliora potentes
I have done what I could; let those who can do better.
Slight variant ("quod potui feci") found in James Boswell's An Account of Corsica, there described as "a simple beautiful inscription on the front of Palazzo Tolomei at Siena".[58] Later, found in Henry Baerlein's introduction to his translation of The Diwan of Abul ʿAla by Abul ʿAla Al-Maʿarri (973–1057);[59] also in Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, act 1. Also in Alfonso Moreno Espinosa, Compendio de Historia Universal, 5. ed. (Cádiz 1888).
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 NN fecit
NN made (this)
a formula used traditionally in the author's signature by painters, sculptors, artisans, scribes etc.; compare pinxit
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fecisti patriam diversis de gentibus unam
"From differing peoples you have made one native land"
Verse 63 from the poem De reditu suo by Rutilius Claudius Namatianus praising emperor Augustus.[60]
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 felicior Augusto, melior Traiano
"be more fortunate than Augustus and better than Trajan"
ritual acclamation delivered to late Roman emperors
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 Felicitas, Integritas Et Sapientia
Happiness, Integrity and Knowledge
The motto of Oakland Colegio Campestre school through which Colombia participates of NASA Educational Programs
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felix culpa
fortunate fault
from the "Exsultet" of the Catholic liturgy for the Easter Vigil
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felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
happy is he who can ascertain the causes of things
Virgil. "Rerum cognoscere causas" is the motto of the London School of Economics, University of Sheffield, and University of Guelph.
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felo de se
felon from himself
archaic legal term for one who commits suicide, referring to early English common law punishments, such as land seizure, inflicted on those who killed themselves
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fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt
men generally believe what they want to
People's beliefs are shaped largely by their desires. Julius Caesar, The Gallic War 3.18
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festina lente
hurry slowly
An oxymoronic motto of Augustus. It encourages proceeding quickly, but calmly and cautiously. Equivalent to "more haste, less speed". Motto of the Madeira School, McLean, Virginia and Berkhamsted School, Berkhamsted, England, United Kingdom
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festinare nocet, nocet et cunctatio saepe; tempore quaeque suo qui facit, ille sapit.
it is bad to hurry, and delay is often as bad; the wise person is the one who does everything in its proper time.
Ovid[61]
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fiat iustitia et pereat mundus
let justice be done, though the world shall perish
motto of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
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fiat justitia ruat caelum
let justice be done, should the sky fall
attributed to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus
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fiat lux
let there be light
from the Genesis, "dixitque Deus fiat lux et facta est lux" ("and God said: 'Let there be light', and there was light."); frequently used as the motto of schools.
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fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum
be it done to me according to thy word
Virgin Mary's response to the Annunciation
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fiat panis
let there be bread
Motto of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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fiat voluntas Dei
May God's will be done
motto of Robert May's School; see the next phrase below
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fiat voluntas tua
Thy will be done
motto of Archbishop Richard Smith of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton; quotation of the third petition of the Pater Noster (Our Father) prayer dictated by Jesus Christ and his response to the Father during the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane
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ficta voluptatis causa sint proxima veris
fictions meant to please should approximate the truth
Horace, Ars Poetica (338); advice presumably discounted by the magical realists
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Fidei Defensor (Fid Def) or (fd)
Defender of the Faith
A title given to King Henry VIII of England by Pope Leo X on 17 October 1521, before Henry broke from the Roman Church and founded the Church of England. British monarchs continue to use the title, which is still inscribed on all British coins, and usually abbreviated.
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fidem scit
he knows the faith
sometimes mistranslated to "keep the faith" when used in contemporary English writings of all kinds to convey a light-hearted wish for the reader's well-being
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fides qua creditur
the faith by which it is believed
Roman Catholic theological term for the personal faith that apprehends what is believed, contrasted with fides quae creditur, which is what is believed; see next phrase below
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fides quae creditur
the faith which is believed
Roman Catholic theological term for the content and truths of the Faith or "the deposit of the Faith", contrasted with fides qua creditur, which is the personal faith by which the Faith is believed; see previous phrase
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fides quaerens intellectum
faith seeking understanding
motto of St. Anselm; Proslogion
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fidus Achates
faithful Achates
refers to a faithful friend; from the name of Aeneas's faithful companion in Virgil's Aeneid
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filiae nostrae sicut anguli incisi similitudine templi
may our daughters be as polished as the corners of the temple
motto of Francis Holland School
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finis coronat opus
the end crowns the work
A major part of a work is properly finishing it. Motto of St. Mary's Catholic High School in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; on the Coat of Arms of Seychelles; and of the Amin Investment Bank
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finis vitae sed non amoris
the end of life, but not of love
unknown
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flagellum dei
the scourge of God
title for Attila the Hun, the ruthless invader of the Western Roman Empire
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flatus vocis
[a or the] breath of voice
a mere name, word, or sound without a corresponding objective reality; expression used by the nominalists of universals and traditionally attributed to the medieval philosopher Roscelin of Compiègne
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flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo
if I can not reach Heaven I will raise Hell
Virgil, Aeneid, Book VII.312
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floreat Etona
may Eton flourish
Motto of Eton College, England, United Kingdom
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floreat nostra schola
may our school flourish
a common scholastic motto
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floruit (fl.)
one flourished
indicates the period when a historic person was most active or was accomplishing that for which he is famous; may be used as a substitute when the dates of his birth and/or death are unknown.
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fluctuat nec mergitur
she wavers and is not immersed
Motto of the City of Paris, France
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fons et origo
the spring and source
also: "the fountainhead and beginning"
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fons sapientiae, verbum Dei
the fount of knowledge is the word of God
motto of Bishop Blanchet High School
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fons vitae caritas
love is the fountain of life
motto of Chisipite Senior School and Chisipite Junior School
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formosam resonare doces Amaryllida silvas
teach the woods to re-echo "fair Amaryllis"
Virgil, Eclogues, 1:5
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forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit
perhaps even these things will be good to remember one day
Virgil, Aeneid, Book 1, Line 203
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fortes fortuna adiuvat
Fortune favours the bold
The motto of the United States Marine Corps 3rd Marine Regiment
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fortes fortuna juvat
Fortune favours the bold
The motto of the Jutland Dragoon Regiment of Denmark
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fortes in fide
strong in faith
a common motto
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fortis cadere, cedere non potest
the brave may fall, but can not yield
motto on the Coat of Arms of the Fahnestock Family and of the Palmetto Guard of Charleston, South Carolina
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fortis est veritas
truth is strong
motto on the Coat of Arms of Oxford, England, United Kingdom
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fortis et liber
strong and free
motto of Alberta, Canada
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fortis in arduis
strong in difficulties/adversary
motto of the Municipal Borough of Middleton, from the Earl of Middleton and of Syed Ahmad Shaheed House of Army Burn Hall College in Abbottabad, Pakistan
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fortiter et fideliter
bravely and faithfully
a common motto
%
fortiter in re, suaviter in modo
resolute in execution, gentle in manner
a common motto
%
fortunae meae, multorum faber
artisan of my fate and that of several others
motto of Gatineau
%
fraus omnia vitiat
a legal principle: the occurrence or taint of fraud in a (legal) transaction entirely invalidates it
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fui quod es, eris quod sum
I once was what you are, you will be what I am
An epitaph that reminds the reader of the inevitability of death, as if to state: "Once I was alive like you are, and you will be dead as I am now." It was carved on the gravestones of some Roman military officers.
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fumus boni iuris
presumption of sufficient legal basis
a legal principle
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fundamenta inconcussa
unshakable foundation

%
gaudia certaminis
the joys of battle
according to Cassiodorus, an expression used by Attila in addressing his troops prior to the 451 Battle of Châlons
%
gaudeamus hodie
let us rejoice today

%
gaudeamus igitur
therefore let us rejoice
First words of an academic anthem used, among other places, in The Student Prince.
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gaudete in domino
rejoice in the Lord
Motto of Bishop Allen Academy
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gaudium in veritate
joy in truth
Motto of Campion School
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generalia specialibus non derogant
general provisions enacted in later legislation do not detract from specific provisions enacted in earlier legislation
A principle of statutory interpretation: If a matter falls under a specific provision in a statute enacted before a general provision enacted in a later statute, it is to be presumed that the legislature did not intend that the earlier specific provision be repealed, and the matter is governed by the earlier specific provision, not the more recent general one.
%
genius loci
spirit of place
The unique, distinctive aspects or atmosphere of a place, such as those celebrated in art, stories, folk tales, and festivals. Originally, the genius loci was literally the protective spirit of a place, a creature usually depicted as a snake.
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generatim discite cultus
Learn each field of study according to its kind. (Virgil, Georgics II.)
Motto of the University of Bath.
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gens una sumus
we are one people
Motto of FIDE. Can be traced back to Claudian's poem De consulatu Stilichonis.
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gesta non verba
deeds, not words
Motto of James Ruse Agricultural High School.
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Gloria in excelsis Deo
Glory to God in the Highest
Often translated "Glory to God on High". The title and beginning of an ancient Roman Catholic doxology, the Greater Doxology. See also ad maiorem Dei gloriam.
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Gloria invidiam vicisti
By your fame you have conquered envy
Sallust, Bellum Jugurthum ("Jugurthine War") 10:2.
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gloria filiorum patres
The glory of sons is their fathers (Proverbs17:6)
Motto of Eltham College
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Gloria Patri
Glory to the Father
The beginning of the Lesser Doxology.
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gloriosus et liber
glorious and free
Motto of Manitoba
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gradatim ferociter
by degrees, ferociously
Motto of private spaceflight company Blue Origin, which officially treats "Step by step, ferociously" as the English translation
%
gradibus ascendimus
ascending by degrees
Motto of Grey College, Durham
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Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit
Conquered Greece in turn defeated its savage conqueror
Horace Epistles 2.1
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Graecum est; non legitur
It is Greek (and therefore) it cannot be read.
Most commonly from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar where Casca couldn't explain to Cassius what Cicero was saying because he was speaking Greek. The more common colloquialism would be: It's all Greek to me.
%
grandescunt aucta labore
By hard work, all things increase and grow
Motto of McGill University
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gratia et scientia
grace and learning
Motto of Arundel School
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gratiae veritas naturae
Truth through mercy and nature
Motto of Uppsala University
%
graviora manent
heavier things remain
Virgil Aeneid 6:84; more severe things await, the worst is yet to come
%
Gravis Dulcis Immutabilis
serious sweet immutable
Title of a poem by James Elroy Flecker[62]
%
gutta cavat lapidem [non vi sed saepe cadendo]
a water drop hollows a stone [not by force, but by falling often]
main phrase is from Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto IV, 10, 5.;[63] expanded in the Middle Ages
%
habeas corpus
You should have the body
A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge, most commonly habeas corpus ad subiciendum (you may have the body to bring up). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's legal right to challenge the legality of their detention. (Corpus here is used in a similar sense to corpus delicti, referring to the substance of the reason for detention rather than a physical human body.)
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habemus papam
we have a pope
Used after a Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope.
%
Habent sua fata libelli
Books have their destiny [according to the capabilities of the reader]
Terentianus Maurus, De Litteris, De Syllabis, De Metris, 1:1286.
%
hac lege
with this law

%
haec olim meminisse iuvabit
one day, this will be pleasing to remember
Commonly rendered in English as "One day, we'll look back on this and smile". From Virgil's Aeneid 1.203. Also, motto of Handsworth Grammar School, and the Jefferson Society.
%
haec ornamenta mea [sunt]
"These are my ornaments" or"These are my jewels"
Attributed to Cornelia Africana (talking about her children) by Valerius Maximus in Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX, IV, 4, incipit.[64][65]
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Hannibal ad portas
Hannibal at the gates
Found in Cicero's first Philippic and in Livy's Ab urbe conditaHannibal was a fierce enemy of Rome who almost brought them to defeat.Sometimes rendered "Hannibal ante portas", with verisimilar meaning: "Hannibal before the gates"
%
haud ignota loquor
I speak not of unknown things
Thus, "I say no things that are unknown". From Virgil's Aeneid, 2.91.
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Hei mihi! quod nullis amor est medicabilis herbis.
Oh me! love can not be cured by herbs
From Ovid's Metamorphoses ("Transformations"), I, 523.
%
hic abundant leones
here lions abound
Written on uncharted territories of old maps; see also: here be dragons.
%
hic et nunc
here and now

The imperative motto for the satisfaction of desire. "I need it, Here and Now"

%
hic et ubique
here and everywhere

%
hic jacet (HJ)
here lies
Also rendered hic iacet. Written on gravestones or tombs, preceding the name of the deceased. Equivalent to hic sepultus (here is buried), and sometimes combined into hic jacet sepultus (HJS), "here lies buried".
%
hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae
This is the place where death delights in helping life
A motto of many morgues or wards of anatomical pathology.
%
hic manebimus optime
here we'll stay excellently
According to Titus Livius the phrase was pronounced by Marcus Furius Camillus, addressing the senators who intended to abandon the city, invaded by Gauls, circa 390 BC. It is used today to express the intent to keep one's position, even if the circumstances appear adverse.
%
hic Rhodus, hic salta
From the Latin version of "The Boastful Athlete" in Aesop's Fables[66] as formulated by Erasmus in his Adagia
"Here is Rhodes, here is where you jump." – Prove what you can do, here and now. Cited by Hegel and Marx.
%
hic sunt dracones
here there are dragons
Written on a globe engraved on two conjoined halves of ostrich eggs, dated to 1504.
%
hic sunt leones
here there are lions
Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
%
hinc et inde
from both sides

%
hinc illae lacrimae
hence those tears
From Terence, Andria, line 125. Originally literal, referring to the tears shed by Pamphilus at the funeral of Chrysis, it came to be used proverbially in the works of later authors, such as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
%
hinc itur ad astra
from here the way leads to the stars
Written on the wall of the old astronomical observatory of Vilnius University, Lithuania, and the university's motto.
%
hinc robur et securitas
herefore strength and safety
Motto of the Central Bank of Sweden.
%
historia vitae magistra
history, the teacher of life
From Cicero's De Oratore, II, 9. Also "history is the mistress of life".
%
hoc age
do this
Motto of Bradford Grammar School
%
hoc est bellum
This is war

%
hoc est Christum cognoscere, beneficia eius cognoscere
To know Christ is to know his benefits
Famous dictum by the Reformer Melanchthon in his Loci Communes of 1521
%
hoc est enim corpus meum
For this is my Body
The words of Jesus reiterated in Latin during the Roman Catholic Eucharist.  Sometimes simply written as "Hoc est corpus meum" or "This is my body".
%
hoc genus omne
All that crowd/people
From Horace's Satires, 1/2:2. Refers to the crowd at Tigellio's funeral (c. 40–39 BC). Not to be confused with et hoc genus omne (English: and all that sort of thing).
%
hodie mihi, cras tibi
Today it's me, tomorrow it will be you
Inscription that can be seen on tombstones dating from the Middle Ages, meant to outline the ephemerality of life.
%
hominem pagina nostra sapit
It is of man that my page smells
From Martial's Epigrams, Book 10, No. 4, Line 10; stating his purpose in writing.
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hominem non morbum cura
Treat the Man, not the Disease
Motto of the Far Eastern University – Institute of Nursing
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homo bulla
man is a bubble
Varro (116 BC – 27 BC), in the opening line of the first book of Rerum Rusticarum Libri Tres, wrote "quod, ut dicitur, si est homo bulla, eo magis senex" (for if, as they say, man is a bubble, all the more so is an old man)[67] later reintroduced by Erasmus in his Adagia, a collection of sayings published in 1572.
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homo homini lupus
man [is a] wolf to man
First attested in Plautus' Asinaria (lupus est homo homini). The sentence was drawn on by Hobbes in Leviathan as a concise expression of his views on human nature.
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Homo minister et interpres naturae
Man, the servant and interpreter of nature
Motto of the Lehigh University
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homo praesumitur bonus donec probetur malus
One is innocent until proven guilty
See also: presumption of innocence.
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homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto
I am a human being; nothing human is strange to me
From Terence's Heauton Timorumenos (The Self-Tormentor) (163 BC). Originally "strange" or "foreign" (alienum) was used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line was a response to the speaker being told to mind his own business, but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different cultures and being humane in general. Puto (I consider) is not translated because it is meaningless outside of the line's context within the play.
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homo unius libri
a man of a single book
Attributed to Thomas Aquinas: «Hominem unius libri timeo» “I fear a man of a single book.”
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honestas ante honores
honesty before glory
Motto of King George V School (Hong Kong)
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honor virtutis praemium
esteem is the reward of virtue
Motto of Arnold School, Blackpool, England
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honoris causa
for the sake of honor
Said of an honorary title, such as "Doctor of Science honoris causa"
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hora fugit
the hour flees
See tempus fugit
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hora somni (h.s.)
at the hour of sleep
Medical shorthand for "at bedtime"
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horas non numero nisi serenas
I do not count the hours unless they are sunny
A common inscription on sundials.
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horresco referens
I shudder as I tell
From Virgil's Aeneid, 2.204, on the appearance of the sea-serpents who kill the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons
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horribile dictu
horrible to say
cf. mirabile dictu
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hortus in urbe
A garden in the city
Motto of the Chicago Park District, a playful allusion to the city's motto, urbs in horto, q.v.
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hortus siccus
A dry garden
A collection of dry, preserved plants
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hostis humani generis
enemy of the human race
Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general.
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humilitas occidit superbiam
humility conquers pride

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hypotheses non fingo
I do not fabricate hypotheses
From Newton, Principia. Less literally, "I do not assert that any hypotheses are true".
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I, Vitelli, dei Romani sono belli
Go, oh Vitellius, at the war sound of the Roman god
Perfectly correct Latin sentence usually reported as funny by modern Italians because the same exact words, in Italian, mean "Romans' calves are beautiful", which has a ridiculously different meaning.
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ibidem (ibid.)
in the same place
Usually used in bibliographic citations to refer to the last source previously referenced.
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id est (i.e.)

that is (literally "it is")

"That is (to say)" in the sense of "that means" and "which means", or "in other words", "namely", or sometimes "in this case", depending on the context.
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id quod plerumque accidit
that which generally happens
A phrase used in legal language to indicate the most probable outcome from an act, fact, event or cause.
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idem (id.)
the same
Used to refer to something that has already been cited; ditto. See also ibidem.
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idem quod (i.q.)
the same as
Not to be confused with an intelligence quotient.
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Idus Martiae
the Ides of March
In the Roman calendar, the Ides of March refers to the 15th day of March. In modern times, the term is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC; the term has come to be used as a metaphor for impending doom.
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Jesu juva (J.J.)

Jesus, help!

Used by Johann Sebastian Bach at the beginning of his compositions, which he ended with "S.D.G." (Soli Deo gloria). Compare Besiyata Dishmaya.
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Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (INRI)
Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews



From Vulgate; John 19:19. John 19:20 states that this inscription was written in three languages—Aramaic, Latin and Greek—at the top of the cross during the crucifixion of Jesus.




From Vulgate; John 19:19. John 19:20 states that this inscription was written in three languages—Aramaic, Latin and Greek—at the top of the cross during the crucifixion of Jesus.


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From Vulgate; John 19:19. John 19:20 states that this inscription was written in three languages—Aramaic, Latin and Greek—at the top of the cross during the crucifixion of Jesus.


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igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
Therefore whoever desires peace, let him prepare for war
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, De Re Militari; similar to si vis pacem, para bellum and in pace ut sapiens aptarit idonea bello.
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igne natura renovatur integra
through fire, nature is reborn whole
An alchemical aphorism invented as an alternate meaning for the acronym INRI.
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igni ferroque
with fire and iron
A phrase describing scorched earth tactics. Also rendered as igne atque ferro, ferro ignique, and other variations.
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ignis aurum probat
fire tests gold
A phrase referring to the refining of character through difficult circumstances, it is also the motto of the Prometheus Society.
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ignis fatuus
foolish fire
Will-o'-the-wisp.
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ignorantia juris non excusat
(or ignorantia legis non excusat or ignorantia legis neminem excusat) ignorance of the law is no excuse
A legal principle whereby ignorance of a law does not allow one to escape liability.
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ignoratio elenchi
ignorance of the issue
The logical fallacy of irrelevant conclusion: making an argument that, while possibly valid, doesn't prove or support the proposition it claims to. An ignoratio elenchi that is an intentional attempt to mislead or confuse the opposing party is known as a red herring. Elenchi is from the Greek elenchos.
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ignotum per ignotius
unknown by means of the more unknown
An explanation that is less clear than the thing to be explained. Synonymous with obscurum per obscurius.
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ignotus (ign.)
unknown

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illum oportet crescere me autem minui
He must become greater; I must become less
In the Gospel of John 3:30, a phrase said by John the Baptist after baptizing Jesus. Motto of Saint John the Baptist Catholic School, San Juan, Metro Manila.
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imago Dei
image of God
From the religious concept that man was created in "God's image".
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imitatio dei
imitation of a god
A principle, held by several religions, that believers should strive to resemble their god(s).
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imperium in imperio
an order within an order
1. A group of people who owe utmost fealty to their leader(s), subordinating the interests of the larger group to the authority of the internal group's leader(s).  2. A "fifth column" organization operating against the organization within which they seemingly reside.3. "State within a state"
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imperium sine fine
an empire without an end
In Virgil's Aeneid, Jupiter ordered Aeneas to found a city (Rome) from which would come an everlasting, never-ending empire, the endless (sine fine) empire.
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impossibilium nulla obligatio est
there is no obligation to do the impossible
Publius Juventius Celsus, Digesta L 17, 185.
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imprimatur
let it be printed
An authorization to publish, granted by some censoring authority (originally a Catholic Bishop).
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in absentia
in the absence
Used in a number of situations, such as in a trial carried out in the absence of the accused.
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in absentia lucis, tenebrae vincunt
in the absence of light, darkness prevails

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in actu
in act
In the very act; in reality.
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[Dominica] in albis [depositis]
[Sunday in Setting Aside the] White Garments
Latin name of the Octave of Easter.
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in articulo mortis
at the point of death

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in bono veritas
truth is in the good

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in camera
in the chamber
In secret. See also camera obscura.
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in casu (i.c.)
in the event
In this case.
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in cauda venenum
the poison is in the tail
Using the metaphor of a scorpion, this can be said of an account that proceeds gently, but turns vicious towards the end—or more generally waits till the end to reveal an intention or statement that is undesirable in the listener's ears.
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in com. Ebor.
In the county of Yorkshire
Eboracum was the Roman name for York and this phrase is used in some Georgian and Victorian books on the genealogy of prominent Yorkshire families.
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in Christi lumine pro mundi vita
in the light of Christ for the life on the world
Motto of Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
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in Deo speramus
in God we hope
Motto of Brown University.
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in dubio pro reo
in doubt, on behalf of the [alleged] culprit
Expresses the judicial principle that in case of doubt the decision must be in favor of the accused (in that anyone is innocent until there is proof to the contrary).
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in duplo
in double
In duplicate
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in effigie
in the likeness
In (the form of) an image; in effigy (as opposed to "in the flesh" or "in person").
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in esse
in existence
In actual existence; as opposed to in posse.
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in extenso
in the extended
In full; at full length; complete or unabridged
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in extremis
in the furthest reaches
At the very end. In extremity; in dire straits; also "at the point of death" (cf. in articulo mortis).
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in fide scientiam
To our faith add knowledge
Motto of Newington College.
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in fidem
into faith
To the verification of faith.
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in fieri
in becoming
In progress; pending.
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in fine (i.f.)
in the end
At the end. The footnote says "p. 157 in fine": "the end of page 157".
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in flagrante delicto
in a blazing wrong, while the crime is blazing
Caught in the act (esp. a crime or in a "compromising position"); equivalent to "caught red-handed" in English idiom.
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in flore
in blossom
Blooming.
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in foro
in forum
In court (legal term).
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in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
We enter the circle at night and are consumed by fire
A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the title of a film by Guy Debord.
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in harmonia progressio
progress in harmony
Motto of Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia.
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in hoc sensu, or, in sensu hoc (s.h.)

in this sense
Recent academic abbreviation for "in this sense".
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in hoc signo vinces
by this sign you will conquer
Words Constantine the Great claimed to have seen in a vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.
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in hunc effectum
for this purpose
Describes a meeting called for a particular stated purpose only.
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in ictu oculi
in the blink of an eye

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in illo ordine (i.o.)
in that order
Recent academic substitution for the spacious and inconvenient "..., respectively."
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in illo tempore
in that time
At that time, found often in Gospel lectures during Masses, used to mark an undetermined time in the past.
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in inceptum finis est
lit.: in the beginning is the end
or: the beginning foreshadows the end
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in limine
at the outset/threshold
Preliminary, in law, a motion in limine is a motion that is made to the judge before or during trial, often about the admissibility of evidence believed prejudicial.
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in loco
in the place, on the spot
That is, 'on site'. "The nearby labs were closed for the weekend, so the water samples were analyzed in loco."
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in loco parentis
in the place of a parent
Assuming parental or custodial responsibility and authority (e.g., schoolteachers over students); a legal term.
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in luce Tua videmus lucem
in Thy light we see light
Motto of Valparaiso University. The phrase comes from the book of Psalms 36:9 "For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light."
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in lumine tuo videbimus lumen
in your light we will see the light
Motto of Columbia University, Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School and Ohio Wesleyan University. Also, it is the motto of the South African University of Fort Hare.
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in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum
into your hands I entrust my spirit
According to Luke 23:46, the last words of Jesus on the cross.
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in medias res
into the middle of things
From Horace. Refers to the literary technique of beginning a narrative in the middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much action has already taken place. Examples include the Iliad, the Odyssey, Os Lusíadas, Othello, and Paradise Lost. Compare ab initio.
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in memoriam
into the memory
Equivalent to "in the memory of". Refers to remembering or honoring a deceased person.
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in natura
in nature
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in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas
in necessary things unity, in doubtful things liberty, in all things charity
"Charity" (caritas) is being used in the classical sense of "compassion" (cf. agape). Motto of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen. Often misattributed to Augustine of Hippo.[citation needed]
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in nocte consilium
advice comes over night. Literally: the night brings advice, source of the English expression "Sleep over it"
I.e., "Tomorrow is a new day." Motto of Birkbeck College, University of London.
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in nomine diaboli
in the name of the devil
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in nomine Domini
in the name of the Lord
Motto of Trinity College, Perth, Australia; the name of a 1050 papal bull
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in nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti

in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
invocation of the Holy Trinity
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in nuce
in a nut
in a nutshell; briefly stated; potential; in the embryonic phase
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in odium fidei
in hatred of the faith
Used in reference to the deaths of Christian martyrs
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in omnia paratus
Ready for anything.
Motto of the United States Army's 18th Infantry Regiment
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in omnibus amare et servire Domino
In everything, love and serve the Lord.
The motto of Ateneo de Iloilo, a school in the Philippines
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in omnibus requiem quaesivi, et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro
Everywhere I have searched for peace and nowhere found it, except in a corner with a book
Quote by Thomas à Kempis
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in ovo
in the egg or in the embryo
An experiment or process performed in an egg or embryo (e.g. in ovo electroporation of chicken embryo).
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in pace ut sapiens aptarit idonea bello
in peace, like the wise man, make preparations for war
Horace, Satires 2/2:111; similar to si vis pacem, para bellum and igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
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in pace requiescat
in peace may he rest
Alternate form of requiescat in pace ("let him rest in peace"). Found in this form at the end of The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe.
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in pari materia
upon the same matter or subject
In statutory interpretation, when a statute is ambiguous, its meaning may be determined in light of other statutes on the same subject matter.
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in partibus infidelium
in the parts of the infidels
"In the land of the infidels"; used to refer to bishoprics that remains as titular sees even after the corresponding territory was conquered by Muslim empires.
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in pectore
in the heart
A cardinal named in secret by the pope. See also ab imo pectore.
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in personam
into a person
Directed towards a particular person
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in posse
in potential
In the state of being possible; as opposed to in esse.
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in propria persona
in one's own person
For one's self, for the sake of one's "Personhood"; acting on one's own behalf, especially a person representing themselves in a legal proceeding; see also litigant in person, pro se legal representation in the United States (abbreviated pro per).
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in principio erat Verbum
in the beginning was the Word (Logos)
Beginning of the Gospel of John
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in re
in the matter [of]
A legal term used to indicate that a judicial proceeding may not have formally designated adverse parties or is otherwise uncontested. The term is commonly used in case citations of probate proceedings, for example, In re Smith's Estate; it is also used in juvenile courts, as, for instance, In re Gault.
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in rebus

in the thing [itself]
Primarily of philosophical use to discuss properties and property exemplification. In philosophy of mathematics, it is typically contrasted with "ante rem" and, more recently, "post res" structuralism. Sometimes in re is used in place of in rebus.
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in regione caecorum rex est luscus
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
A quote of Desiderius Erasmus from Adagia (first published 1500, with numerous expanded editions through 1536), III, IV, 96.
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in rem
to the thing
Legal term indicating a court's jurisdiction over a piece of property rather than a legal person; contrast with personal (ad personam) jurisdiction. See In rem jurisdiction; Quasi in rem jurisdiction
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in rerum natura
in the nature of things
See also Lucretius' De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things).
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in retentis
among things held back
Used to describe documents kept separately from the regular records of a court for special reasons.
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in saecula (saeculorum), in saeculum saeculi
roughly: down to the times of the times
forever (and ever), liturgical
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in saeculo
in the times
In the secular world, esp. outside a monastery, or before death.
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in salvo
in safety

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in scientia et virtue
In Knowledge, and Virtue
Motto of St. Joseph's College, Colombo. Sri Lanka.
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in se magna ruunt
great things collapse of their own weight
Lucan, Pharsalia 1:81.
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in situ
in the place
In the original place, appropriate position, or natural arrangement.
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in somnis veritas
In dreams there is truth

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in spe
in hope
"future" ("my mother-in-law in spe", i.e. "my future mother-in-law"), or "in embryonic form", as in "Locke's theory of government resembles, in spe, Montesquieu's theory of the separation of powers."
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in specialibus generalia quaerimus
To seek the general in the specifics
That is, to understand the most general rules through the most detailed analysis.
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in statu nascendi
in the state of being born
Just as something is about to begin
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in theatro ludus
like a scene in a play
Surreal
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in toto
in all
Totally; entirely; completely.
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in triplo
in triple
In triplicate.
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in umbra, igitur, pugnabimus
Then we will fight in the shade

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in utero
in the womb

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in utrumque paratus
prepared for either (event)

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in vacuo
in a void
In a vacuum; isolated from other things.
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in varietate concordia
united in diversity
The motto of the European Union and the Council of Europe
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invidiae prudentia victrix
prudence conquers jealousy

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in vino veritas
in wine [there is] truth
That is, wine loosens the tongue (referring to alcohol's disinhibitory effects).
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in vitro
in glass
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "non-natural" setting (e.g. in a laboratory using a glass test tube or Petri dish), and thus outside of a living organism or cell. Alternative experimental or process methodologies include in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo.
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in vivo
in life/in a living thing
An experiment or process performed on a living specimen.
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in vivo veritas
in a living thing [there is] truth
An expression used by biologists to express the fact that laboratory findings from testing an organism in vitro are not always reflected when applied to an organism in vivo. A pun on in vino veritas.
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incepto ne desistam
May I not shrink from my purpose!
Westville Boys' High School and Westville Girls' High School's motto is taken directly from Virgil. These words, found in Aeneid, Book 1, are used by Juno, queen of heaven who hated the Trojans led by Aeneas. When she saw the fleet of Aeneas on its way to Italy, after the sack of Troy by the Greeks, she planned to scatter it by means of strong winds. In her determination to accomplish her task she cried out "Incepto Ne Desistam!"
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incertae sedis
of uncertain position (seat)
A term used to classify a taxonomic group when its broader relationships are unknown or undefined.
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incredibile dictu
incredible to say
A variant on mirabile dictu.
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intus et in cute
Inwardly, under the skin [intimately, without reservation]
Persius, Satire 3:30.
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Index Librorum Prohibitorum
Index of Prohibited (or, Forbidden) Books
A list of books considered heretical by the Roman Catholic Church.
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indigens Deo
being-in-need-of-God, beggar before God
From Augustine, De Civitate Dei XII, 1.3: beatitudinem consequatur nec expleat indigentiam suam, "since it is not satisfied unless it be perfectly blessed."
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indignor quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus
I too am annoyed whenever good Homer nods off
Horace, Ars Poetica 358
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indivisibiliter ac inseparabiliter
indivisible and inseparable
Motto of Austria-Hungary before it was divided and separated into independent states in 1918.
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Infinitus est numerus stultorum.
Infinite is the number of fools.

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infirma mundi elegit Deus
God chooses the weak of the world
The motto of Venerable Vital-Justin Grandin, the bishop of the St. Albert Diocese, which is now the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton
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infra dignitatem (infra dig)
beneath one's dignity

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ingenio stat sine morte decus
The honors of genius are eternal
Propertius, Elegies Book III, 2
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initium sapientiae timor Domini
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
A quotation of Psalm 111:10. Motto of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
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iniuriae qui addideris contumeliam
You who have added insult to injury
Phaedrus, Fables 5/3:5.
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inopiae desunt multa, avaritiae omnia
To poverty many things are lacking; to avarice, everything
Publilius Syrus.
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insita hominibus libidine alendi de industria rumores
Men have an innate desire to propagate rumors or reports
Titus Livius, (XXVII, XXIV); Michel de Montaigne, (Essays).
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instante mense (inst.)
in the present month
Used in formal correspondence to refer to the current month, sometimes abbreviated as inst; e.g.: "Thank you for your letter of the 17th inst."—ult. mense = last month, prox. mense = next month.
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Instrumentum regni
instrument of government
Used to express the exploitation of religion by State or ecclesiastical polity as a means of controlling the masses, or in particular to achieve political and mundane ends.
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Instrumentum vocale
instrument with voice
So Varro in his De re rustica (On Agriculture) defines the slave: an instrument (as a simple plow, or etc.) with voice.
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intaminatis fulget honoribus
Untarnished, she shines with honor
From Horace's Odes (III.2.18). Motto of Wofford College.
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integer vitae scelerisque purus
unimpaired by life and clean of wickedness
From Horace. Used as a funeral hymn.
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intelligenti pauca
Few words suffice for he who understands

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inter alia (i.a.)
among other things
A term used in formal extract minutes to indicate that the minute quoted has been taken from a fuller record of other matters, or when alluding to the parent group after quoting a particular example.
%
inter alios
among others
Often used to compress lists of parties to legal documents
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inter arma enim silent leges
in a time of war, the law falls silent
Said by Cicero in Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked political mobs that had virtually seized control of Rome in the 60s and 50s BC. Famously quoted in the essay Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau as "The clatter of arms drowns out the voice of the law". This phrase has also been jokingly translated as "In a time of arms, the legs are silent."
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inter caetera
among others
Title of a papal bull
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inter mutanda constantia
Steadfast in the midst of change
Motto for Rockwell College in Ireland and Francis Libermann Catholic High School in Ontario, Canada
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inter spem et metum
between hope and fear

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inter faeces et urinam nascimur
we are born between feces and urine
Attributed to Saint Augustine
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inter vivos
between the living
Refers to property transfers between living persons, as opposed to a testamentary transfer upon death such as an inheritance; often relevant to tax laws.
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intra muros
within the walls
Not public; source of the word intramural. See also Intramuros, Manila.
%
intra vires
within the powers
Within one's authority
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invenias etiam disiecti membra poetae
You would still recognize the scattered fragments of a poet
Horace, Satires, I, 4, 62, in reference to the earlier Roman poet Ennius
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inveniet quod quisque velit
Each shall find what he desires
Attributed to Petronius[68] or Prudentius. Motto of Nature in Cambridgeshire:[69]
Inveniet quod quisque velit; non omnibus unum est, quod placet; hic spinas colligit, ille rosas.
("Each shall find what he desires; no one thing pleases all; one gathers thorns, another roses.")
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invicta
Unconquered
Motto of the English county of Kent and the city of Oporto
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invictus maneo
I remain unvanquished
Motto of the Armstrong Clan
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Iohannes est nomen eius
John is his name
Motto of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
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ipsa scientia potestas est
knowledge itself is power
Famous phrase written by Sir Francis Bacon in 1597
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ipse dixit
he himself said it
Commonly said in Medieval debates and referring to Aristotle. Used in general to emphasize that some assertion comes from some authority, i.e., as an argument from authority, and the term ipse-dixitism has come to mean any unsupported rhetorical assertion that lacks a logical argument. A literal translation by Cicero (in his De Natura Deorum 1.10) of the Greek «αὐτὸς ἔφα», an invocation by Pythagoreans when appealing to the pronouncements of the master.
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ipsissima verba
the very words themselves
"Strictly word for word" (cf. verbatim). Often used in Biblical Studies to describe the record of Jesus' teaching found in the New Testament (specifically, the four Gospels).
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ipsissima voce
in the very 'voice' itself
To approximate the main thrust or message without using the exact words
%
ipso facto
by the fact itself
By that very fact
%
ipso iure
by the law itself
Automatically as a consequence of law
%
ira deorum
wrath of the gods
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the ancient Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of pax deorum (peace of the gods) instead of ira deorum (wrath of the gods): earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.
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ira furor brevis est
Wrath (anger) is but a brief madness
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ita vero
thus indeed
A useful phrase, as the Romans had no word for "yes", preferring to respond to questions with the affirmative or negative of the question (e.g., "Are you hungry?" was answered by "I am hungry" or "I am not hungry", not "Yes" or "No).
%
ite, missa est
Go, it is the dismissal
Loosely: "You have been dismissed", literally "Go. Mass is over". Concluding words addressed to the people in the Mass of the Roman Rite.[70]
%
iter legis
The path of the law
The path a law takes from its conception to its implementation
%
iucunda memoria est praeteritorum malorum
Pleasant is the memory of past troubles
Cicero, De finibus bonorum et malorum 2, 32, 105
%
iugulare mortuos
to cut the throat of corpses
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466–1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). It can mean attacking the work or personality of deceased person. Alternatively, it can be used to describe criticism of an individual already heavily criticised by others.
%
iuncta iuvant

together they strive
also spelled juncta juvant; from the legal principle quae non valeant singula, iuncta iuvant ("What is without value on its own, helps when joined")
%
iura novit curia
the court knows the law
A legal principle in civil law countries of the Roman-German tradition that says that lawyers need not to argue the law, as that is the office of the court. Sometimes miswritten as iura novat curia (the court renews the laws).
%
iure matris
in right of his mother
Indicates a right exercised by a son on behalf of his mother
%
iure uxoris
in right of his wife
Indicates a right exercised by a husband on behalf of his wife
%
iuris ignorantia est cum ius nostrum ignoramus
it is ignorance of the law when we do not know our own rights

%
ius accrescendi
right of accrual
Commonly referred to as "right of survivorship": a rule in property law that surviving joint tenants have rights in equal shares to a decedent's property
%
ius ad bellum
law towards war
Refers to the laws that regulate the reasons for going to war. Typically, this would address issues of self-defense or preemptive strikes.
%
ius cogens
compelling law
Refers to a fundamental principle of international law considered to have acceptance among the international community of states as a whole. Typically, this would address issues not listed or defined by any authoritative body, but arise out of case law and changing social and political attitudes. Generally included are prohibitions on waging aggressive war, crimes against humanity, war crimes, piracy, genocide, slavery, and torture.
%
ius in bello
law in war
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the conduct of combatants during a conflict. Typically, this would address issues of who or what is a valid target, how to treat prisoners, and what sorts of weapons can be used. The word jus is also commonly spelled ius.
%
ius primae noctis
law of the first night
The droit de seigneur
%
iustitia fundamentum regni
justice is the foundation of a reign
Motto of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office of the Czech Republic
%
iustitia omnibus
justice for all
The motto of Washington, D.C.
%
iuventuti nil arduum
to the young nothing is difficult
Motto of Canberra Girls Grammar School
%
iuventutis veho fortunas
I bear the fortunes of youth
Motto of Dollar Academy
%
labor ipse voluptas
The pleasure is in the work itself.
Motto of Leopold von Ranke (Manilius IV 155)
%
labor omnia vincit
Hard work conquers all.
Popular as a motto; derived from a phrase in Virgil's Eclogue (X.69: omnia vincit Amor – "Love conquers all"); a similar phrase also occurs in his Georgics I.145.
%
laborare pugnare parati sumus
To work, (or) to fight; we are ready
Motto of the California Maritime Academy
%
labore et honore
By labour and honour

%
laboremus pro patria
Let us work for the fatherland
Motto of the Carlsberg breweries
%
laboris gloria Ludi
Games are the glory of work,
Motto of the Camborne School of Mines, Cornwall, UK
%
lacrimae rerum
The poignancy of things.
Virgil, Aeneid 1:462
%
lapsus
lapse, slip, error; involuntary mistake made while writing or speaking

%
lapsus calami
inadvertent typographical error, slip of the pen
 
%
lapsus linguae
inadvertent speech error, slip of the tongue
 
%
lapsus memoriae
slip of memory
source of the term memory lapse
%
latius est impunitum relinqui facinus nocentis (quam innocentem damnari)
It is better to let the crime of the guilty go unpunished (than to condemn the innocent)
Ulpian, Digest 5:6.
%
lauda finem
praise to the end
Motto of Nottingham High School
%
Laudatio Ejus Manet In Secula Seculorum
His Praise Remains unto Ages of Ages
Motto of Galway
%
laudator temporis acti
praiser of time past
One who is discontent with the present and instead prefers things of the past ("the good old days"). In Horace's Ars Poetica, line 173. The motto of HMS Veteran
%
laudetur Jesus Christus
Praise (Be) Jesus Christ
Often used as a salutation, but also used after prayers or the reading of the gospel
%
laus Deo
praise be to God
Inscription on the east side at the peak of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.; motto of the Viscount of Arbuthnott and Sydney Grammar School; title of a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier commemorating the passage of the 13th Amendment
%
lectio brevior potior
The shorter reading is the better
A maxim in text criticism. Codified, but simultaneously refuted, by Marxist educators.[citation needed]
%
lectio difficilior potior
The more difficult reading is the stronger

%
lectori salutem (L. S.,)
greetings to the reader
Often abbreviated to L.S., used as opening words for a letter
%
lege artis
according to the law of the art
Denotes that a certain intervention is performed in a correct way. Used especially in a medical context. The 'art' referred to in the phrase is medicine.
%
legem terrae
the law of the land

%
leges humanae nascuntur, vivunt, et moriuntur
laws of man are born, live and die

%
leges sine moribus vanae
laws without morals [are] vain
From Horace's Odes; motto of the University of Pennsylvania
%
legio patria nostra
The Legion is our fatherland
Motto of the French Foreign Legion
%
legi, intellexi, et condemnavi
I read, understood, and condemned.

%
legis plenitudo charitas
charity (love) is the fulfilment of the law
Motto of Ratcliffe College, UK and of the Rosmini College, NZ
%
legitime
lawfully
In Roman and civil law, a forced share in an estate; the portion of the decedent's estate from which the immediate family cannot be disinherited. From the French héritier legitime (rightful heir).
%
lex artis
law of the skill
The rules that regulate a professional duty.
%
lex dei vitae lampas
the law of God is the lamp of life
Motto of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
%
lex ferenda
the law that should be borne
The law as it ought to be.
%
lex hac edictali
the law here proclaims
The rule whereby a spouse cannot by deed inter vivos or bequeath by testament to his or her second spouse more than the amount of the smallest portion given or bequeathed to any child.
%
lex in casu
law in the event
A law that only concerns one particular case. See law of the case.
%
lex lata
the law that has been borne
The law as it is.
%
lex loci
law of the place

%
lex non scripta
law that has not been written
Unwritten law, or common law
%
lex orandi, lex credendi
the law of prayer is the law of faith

%
lex paciferat
the law shall bring peace
Motto of the European Gendarmerie Force
%
lex parsimoniae
law of succinctness
also known as Occam's Razor
%
lex rex
the law [is] king
A principle of government advocating a rule by law rather than by men. The phrase originated as a double entendre in the title of Samuel Rutherford's controversial book Lex, Rex (1644), which espoused a theory of limited government and constitutionalism.
%
lex scripta
written law
Statutory law; contrasted with lex non scripta
%
lex talionis
the law of retaliation
Retributive justice (i.e., eye for an eye)
%
libertas, justitia, veritas
Liberty Justice Truth
Motto of the Korea University and Freie Universität Berlin
%
Libertas perfundet omnia luce
Freedom will flood all things with light
Motto of the University of Barcelona and the Complutense University of Madrid
%
Libertas quae sera tamen
freedom which [is] however late
Liberty even when it comes late; motto of Minas Gerais, Brazil
%
Libertas Securitas Justitia
Liberty Security Justice
Motto of the Frontex
%
libra (lb)
balance; scales
Its abbreviation lb is used as a unit of weight, the pound.
%
lignum crucis arbor scientiae
The wood of the cross is the tree of knowledge
School motto of Denstone College
%
littera scripta manet
The written word endures
Attributed to Horace
%
loco citato (lc)
in the place cited
More fully written in loco citato; see also opere citato
%
locum tenens
place holder
A worker who temporarily takes the place of another with similar qualifications, for example as a doctor or a member of the clergy; usually shortened to locum.
%
locus classicus
a classic place
The most typical or classic case of something; quotation which most typifies its use.
%
locus minoris resistentiae
place of less resistance
A medical term to describe a location on or in a body that offers little resistance to infection, damage, or injury. For example, a weakened place that tends to be reinjured.
%
locus poenitentiae
a place of repentance
A legal term, it is the opportunity of withdrawing from a projected contract, before the parties are finally bound; or of abandoning the intention of committing a crime, before it has been completed.
%
locus standi
A right to stand
Standing in law (the right to have one's case in court)
%
longissimus dies cito conditur
even the longest day soon ends
Pliny the Younger, Epistulae 9/36:4
%
lorem ipsum
sorrow itself; pain for its own sake
A mangled fragment from Cicero's De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum (On the Limits of Good and Evil, 45 BC), used as typographer's filler to show fonts (a.k.a. greeking). (The first syllable of lorem is cut off; the original was dolorem ipsum').
%
luce veritatis
By the light of truth
School motto of Queen Margaret College
%
luceat lux vestra
Let your light shine
From Matthew Ch. 5 V. 16; popular as a school motto
%
lucem sequimur
We follow the light
Motto of the University of Exeter
%
luceo non uro
I shine, not burn
Motto of the Highland Scots Clan Mackenzie
%
lucida sidera
The shining stars
Horace, Carmina 1/3:2
%
luctor et emergo
I struggle and emerge
Motto of the Dutch province of Zeeland to denote its battle against the sea, and the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame
%
Luctor, non mergor
'I struggle, but am not overwhelmed
Motto of the Glass Family (Sauchie, Scotland)[71]
%
lucus a non lucendo
[it is] a grove by not being light
From late 4th-century grammarian Honoratus Maurus, who sought to mock implausible word origins such as those proposed by Priscian. A pun based on the word lucus (dark grove) having a similar appearance to the verb lucere (to shine), arguing that the former word is derived from the latter word because of a lack of light in wooded groves. Often used as an example of absurd etymology, it derives from parum luceat (it does not shine [being darkened by shade]) by Quintilian in Institutio Oratoria.
%
ludemus bene in compania
We play well in groups
Motto of the Barony of Marinus
%
lupus est homo homini
A man to a man is a wolf
Plautus' adaptation of an old Roman proverb: homo homini lupus est ("man is a wolf to [his fellow] man"). In Asinaria, act II, scene IV, verse 89 [495 overall]. Lupus est homo homini, non homo, quom qualis sit non novit ("a man to a man is a wolf, not a man, when the other doesn't know of what character he is.")[72]
%
lupus in fabula
the wolf in the story
With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will come"; from Terence's play Adelphoe.
%
lupus non mordet lupum
a wolf does not bite a wolf

%
lupus non timet canem latrantem
a wolf is not afraid of a barking dog

%
lux aeterna
eternal light
epitaph
%
lux et lex
light and law
Motto of the Franklin & Marshall College and the University of North Dakota
%
lux et veritas
light and truth
A translation of the Hebrew Urim and Thummim. Motto of several institutions, including Yale University.
%
lux ex tenebris
light from darkness
Motto of the 67th Network Warfare Wing
%
lux hominum vita
light the life of man
Motto of the University of New Mexico
%
lux in Domino
light in the Lord
Motto of the Ateneo de Manila University
%
lux in tenebris lucet
The light that shines in the darkness
Motto of Columbia University School of General Studies[73] Also: John 1:5.
%
lux libertas
light and liberty
Motto of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
%
Lux mentis Lux orbis
Light of the mind, Light of the world
Motto of Sonoma State University
%
lux sit
let there be light
A more literal Latinization of the phrase; the most common translation is fiat lux, from Latin Vulgate Bible phrase chosen for the Genesis line "וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר" (And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light). Motto of the University of Washington.
%
lux tua nos ducat
Your light guides us

%
lux, veritas, virtus
light, truth, courage
Motto of Northeastern University
%
Macte animo! Generose puer sic itur ad astra
Young, cheer up! This is the way to the skies.
Motto of Academia da Força Aérea (Air Force Academy) of the Brazilian Air Force
%
macte virtute sic itur ad astra
those who excel, thus reach the stars
or "excellence is the way to the stars"; frequent motto; from Virgil's Aeneid IX.641 (English, Dryden)
%
magister dixit
the teacher has said it
Canonical medieval reference to Aristotle, precluding further discussion
%
magister meus Christus
Christ is my teacher
common Catholic edict and motto of a Catholic private school, Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana
%
Magna Carta
Great Charter
Set of documents from 1215 between Pope Innocent III, King John of England, and English barons.
%
magna cum laude
with great praise
Common Latin honor, above cum laude and below summa cum laude
%
magna di curant, parva neglegunt
The gods care about great matters, but they neglect small ones
Cicero, De Natura Deorum 2:167
%
magna est vis consuetudinis
great is the power of habit

%
Magna Europa est patria nostra
Greater Europe is Our Fatherland
Political motto of pan-Europeanists
%
magno cum gaudio
with great joy

%
magnum opus
great work
Said of someone's masterpiece
%
magnum vectigal est parsimonia
Economy is a great revenue
Cicero, Paradoxa 6/3:49. Sometimes translated into English as "thrift (or frugality) is a great revenue (or income)", edited from its original subordinate clause: "O di immortales! non intellegunt homines, quam magnum vectigal sit parsimonia." (English: O immortal gods! Men do not understand what a great revenue is thrift.)
%
maior e longinquo reverentia
greater reverence from afar
When viewed from a distance, everything is beautiful. Tacitus, Annales 1.47
%
maiora premunt
greater things are pressing
Used to indicate that it is the moment to address more important, urgent, issues.
%
mala fide
in bad faith
Said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud or mislead someone. Opposite of bona fide.
%
Mala Ipsa Nova
Bad News Itself
Motto of the inactive 495th Fighter Squadron, US Air Force
%
mala tempora currunt
bad times are upon us
Also used ironically, e.g.: New teachers know all tricks used by pupils to copy from classmates? Oh, mala tempora currunt!.
%
male captus bene detentus
wrongly captured, properly detained
An illegal arrest will not prejudice the subsequent detention/trial.
%
Malo mori quam foedari
Death rather than dishonour
Motto of the inactive 34th Battalion (Australia), the Drimnagh Castle Secondary School
%
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietam servitutem
I prefer liberty with danger to peace with slavery
Attributed to the Count Palatine of Posen before the Polish Diet, cited in The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
%
malum discordiae
apple of discord
Alludes to the apple of Eris in the Judgement of Paris, the mythological cause of the Trojan War. It is also a pun based on the near-homonymous word malum (evil). The word for "apple" has a long ā vowel in Latin and the word for "evil" a short a vowel, but they are normally written the same.
%
malum in se
wrong in itself
A legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong (cf. malum prohibitum).
%
malum prohibitum
wrong due to being prohibited
A legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is against the law.
%
malum quo communius eo peius
the more common an evil is, the worse it is

%
manu forte
literally translated means 'with a strong hand', often quoted as 'by strength of hand'
Motto of the Clan McKay
%
manibus date lilia plenis
give lilies with full hands
A phrase from Virgil's Aeneid, VI.883, mourning the death of Marcellus, Augustus' nephew. Quoted by Dante as he leaves Virgil in Purgatory, XXX.21, echoed by Walt Whitman in Leaves of Grass III, 6.
%
manu militari
with a military hand
Using armed forces in order to achieve a goal
%
manu propria (m.p.)
with one's own hand
With the implication of "signed by one's hand". Its abbreviated form is sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or official notices, directly following the name of the person(s) who "signed" the document exactly in those cases where there isn't an actual handwritten signature.
%
manus manum lavat
one hand washes the other
famous quote from The Pumpkinification of Claudius, ascribed to Seneca the Younger.[74] It implies that one situation helps the other.
%
manus multae cor unum
many hands, one heart
Motto of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.
%
manus nigra
black hand

%
marcet sine adversario virtus
valor becomes feeble without an opponent
Seneca the Younger, De Providentia 2:4. Also, translated into English as "[their] strength and courage droop without an antagonist" ("Of Providence" (1900) by Seneca, translated by Aubrey Stewart),[75] "without an adversary, prowess shrivels" (Moral Essays (1928) by Seneca, translated by John W, Basore)[76] and "prowess withers without opposition".
%
mare clausum
closed sea
In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all others.
%
Mare Ditat, Rosa Decorat
The sea enriches, the rose adorns
Motto of Montrose, Angus and HMS Montrose
%
mare liberum
free sea
In law, a sea open to international shipping navigation.
%
mare nostrum
our sea
A nickname given to the Mediterranean during the height of the Roman Empire, as it encompassed the entire coastal basin.
%
Mater Dei
Mother of God
A name given to describe Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, who is also called the Son of God.
%
mater familias
the mother of the family
The female head of a family. See pater familias.
%
mater lectionis
mother reading

%
Mater semper certa est
the mother is always certain
a Roman-law principle which has the power of praesumptio iuris et de iure, meaning that no counter-evidence can be made against this principle (literally: Presumed there is no counter evidence and by the law). Its meaning is that the mother of the child is always known.
%
materia medica
medical matter
Branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs used in the treatment of disease. Also, the drugs themselves.
%
maxima debetur puero reverentia
greatest deference is owed to the child
from Juvenal's Satires XIV:47
%
me vexat pede
it annoys me at the foot
Less literally, "my foot itches". Refers to a trivial situation or person that is being a bother, possibly in the sense of wishing to kick that thing away or, such as the commonly used expressions, a "pebble in one's shoe" or "nipping at one's heels".
%
mea culpa
through my fault
Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently flawed nature of mankind; can also be extended to mea maxima culpa (through my greatest fault).
%
mea navis aëricumbens anguillis abundat
My hovercraft is full of eels
A relatively common recent Latinization inspired by the Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook sketch by Monty Python.
%
media vita in morte sumus
In the midst of our lives we die
A well-known sequence, falsely attributed to Notker during the Middle Ages. It was translated by Cranmer and became a part of the burial service in the funeral rites of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.
%
Mediolanum captum est
Milan has been captured
Used erroneously as Mediolanum Capta Est by the black metal band Mayhem as an album title. Mediolanum was an ancient city in present-day Milan, Italy.
%
Melius abundare quam deficere
Better too much than not enough.
Also used in elliptical form as melius abundare.
%
meliora
better things
Carrying the connotation of "always better". The motto of the University of Rochester.
%
Meliorare legem meliorare vitam est
To improve the law is to improve life.
The motto of the Salem/Roanoke County, Virginia Bar Association.
%
Meliorem lapsa locavit
He has planted one better than the one fallen.
The motto of the Belmont County, Ohio, and the motto in the seal of the Northwest Territory
%
Melita, domi adsum
Honey, I'm home!
A relatively common recent Latinization from the joke phrasebook Latin for All Occasions. Grammatically correct, but the phrase would be anachronistic in ancient Rome.
%
memento mori
remember that [you will] die
remember your mortality
%
memento vivere
remember to live

%
meminerunt omnia amantes
lovers remember all

%
memores acti prudentes futuri
mindful of things done, aware of things to come
Thus, both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From the North Hertfordshire District Council coat of arms.
%
Memoriae Sacrum (M.S.)
Sacred to the
Memory (of ...)


A common first line on 17th century English church monuments. The Latinized name of the deceased follows, in the genitive case. Alternatively it may be used as a heading, the inscription following being in English, for example: "Memoriae Sacrum. Here lies the body of ..."
%
mens agitat molem
the mind moves the mass
From Virgil; motto of several educational institutions
%
Mens conscia recti

a mind aware of what is right

Motto of The College Preparatory School in Oakland, CA
%
mens et manus
mind and hand
Motto of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and also of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
%
mens rea
guilty mind
Also "culprit mind". A term used in discussing the mindset of an accused criminal.
%
mens sana in corpore sano
a sound mind in a sound body
Or "a sensible mind in a healthy body". Satire X of the Roman poet Juvenal (10.356)
%
metri causa
for the sake of the metre
Excusing flaws in poetry "for the sake of the metre"
%
Miles Gloriosus
Glorious Soldier
Or "Boastful Soldier". Miles Gloriosus is the title of a play of Plautus. A stock character in comedy, the braggart soldier. (It is said that at Salamanca, there is a wall, on which graduates inscribe their names, where Francisco Franco had a plaque installed reading "Franciscus Francus Miles Gloriosus".)
%
miles praesidii libertatis
Soldier of the Bastion of Freedom
A phrase on the plaque in commemoration of Prof. Benjamin Marius Telders [nl], Academiegebouw Leiden [nl] (Netherlands).
%
mictus cruentus
bloody urine
see hematuria
%
minatur innocentibus qui parcit nocentibus
he threatens the innocent who spares the guilty

%
mirabile dictu
wonderful to tell
Virgil
%
mirabile visu
wonderful to see
A Roman phrase used to describe a wonderful event/happening.
%
mirum videtur quod sit factum iam diu
Does it seem wonderful [merely] because it was done a long time/so long ago?
Livius Andronicus, Aiax Mastigophorus.
%
miscerique probat populos et foedera jungi
He approves of the mingling of the peoples and their bonds of union
Latin Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV, line 112, "he" referring to the great Roman god, who approved of the settlement of Romans in Africa. Old Motto of Trinidad and Tobago, and used in the novel A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul.
%
misera est servitus ubi jus est aut incognitum aut vagum
miserable is that state of slavery in which the law is unknown or uncertain
Quoted by Samuel Johnson in his paper for James Boswell on Vicious intromission.
%
miserabile visu
terrible to see
A terrible happening or event.
%
miseram pacem vel bello bene mutari
A bad peace is even worse than war.
From Tacitus' Annales, III, 44.
%
miserere nobis
have mercy upon us
A phrase within the Gloria in Excelsis Deo and the Agnus Dei, to be used at certain points in Christian religious ceremonies.
%
Missio Dei
the Mission of God
A theological phrase in the Christian religion.
%
missit me Dominus
the Lord has sent me
A phrase used by Jesus.
%
mittimus
we send
A warrant of commitment to prison, or an instruction for a jailer to hold someone in prison.
%
mobilis in mobili
"moving in a moving thing" or, poetically, "changing through the changing medium"
The motto of the Nautilus from the Jules Verne novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
%
modus operandi (M.O.)
method of operating
Usually used to describe a criminal's methods.
%
modus ponens
method of placing
Loosely "method of affirming", a logical rule of inference stating that from propositions if P then Q and P, then one can conclude Q.
%
modus tollens
method of removing
Loosely "method of denying", a logical rule of inference stating that from propositions if P then Q and not Q, then one can conclude not P.
%
modus vivendi
method of living or way of life
An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow life to go on. A practical compromise.
%
Monasterium sine libris est sicut civitas sine opibus
A monastery without books is like a city without wealth
Used in the Umberto Eco novel The Name of the Rose. Part of a much larger phrase: Monasterium sine libris, est sicut civitas sine opibus, castrum sine numeris, coquina sine suppellectili, mensa sine cibis, hortus sine herbis, pratum sine floribus, arbor sine foliis. Translation: A monastery without books is like a city without wealth, a fortress without soldiers, a kitchen without utensils, a table without food, a garden without plants, a meadow without flowers, a tree without leaves.
%
montani semper liberi
mountaineers [are] always free
State motto of West Virginia, adopted in 1872 - and is also part of the coat of arms for the Colombian city of Bucaramanga.
%
Montis Insignia Calpe
Badge of the Mons Calpe (Rock of Gibraltar)
A self-referential literal identifier below the emblem
%
Morbus Virgineus
Disease of the virgins or Virgin's disease
Hypochromic anemia, an iron deficiency anemia common in young women[77]
%
more ferarum
like beasts
used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
%
more suo
in his/her/its/their usual way

%
morior invictus
I die unvanquished[78]
sometimes also translated as "death before defeat"[78]
%
morituri nolumus mori
we who are about to die don't want to
From Terry Pratchett's The Last Hero, an effective parody on Morituri te salutamus/salutant
%
morituri te salutant
those who are about to die salute you
Used once in Suetonius' De Vita Caesarum 5, (Divus Claudius), chapter 21,[79] by the condemned prisoners manning galleys about to take part in a mock naval battle on Lake Fucinus in AD 52. Popular misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's salute. See also: Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant and Naumachia.
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mors certa, hora incerta
death is certain, its hour is uncertain

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mors mihi lucrum
death to me is reward
A common epitaph, from St Paul's Epistle to the Philippians, 1:21 (Mihi enim vivere Christus est et mori lucrum, translated in the King James Bible as: "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain")
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mors omnibus
death to all
Signifies anger and depression.
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mors tua, vita mea
your death, my life
From medieval Latin, it indicates that battle for survival, where your defeat is necessary for my victory, survival.
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mors vincit omnia
"death conquers all" or "death always wins"
An axiom often found on headstones.
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morte magis metuenda senectus
old age should rather be feared than death
from Juvenal in his Satires
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mortui vivos docent
The dead teach the living
Used to justify dissections of human cadavers in order to understand the cause of death.
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mortuum flagellas
you are flogging a dead (man)
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466–1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Criticising one who will not be affected in any way by the criticism.
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mos maiorum
the custom of our ancestors
an unwritten code of laws and conduct, of the Romans. It institutionalized cultural traditions, societal mores, and general policies, as distinct from written laws.
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motu proprio
on his own initiative
Or "by his own accord." Identifies a class of papal documents, administrative papal bulls.
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mulgere hircum
to milk a male goat
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466–1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Attempting the impossible.
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mulier est hominis confusio
woman is man's ruin
"Part of a comic definition of woman" from the Altercatio Hadriani Augusti et Secundi.[80] Famously quoted by Chauntecleer in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
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multa paucis
Say much in few words

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multis e gentibus vires
from many peoples, strength
Motto of Saskatchewan
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multitudo sapientium sanitas orbis
a multitude of the wise is the health of the world
From the Vulgate, Wisdom of Solomon 6:24. Motto of the University of Victoria.
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multum in parvo
much in little
Conciseness. The term "mipmap" is formed using the phrase's abbreviation "MIP"; motto of Rutland, a county in central England.Latin phrases are often multum in parvo, conveying much in few words.
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mundus senescit
the world grows old

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mundus vult decipi
the world wants to be deceived
Ascribed to Roman satirist Petronius. Also in Augustine of Hippo's De Civitate Dei contra Paganos (5th century AD), Sebastian Franck's Paradoxa Ducenta Octoginta (1542), and in James Branch Cabell's 1921 novel Figures of Earth.[81][82][83][84]
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mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
the world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived
Ascribed to Roman satirist Petronius. Also in Augustine of Hippo's De Civitate Dei contra Paganos (5th century AD) as "si mundus vult decipi, decipiatur" ("if the world will be gulled, let it be gulled"), and only the first part, "mundus vult decipi" ("the world wants to be deceived"), in Sebastian Franck's Paradoxa Ducenta Octoginta (1542) and in James Branch Cabell's Figures of Earth (1921).[81][82][83][84]
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munit haec et altera vincit
this one defends and the other one conquers
Motto of Nova Scotia.
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mutata lex non perit
the law that does not evolve dies
Motto of Seneca the Younger
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mutatis mutandis
after changing what needed to be changed
"with the appropriate changes"
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mutato nomine de te fabula narratur
change but the name, and the story is told of yourself
Horace, Satires, I. 1. 69. Preceded by Quid rides? ("Why do you laugh?"; see Quid rides).
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nanos gigantum humeris insidentes
Dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants
First recorded by John of Salisbury in the twelfth century and attributed to Bernard of Chartres. Also commonly known by the letters of Isaac Newton: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants".
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 nascentes morimur finisque ab origine pendet
When we are born we die, our end is but the pendant of our beginning

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nasciturus pro iam nato habetur, quotiens de commodis eius agitur
The unborn is deemed to have been born to the extent that his own inheritance is concerned
Refers to a situation where an unborn child is deemed to be entitled to certain inheritance rights.
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natura abhorret a vacuo
nature abhors vacuum
Pseudo-explanation for why a liquid will climb up a tube to fill a vacuum, often given before the discovery of atmospheric pressure.
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natura artis magistra
Nature is the teacher of art
The name of the zoo in the centre of Amsterdam; short: "Artis".
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natura nihil frustra facit
nature does nothing in vain
Cf. Aristotle: "οὐθὲν γάρ, ὡς φαμέν, μάτην ἡ φύσις ποιεῖ" (Politics I 2, 1253a9) and Leucippus: "Everything that happens does so for a reason and of necessity."
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natura non contristatur
nature is not saddened
That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate. Derived by Arthur Schopenhauer from an earlier source.
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natura non facit saltum ita nec lex
nature does not make a leap, thus neither does the law
Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" (just as nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law), referring to both nature and the legal system moving gradually.
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natura non facit saltus
nature makes no leaps
A famous aphorism of Carl Linnaeus stating that all organisms bear relationships on all sides, their forms changing gradually from one species to the next. From Philosophia Botanica (1751).
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natura valde simplex est et sibi consona
Nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself
Sir Isaac Newton's famous quote, defining foundation of all modern sciences. Can be found in his Unpublished Scientific Papers of Isaac Newton: A selection from the Portsmouth Collection in the University Library, Cambridge, 1978 edition[85]
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naturalia non sunt turpia
What is natural is not dirty
Based on Servius' commentary on Virgil's Georgics (3:96): "turpis non est quia per naturam venit."
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naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret.
You may drive out Nature with a pitchfork, yet she still will hurry back
You must take the basic nature of something into account.– Horace, Epistles, Book I, epistle X, line 24.
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navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse
to sail is necessary; to live is not necessary
Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, who, during a severe storm, commanded sailors to bring food from Africa to Rome. Translated from Plutarch's Greek "πλεῖν ἀνάγκη, ζῆν οὐκ ἀνάγκη".
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ne plus ultra
nothing more beyond
Also nec plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase meaning the best or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules, for example, were literally the nec plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean world. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a depiction of this phrase inscribed on the Pillars – as plus ultra, without the negation. The Boston Musical Instrument Company engraved ne plus ultra on its instruments from 1869 to 1928 to signify that none were better. Non plus ultra is the motto of the Spanish exclave Melilla.
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ne puero gladium
do not give a sword to a boy
Never give dangerous tools to someone who is untrained to use them or too immature to understand the damage they can do.
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ne supra crepidam sutor iudicaret
a shoemaker should not judge beyond the shoe
see Sutor, ne ultra crepidam
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ne te quaesiveris extra
do not seek outside yourself
line from the Roman satirist Persius inscribed on the boulder to the right of Sir John Suckling in the painting of the aforementioned subject by Sir Anthony Van Dyck (ca. 1638) and invoked by Ralph Waldo Emerson at the opening of his essay Self-Reliance (1841)
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Nec aspera terrent
They are not terrified of the rough things
They are not afraid of difficulties. Less literally "Difficulties be damned." Motto for 27th Infantry Regiment (United States) and the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment. Nec = not; aspera = rough ones/things; terrent = they terrify / do terrify / are terrifying.
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Nec deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice nodus (inciderit)
That a god not intervene, unless a knot show up that be worthy of such an untangler
"When the miraculous power of God is necessary, let it be resorted to: when it is not necessary, let the ordinary means be used." From Horace's Ars Poetica as a caution against deus ex machina.
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nec dextrorsum, nec sinistrorsum
Neither to the right nor to the left
Do not get distracted. Motto for Bishop Cotton Boys' School and the Bishop Cotton Girls' School, both located in Bangalore, India.
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nec spe, nec metu
without hope, without fear

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nec tamen consumebatur
and yet it was not consumed
Refers to the Burning Bush of Exodus 3:2. Motto of many Presbyterian churches throughout the world.
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nec temere nec timide
neither reckless nor timid
Motto of the Dutch 11th Air Manoeuvre Brigade and the city of Gdańsk, Poland
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nec vi, nec clam, nec precario
Without permission, without secrecy, without interruption
The law of adverse possession
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neca eos omnes, Deus suos agnoscet
kill them all, God will know his own
alternate rendition of Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. by Arnaud Amalric
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necesse est aut imiteris aut oderis
you must either imitate or loathe the world
Seneca the Younger, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, 7:7
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necessitas etiam timidos fortes facit
need makes even the timid brave
Sallust, The Conspiracy of Catiline, 58:19
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nemine contradicente (nem. con., N.C.D.)
with no one speaking against
Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees, where a matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously, or with unanimous consent.
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nemo contra Deum nisi Deus ipse
No one against God except God himself
From Goethe's autobiography From my Life: Poetry and Truth, p. 598
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nemo dat quod non habet
no one gives what he does not have
Thus, "none can pass better title than they have"
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nemo est supra legem
nobody is above the law; or nemo est supra leges, nobody is above the laws

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Nemo igitur vir magnus sine aliquo adflatu divino umquam fuit
No great man ever existed who did not enjoy some portion of divine inspiration
From Cicero's De Natura Deorum, Book 2, chapter LXVI, 167[86]
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nemo iudex in causa sua
no man shall be a judge in his own cause
Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in which he holds a specific interest or bias
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nemo malus felix
peace visits not the guilty mind
Also translated to "no rest for the wicked." Refers to the inherent psychological issues that plague bad/guilty people.
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nemo me impune lacessit
No one provokes me with impunity
Motto of the Order of the Thistle, and consequently of Scotland, found stamped on the milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story "The Cask of Amontillado". Motto of the San Beda College Beta Sigma Fraternity.
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nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit
No mortal is wise at all times
The wisest may make mistakes.
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nemo nisi per amicitiam cognoscitur
No one learns except by friendship
Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
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nemo propheta in patria (sua)
no man is a prophet in his own land
Concept present in all four Gospels (Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; John 4:44).
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nemo saltat sobrius
Nobody dances sober
The short and more common form of Nemo enim fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit, "Nobody dances sober, unless he happens to be insane," a quote from Cicero (from the speech Pro Murena).
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nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare
no one is bound to accuse himself (the right to silence)
A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination. Near-synonymous with accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo tenetur armare adversarium contra se (no one is bound to arm an opponent against himself), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way assist the prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta contra se (no one is bound to produce documents against himself, meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to be used against himself (this is true in Roman law and has survived in modern criminal law, but no longer applies in modern civil law); and nemo tenere prodere se ipsum (no one is bound to betray himself), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.
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neque semper arcum tendit Apollo
nor does Apollo always keep his bow drawn
Horace, Carmina 2/10:19-20. The same image appears in a fable of Phaedrus.
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Ne quid nimis
Nothing in excess
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nervos belli, pecuniam infinitam
Endless money forms the sinews of war
In war, it is essential to be able to purchase supplies and to pay troops (as Napoleon put it, "An army marches on its stomach").
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nihil ad rem
nothing to do with the point
That is, in law, irrelevant and/or inconsequential.
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nihil boni sine labore
nothing achieved without hard work
Motto of Palmerston North Boys' High School
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nihil dicit
he says nothing
In law, a declination by a defendant to answer charges or put in a plea.
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nihil enim lacrima citius arescit
nothing dries sooner than a tear
Pseudo-Cicero, Ad Herrenium, 2/31:50
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nihil humanum mihi alienum
nothing human is alien to me
Adapted from Terence's Heauton Timorumenos (The Self-Tormentor), homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto ("I am a human being; nothing human is strange to me"). Sometimes ending in est.
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nihil in intellectu nisi prius in sensu
nothing in the intellect unless first in sense
The guiding principle of empiricism, and accepted in some form by Aristotle, Aquinas, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. Leibniz, however, added nisi intellectus ipse (except the intellect itself).
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nihil nimis
nothing too
Or nothing to excess. Latin translation of the inscription of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
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nihil novi
nothing of the new
Or just "nothing new". The phrase exists in two versions: as nihil novi sub sole (nothing new under the sun), from the Vulgate, and as nihil novi nisi commune consensu (nothing new unless by the common consensus), a 1505 law of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and one of the cornerstones of its Golden Liberty.
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nihil obstat
nothing prevents
A notation, usually on a title page, indicating that a Roman Catholic censor has reviewed the book and found nothing objectionable to faith or morals in its content. See also imprimatur.
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nihil sine Deo
nothing without God
Motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty (1878–1947).
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nihil ultra
nothing beyond
Motto of St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
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nil admirari
be surprised at nothing
Or "nihil admirari". Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes (3,30), Horace, Epistulae (1,6,1), and Seneca, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, (8,5). Motto of the Fitzgibbon family. See John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
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nil desperandum
nothing must be despaired at
That is, "never despair".
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nil igitur fieri de nilo posse fatendumst
nothing, therefore, we must confess, can be made from nothing
From Lucretius' De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), I.205
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Nil igitur mors est ad nos
Death, therefore, is nothing to us
From Lucretius' De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), III.831
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nil mortalibus ardui est
nothing is impossible for humankind
From Horace's Odes. Motto of Rathkeale College, New Zealand and Brunts School, England.
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nil nisi bonum
(about the dead say) nothing unless (it is) good
Short for nil nisi bonum de mortuis dicere. That is, "Don't speak ill of anyone who has died". Also "Nil magnum nisi bonum" (nothing is great unless good), motto of St Catherine's School, Toorak, Pennant Hills High School and Petit Seminaire Higher Secondary School.
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nil nisi malis terrori
no terror, except to the bad
Motto of The King's School, Macclesfield
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nil per os, rarely non per os (n.p.o.)
nothing through the mouth
Medical shorthand indicating that oral foods and fluids should be withheld from the patient.
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nil satis nisi optimum
nothing [is] enough unless [it is] the best
Motto of Everton F.C., residents of Goodison Park, Liverpool.
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nil sine labore
nothing without labour
Motto of many schools
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nil sine numine
nothing without the divine will
Or "nothing without providence". State motto of Colorado, adopted in 1861. Probably derived from Virgil's Aeneid Book II, line 777, "non haec sine numine divum eveniunt" (these things do not come to pass without the will of Heaven). See also numen.
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nil volentibus arduum
Nothing [is] arduous for the willing
Nothing is impossible for the willing
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nisi Dominus frustra
if not the Lord, [it is] in vain
That is, "everything is in vain without God". Summarized from Psalm 127 (126 Vulgate), nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit (unless the Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build it; unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain who guards it); widely used motto.
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nisi paria non pugnant
it takes two to make a fight
Irascetur aliquis: tu contra beneficiis prouoca; cadit statim simultas ab altera parte deserta; nisi paria non pugnant. (If any one is angry with you, meet his anger by returning benefits for it: a quarrel which is only taken up on one side falls to the ground: it takes two men to fight.) Seneca the Younger, De Ira (On Anger): Book 2, cap. 34, line 5.
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nisi prius
unless previously
In England, a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial before a single judge and jury. In the United States, a court where civil actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from an appellate court.
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nitimur in vetitum
We strive for the forbidden
From Ovid's Amores, III.4:17. It means that when we are denied of something, we will eagerly pursue the denied thing. Used by Friedrich Nietzsche in his Ecce Homo to indicate that his philosophy pursues what is forbidden to other philosophers.
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nobis bene, nemini male
Good for us, Bad for no one
Inscription on the old Nobistor [de] gatepost that divided Altona and St. Pauli
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nolens volens
unwilling, willing
That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes rendered volens nolens, aut nolens aut volens or nolentis volentis. Similar to willy-nilly, though that word is derived from Old English will-he nil-he ([whether] he will or [whether] he will not).
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noli me tangere
do not touch me
Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel of John, this was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.
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noli turbare circulos meos
Do not disturb my circles!
That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman soldier who, despite having been given orders not to, killed Archimedes at the conquest of Syracuse, Sicily.
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nolite te bastardes carborundorum(Dog Latin)
Don't let the bastards grind you down
From The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood – the protagonist (Offred) finds the phrase inscribed on the inside of her wardrobe. One of many variants of Illegitimi non carborundum.
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nolle prosequi
to be unwilling to prosecute
A legal motion by a prosecutor or other plaintiff to drop legal charges, usually in exchange for a diversion program or out-of-court settlement.
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nolo contendere
I do not wish to contend
That is, "no contest". A plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in a court that states that the accused doesn't admit guilt, but will accept punishment for a crime. Nolo contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence in another trial.
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nomen amicitiae sic, quatenus expedit, haeret
the name of friendship lasts just so long as it is profitable
Petronius, Satyricon, 80.
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nomen dubium
doubtful name
A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.
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nomen est omen
the name is a sign
Thus, "true to its name".
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nomen nescio (N.N.)
I do not know the name
Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.
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nomen nudum
naked name
A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper formal criteria and therefore cannot be used unless it is subsequently proposed correctly.
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non auro, sed ferro, recuperanda est patria
Not gold, but iron redeems the native land
According to some Roman this sentence was said by Marcus Furius Camillus to Brennus, the chief of the Gauls, after he demanded more gold from the citizens of the recently sacked Rome in 390 BC.
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non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro
liberty is not well sold for all the gold
Motto of Republic of Ragusa, inscribed over the gates of St. Lawrence Fortress. From Gualterus Anglicus's version of Aesop's fable "The Dog and the Wolf".
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non bis in idem
not twice in the same thing
A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy.
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non canimus surdis, respondent omnia silvae
we sing not to the deaf; the trees echo every word
Virgil, Eclogues 10:8
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non causa pro causa
not the cause for the cause
Also known as the "questionable cause" or "false cause". Refers to any logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.
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non compos mentis
not in control of the mind
See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui (not in control of himself). Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary, theorized that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.
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non constat
it is not certain
Used to explain scientific phenomena and religious advocations, for example in medieval history, for rulers to issue a 'Non Constat' decree, banning the worship of a holy figure. In legal context, occasionally a backing for nulling information that was presented by an attorney. Without any tangible proof, Non constat information is difficult to argue for.
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non ducor, duco
I am not led; I lead
Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil. See also pro Brasilia fiant eximia.
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non est factum
it is not [my] deed
a doctrine in contract law that allows a signing party to escape performance of the agreement. A claim of "non est factum" means that the signature on the contract was signed by mistake, without knowledge of its meaning, but was not done so negligently. A successful plea would make the contract void ab initio.
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non est princeps super leges, sed leges supra principem
the prince is not above the laws, but the law is above the prince.
Pliny the Younger, Panegyricus 65:1.
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non extinguetur
shall not be extinguished
Motto of the Society of Antiquaries of London accompanying their Lamp of knowledge emblem
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non facias malum ut inde fiat bonum
you should not make evil in order that good may be made from it
More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite of the phrase "the ends justify the means".
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non hos quaesitum munus in usus
A gift sought for no such purpose
Virgil, Aeneid, 4:647, of the sword with which Dido will commit suicide. "Not for so dire an enterprise design’d." (Dryden trans.; 1697)[87] "A gift asked for no use like this." (Mackail trans.; 1885).[88] "Ne'er given for an end so dire." (Taylor trans.; 1907)[89] "A gift not asked for use like this!" (Williams trans.; 1910).[90] Quoted by Francis Bacon of the civil law, "not made for the countries it governeth".
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non impediti ratione cogitationis
unencumbered by the thought process
motto of radio show Car Talk
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non in legendo sed in intelligendo leges consistunt
the laws depend not on being read, but on being understood

%
non liquet
it is not proven
Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes controversial decision handed down by a judge when they feel that the law is not complete.
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non loqui sed facere
not talk but action
Motto of the University of Western Australia's Engineering faculty student society.
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non mihi solum
not for myself alone
Motto of Anderson Junior College, Singapore.
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non ministrari sed ministrare
not to be served, but to serve
Motto of Wellesley College and Shimer College (from Matthew 20:28 in the Vulgate).
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non multa sed multum
not quantity but quality
Motto of the Daniel Pearl Magnet High School.
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Non nobis Domine
Not to us (oh) Lord
Christian hymn based on Psalm 115.
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non nobis nati
'Born not for ourselves'
Motto of St Albans School (Hertfordshire)
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non nobis solum
not for ourselves alone
Appears in Cicero's De Officiis Book 1:22 in the form non nobis solum nati sumus (we are not born for ourselves alone). Motto of Lower Canada College, Montreal and University College, Durham University, and Willamette University.
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non numerantur, sed ponderantur
they are not counted, but weighed
Old saying. Paul Erdős (1913–1996), in The Man Who Loved Only Numbers by Paul Hoffman[91]
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non obstante veredicto
not standing in the way of a verdict
A judgment notwithstanding verdict, a legal motion asking the court to reverse the jury's verdict on the grounds that the jury could not have reached such a verdict reasonably.
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non olet
it doesn't smell
See pecunia non olet.
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non omnia possumus omnest
not everyone can do everything
Virgil, Eclogues 8:63 (and others).
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non omnis moriar
I shall not all die
Horace, Carmina 3/30:6. "Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part of the speaker will survive beyond death.
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non plus ultra
nothing further beyond
the ultimate. See also 'ne plus ultra'
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non possumus
not possible

%
non possunt primi esse omnes omni in tempore
not everyone can occupy the first rank forever
(It is impossible always to excel) Decimus Laberius.
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non progredi est regredi
to not go forward is to go backward

%
non prosequitur
he does not proceed
A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to take the necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.
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non scholae sed vitae
[We learn] not for school but for life
An inversion of non vitae sed scholae now used as a school motto
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non qui parum habet, set qui plus cupit, pauper est
It is not he who has little, but he who wants more, who is the pauper.
Seneca the Younger, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium, 2:6.
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non quis sed quid
not who but what
Used in the sense "what matters is not who says it but what he says" – a warning against ad hominem arguments; frequently used as motto, including that of Southwestern University.
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non sequitur
it does not follow
In general, a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or internally inconsistent), often used in humor. As a logical fallacy, a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.
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non serviam
I will not serve
Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of Jeremiah. Commonly used in literature as Satan's statement of disobedience to God, though in the original context the quote is attributed to Israel, not Satan.
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non sibi
Not for self
A slogan used by many schools and universities.
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non sibi, sed patriae
Not for self, but for country
Engraved on the doors of the United States Naval Academy chapel; motto of the USS Halyburton (FFG-40).
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non sibi, sed suis
Not for one's self but for one's own
A slogan used by many schools and universities.
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non sibi, sed omnibus
Not for one's self but for all
A slogan used by many schools and universities.
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non sic dormit, sed vigilat
Sleeps not but is awake
Martin Luther on mortality of the soul.
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non silba, sed anthar; Deo vindice
Not for self, but for others; God will vindicate
A slogan used by the Ku Klux Klan
%
non sum qualis eram
I am not such as I was
Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change in the speaker. Horace, Odes 4/1:3.
%
non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum
Do not hold as gold all that shines as gold
Also, "All that glitters is not gold." Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice.
%
non timebo mala
I will fear no evil
It is possibly a reference to Psalm 23.  Printed on the Colt in Supernatural.
%
non vestra sed vos
Not yours but you
Motto of St Chad's College, Durham.
%
non vitae sed scholae
[We learn] not for life but for schooltime
From a passage of occupatio in Seneca the Younger's moral letters to Lucilius,[92] wherein Lucilius is given the argument that too much literature fails to prepare students for life
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non vi, sed verbo
Not by force, but by the word [of God]
From Martin Luther's "Invocavit Sermons" preached in March, 1522, against the Zwickau prophets unrest in Wittenberg;[93] later echoed in the Augsburg Confession as ...sine vi humana, sed Verbo: bishops should act "without human force, but through the Word".[94]
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nosce te ipsum
know thyself
From Cicero, based on the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed on the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, according to the Greek periegetic writer Pausanias (10.24.1). A non-traditional Latin rendering, temet nosce (thine own self know), is translated in The Matrix as "know thyself".
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noscitur a sociis
a word is known by the company it keeps
In statutory interpretation, when a word is ambiguous, its meaning may be determined by reference to the rest of the statute.
%
noster nostri
Literally "Our ours"
Approximately "Our hearts beat as one."
%
nota bene
mark well
That is, "please note" or "note it well".
%
novus ordo seclorum
new order of the ages
From Virgil. Motto on the Great Seal of the United States. Similar to Novus Ordo Mundi (New World Order).
%
nulla dies sine linea
Not a day without a line drawn
Pliny the Elder attributes this maxim to Apelles, an ancient Greek artist.
%
nulla dies umquam memori vos eximet aevo
No day shall erase you from the memory of time
From Virgil's Aeneid, Book IX, line 447, on the episode of Nisus and Euryalus.
%
nulla poena sine lege
no penalty without a law
Refers to the legal principle that one cannot be punished for doing something that is not prohibited by law, and is related to Nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali.
%
nulla quaestio
there is no question, there is no issue
%
nulla tenaci invia est via
For the tenacious, no road is impassable
Motto of the Dutch car builder Spyker.
%
nullam rem natam
no thing born
That is, "nothing". It has been theorized that this expression is the origin of Italian nulla, French rien, and Spanish and Portuguese nada, all with the same meaning.
%
nulli secundus
second to none
Motto of the Coldstream Guards and Nine Squadron Royal Australian Corps of Transport and the Pretoria Regiment.
%
nullius in verba
On the word of no man
Motto of the Royal Society.
%
nullum crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali
no crime, no punishment without a previous penal law
Legal principle meaning that one cannot be penalised for doing something that is not prohibited by law; penal law cannot be enacted retroactively.
%
nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae fuit
There has been no great wisdom without an element of madness

%
numen lumen
God our light
The motto of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The motto of Elon University.
%
numerus clausus
closed number
A method to limit the number of students who may study at a university.
%
nunc aut nunquam
now or never
Motto of the Korps Commandotroepen, Dutch elite special forces.
%
nunc dimittis
now you send
beginning of the Song of Simeon, from the Gospel of Luke.
%
nunc est bibendum
now is the time to drink
Carpe-Diem-type phrase from the Odes of Horace, Nunc est bibendum, nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus (Now is the time to drink, now the time to dance footloose upon the earth).
%
nunc pro tunc
now for then
Something that has retroactive effect, is effective from an earlier date.
%
nunc scio quid sit amor
now I know what love is
From Virgil, Eclogues VIII.
%
nunquam minus solus quam cum solus
never less alone than when alone

%
nunquam non paratus
never unprepared, ever ready, always ready
frequently used as motto
%
nunquam obliviscar
never forget

%
O Deus ego amo te
O God I Love You
attributed to Saint Francis Xavier
%
O fortunatos nimium sua si bona norint, agricolas
The farmers would count themselves lucky, if only they knew how good they had it
from Virgil in Georgics, 458
%
o homines ad servitutem paratos
Men ready to be slaves!
attributed (in Tacitus, Annales, III, 65) to the Roman Emperor Tiberius, in disgust at the servile attitude of Roman senators; said of those who should be leaders but instead slavishly follow the lead of others
%
O tempora, o mores!
Oh, the times! Oh, the morals!
also translated "What times! What customs!"; from Cicero, Catilina I, 2
%
O Tite tute Tati tibi tanta tyranne tulisti
O tyrant Titus Tatius, what terrible calamities you brought onto yourself!
from Quintus Ennius, Annales (104), considered an example of a Latin tongue-twister
%
Obedientia civium urbis felicitas
The obedience of the citizens makes us a happy city
Motto of Dublin
%
obiit (ob.)
one died
"He/she died", inscription on gravestones; ob. also sometimes stands for obiter (in passing or incidentally)
%
obit anis, abit onus
The old woman dies, the burden is lifted
Arthur Schopenhauer
%
obiter dictum
a thing said in passing
in law, an observation by a judge on some point of law not directly relevant to the case before him, and thus neither requiring his decision nor serving as a precedent, but nevertheless of persuasive authority. In general, any comment, remark or observation made in passing
%
obliti privatorum, publica curate
Forget private affairs, take care of public ones
Roman political saying which reminds that common good should be given priority over private matters for any person having a responsibility in the State
%
obscuris vera involvens
the truth being enveloped by obscure things
from Virgil
%
obscurum per obscurius
the obscure by means of the more obscure
An explanation that is less clear than what it tries to explain; synonymous with ignotum per ignotius
%
obtineo et teneo
to obtain and to keep
motto
%
obtorto collo
with a twisted neck
unwillingly
%
oculus dexter (O.D.)
right eye
Ophthalmologist shorthand
%
oculus sinister (O.S.)
left eye
%
oderint dum metuant
let them hate, so long as they fear
favorite saying of Caligula, attributed originally to Lucius Accius, Roman tragic poet (170 BC)
%
odi et amo
I hate and I love
opening of Catullus 85; the entire poem reads, "odi et amo quare id faciam fortasse requiris / nescio sed fieri sentio et excrucior" (I hate and I love. Why do I do this, you perhaps ask. / I do not know, but I feel it happening to me and I am burning up.)
%
odi profanum vulgus et arceo
I hate the unholy rabble and keep them away
Horace, Carmina III, 1
%
odium theologicum
theological hatred
name for the special hatred generated in theological disputes
%
oleum camino
(pour) oil on the fire
from Erasmus' (1466–1536) collection of annotated Adagia
%
omne ignotum pro magnifico
every unknown thing [is taken] for great
or "everything unknown appears magnificent" The source is Tacitus: Agricola, Book 1, 30 where the sentence ends with 'est'. The quotation is found in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes short story "The Red-Headed League" (1891) where the 'est' is missing.
%
omne initium difficile est
every beginning is difficult

%
omne vivum ex ovo
every living thing is from an egg
foundational concept of modern biology, opposing the theory of spontaneous generation
%
Omnes homines sunt asini vel homines et asini sunt asini
All men are donkeys or men and donkeys are donkeys
a sophisma proposed and solved by Albert of Saxony (philosopher)
%
omnes vulnerant, postuma necat, or, omnes feriunt, ultima necat
all [the hours] wound, last one kills
usual in clocks, reminding the reader of death
%
omnia cum deo
all with God
motto for Mount Lilydale Mercy College, Lilydale, Victoria, Australia
%
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina
everything said [is] stronger if said in Latin
or "everything sounds more impressive when said in Latin"; a more common phrase with the same meaning is quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur (whatever said in Latin, seems profound)
%
omnia in mensura et numero et pondere disposuisti
Thou hast ordered all things in measure, and number, and weight.
Book of Wisdom, 11:21
%
Omnia mea mecum porto
All that is mine I carry with me
is a quote that Cicero ascribes to Bias of Priene
%
omnia mutantur, nihil interit
everything changes, nothing perishes
Ovid (43 BC – 17 AD), Metamorphoses, book XV, line 165
%
omnia omnibus
all things to all men
1 Corinthians 9:22
%
si omnia ficta
if all (the words of poets) is fiction
Ovid, Metamorphoses, book XIII, lines 733–4: "si non omnia vates ficta"
%
omnia vincit amor
love conquers all
Virgil (70 BC – 19 BC), Eclogue X, line 69
%
omnia munda mundis
everything [is] pure to the pure [men]
from The New Testament
%
omnia praesumuntur legitime facta donec probetur in contrarium
all things are presumed to be lawfully done, until it is shown [to be] in the reverse
in other words, "innocent until proven guilty"
%
omnia sponte fluant absit violentia rebus
everything should flow by itself, force should be absent
"let it go"
%
omnis vir enim sui
Every man for himself!

%
omnibus idem
the same to all
motto of Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, usually accompanied by a sun, which shines for (almost) everyone
%
omnibus locis fit caedes
There is slaughter everywhere (in every place)
Julius Caesar's The Gallic War, 7.67
%
omnis traductor traditor
every translator is a traitor
every translation is a corruption of the original; the reader should take heed of unavoidable imperfections
%
omnis vir tigris
everyone a tiger
motto of the 102nd Intelligence Wing
%
omnium gatherum
gathering of all
miscellaneous collection or assortment; "gatherum" is English, and the term is used often used facetiously
%
onus probandi
burden of proof

%
onus procedendi
burden of procedure
burden of a party to adduce evidence that a case is an exception to the rule
%
opera omnia
all works
collected works of an author
%
opera posthuma
posthumous works
works published after the author's death
%
operari sequitur esse
act of doing something follows the act of being
scholastic phrase, used to explain that there is no possible act if there is not being: being is absolutely necessary for any other act
%
opere citato (op. cit.)
in the work that was cited
used in academic works when referring again to the last source mentioned or used
%
opere et veritate
in action and truth
doing what you believe is morally right through everyday actions
%
opere laudato (op. laud.)
 
See opere citato
%
operibus anteire
leading the way with deeds
to speak with actions instead of words
%
ophidia in herba
a snake in the grass
any hidden danger or unknown risk
%
opinio juris sive necessitatis
an opinion of law or necessity
a belief that an action was undertaken because it was a legal necessity; source of customary law
%
opus anglicanum
English work
fine embroidery, especially used to describe church vestments
%
Opus Dei
The Work of God
Catholic organisation
%
ora et labora
pray and work
This principle of the Benedictine monasteries reads in full: "Ora et labora (et lege), Deus adest sine mora." "Pray and work (and read), God is there without delay" (or to keep the rhyme: "Work and pray, and God is there without delay")
%
ora pro nobis
pray for us
"Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis pecatoribus"; Brazilian name for Pereskia aculeata
%
orando laborando
by praying, by working
motto of Rugby School
%
oratio recta
direct speech

expressions from Latin grammar
%
oratio obliqua
indirect speech
%
orbis non sufficit
the world does not suffice or the world is not enough
from Satires of Juvenal (Book IV/10), referring to Alexander the Great; James Bond's adopted family motto in the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service; it made a brief appearance in the film adaptation of the same name and was later used as the title of the nineteenth James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough.
%
orbis unum
one world
seen in The Legend of Zorro
%
ordo ab chao
out of chaos, comes order
one of the oldest mottos of Craft Freemasonry.[95]
%
(oremus) pro invicem
(Let us pray), one for the other; let us pray for each other
Popular salutation for Roman Catholic clergy at the beginning or ending of a letter or note. Usually abbreviated OPI. ("Oremus" used alone is just "let us pray").
%
orta recens quam pura nites
newly risen, how brightly you shine
Motto of New South Wales
%
pace
Ablative form of peace
"With all due respect to", "with due deference to", "by leave of", "no offence to", or "despite (with respect)". Used to politely acknowledge someone with whom the speaker or writer disagrees or finds irrelevant to the main argument.
%
pace tua
with your peace
Thus, "with your permission".
%
Pacem in terris
Peace on Earth

%
pacta sunt servanda
agreements must be kept
Also "contracts must be honoured". Indicates the binding power of treaties. One of the fundamental rules of international law.
%
palma non sine pulvere
no reward without effort
Also "dare to try"; motto of numerous schools.
%
palmam qui meruit ferat
He who has earned the palm, let him bear it.
Loosely, "achievement should be rewarded" (or, "let the symbol of victory go to him who has deserved it"); frequently used motto
%
panem et circenses
bread and circuses
From Juvenal, Satire X, line 81. Originally described all that was needed for emperors to placate the Roman mob. Today used to describe any entertainment used to distract public attention from more important matters.
%
par sit fortuna labori
Let the success be equal to the labor.
This motto is of the families Buchanan, Lowman, and Palmer, according to Burke's Peerage & Baronetage.
%
parvus pendetur fur, magnus abire videtur
The petty thief is hanged, the big thief gets away.

%
para bellum
prepare for war
From "Si vis pacem para bellum": if you want peace, prepare for war—if a country is ready for war, its enemies are less likely to attack. Usually used to support a policy of peace through strength (deterrence). In antiquity, however, the Romans viewed peace as the aftermath of successful conquest through war, so in this sense the proverb identifies war as the means through which peace will be achieved.
%
parare Domino plebem perfectam
to prepare for God a perfect people
motto of the St. Jean Baptiste High School
%
parce sepulto
forgive the interred
it is ungenerous to hold resentment toward the dead. Quote from the Aeneid, III 13-68.
%
parens patriae
parent of the nation
A public policy requiring courts to protect the best interests of any child involved in a lawsuit. See also Pater Patriae.
%
pari passu
with equal step
Thus, "moving together", "simultaneously", etc.
%
parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus
The mountains are in labour, a ridiculous mouse will be born.
said of works that promise much at the outset but yield little in the end (Horace, Ars poetica 137) – see also The Mountain in Labour
%
parum luceat
It does not shine [being darkened by shade].
Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, 1/6:34 – see also lucus a nonlucendo
%
parva sub ingenti
the small under the huge
Implies that the weak are under the protection of the strong, rather than that they are inferior. Motto of Prince Edward Island.
%
parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus
When you are steeped in little things, you shall safely attempt great things.
Motto of Barnard Castle School, sometimes translated as "Once you have accomplished small things, you may attempt great ones safely".
%
passim
here and there, everywhere
Less literally, "throughout" or "frequently". Said of a word, fact or notion that occurs several times in a cited text. Also used in proofreading, where it refers to a change that is to be repeated everywhere needed. See also et passim.
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pater familias
father of the family
Or "master of the house". The eldest male in a family, who held patria potestas ("paternal power"). In Roman law, a father had enormous power over his children, wife, and slaves, though these rights dwindled over time. Derived from the phrase pater familias, an Old Latin expression preserving the archaic -as ending for the genitive case.
%
Pater Omnipotens
Father Almighty
A more direct translation would be "omnipotent father".
%
Pater Patriae
father of the nation
A Latin honorific meaning "Father of the Country", or more literally, "Father of the Fatherland".
%
pater peccavi
Father, I have sinned
The traditional beginning of a Roman Catholic confession.
%
pauca sed bona
few, but good
Similar to "quality over quantity"; though there may be few of something, at least they are of good quality.
%
pauca sed matura
few, but ripe
Said to be one of Carl Gauss's favorite quotations. Used in The King and I by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
%
paulatim ergo certe
slowly therefore surely
Former motto of Latymer Upper School in London (the text latim er is concealed in the words)
%
pax aeterna
eternal peace
A common epitaph
%
Pax Americana
American Peace
A euphemism for the United States of America and its sphere of influence. Adapted from Pax Romana.
%
Pax Britannica
British Peace
A euphemism for the British Empire. Adapted from Pax Romana
%
Pax Christi
Peace of Christ
Used as a wish before the Holy Communion in the Catholic Mass, also the name of the peace movement Pax Christi
%
pax Dei
peace of God
Used in the Peace and Truce of God movement in 10th-century France
%
Pax Deorum
Peace of the gods
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the Romans practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum (The Peace of the gods) instead of Ira Deorum (The Wrath of the gods).
%
Pax, Domine
peace, lord
lord or master; used as a form of address when speaking to clergy or educated professionals
%
pax et bonum
peace and the good
Motto of St. Francis of Assisi and, consequently, of his monastery in Assisi; understood by Catholics to mean 'Peace and Goodness be with you,' as is similar in the Mass; translated in Italian as pace e bene.
%
pax et justitia
peace and justice
Motto of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
%
pax et lux
peace and light
Motto of Tufts University and various schools
%
Pax Europaea
European Peace
euphemism for Europe after World War II
%
Pax Hispanica
Spanish Peace
Euphemism for the Spanish Empire; specifically can mean the twenty-three years of supreme Spanish dominance in Europe (approximately 1598–1621). Adapted from Pax Romana.
%
pax in terra
peace on earth
Used to exemplify the desired state of peace on earth
%
Pax intrantibus, salus exeuntibus
Peace to those who enter, health to those who depart.
Used as an inscription over the entrance of buildings (especially homes, monasteries, inns). Often benedicto habitantibus (Blessings on those who abide here) is added.
%
pax matrum, ergo pax familiarum
peace of mothers, therefore peace of families
If the mother is peaceful, then the family is peaceful. The inverse of the Southern United States saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
%
Pax Mongolica
Mongolian Peace
period of peace and prosperity in Asia during the Mongol Empire
%
pax optima rerum
peace is the greatest good
Silius Italicus, Punica (11,595); motto of the university of Kiel
%
Pax Romana
Roman Peace
period of relative prosperity and lack of conflict in the early Roman Empire
%
Pax Sinica
Chinese Peace
period of peace in East Asia during times of strong Chinese hegemony
%
pax tecum
peace be with you (singular)
%
Pax tibi, Marce, Evangelista meus. Hic requiescet corpus tuum.
Peace to you, Mark, my Evangelist. Here will rest your body.



Legend states that when the evangelist went to the lagoon where Venice would later be founded, an angel came and said this.[96] The first part is depicted as the note in the book shown opened by the lion of St Mark's Basilica, Venice; registered trademark of the Assicurazioni Generali, Trieste.[97]




Legend states that when the evangelist went to the lagoon where Venice would later be founded, an angel came and said this.[96] The first part is depicted as the note in the book shown opened by the lion of St Mark's Basilica, Venice; registered trademark of the Assicurazioni Generali, Trieste.[97]


%
Legend states that when the evangelist went to the lagoon where Venice would later be founded, an angel came and said this.[96] The first part is depicted as the note in the book shown opened by the lion of St Mark's Basilica, Venice; registered trademark of the Assicurazioni Generali, Trieste.[97]


%
pax vobiscum
peace [be] with you
A common farewell. The "you" is plural ("you all"), so the phrase must be used when speaking to more than one person; pax tecum is the form used when speaking to only one person.
%
peccavi
I have sinned
Telegraph message and pun from Charles Napier, British general, upon completely subjugating the Indian province of Sindh in 1842 ('I have Sindh'). This is, arguably, the most terse military despatch ever sent. The story is apocryphal.
%
pecunia non olet
money doesn't smell
According to Suetonius' De vita Caesarum, when Emperor Vespasian was challenged by his son Titus for taxing the public lavatories, the emperor held up a coin before his son and asked whether it smelled or simply said non olet ("it doesn't smell"). From this, the phrase was expanded to pecunia non olet, or rarely aes non olet ("copper doesn't smell").
%
pecunia, si uti scis, ancilla est; si nescis, domina
if you know how to use money, money is your slave; if you don't, money is your master
Written on an old Latin tablet in downtown Verona (Italy).
%
pede poena claudo
punishment comes limping
That is, retribution comes slowly but surely. From Horace, Odes, 3, 2, 32.
%
pendent opera interrupta
the works hang interrupted
From the Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV
%
per
By, through, by means of
See specific phrases below
%
per angusta ad augusta
through difficulties to greatness
Joining sentence of the conspirators in the drama Hernani by Victor Hugo (1830). The motto of numerous educational establishments.
%
per annum (pa.)
each year
Thus, "yearly"—occurring every year
%
per ardua
through adversity
Motto of the British RAF Regiment
%
per ardua ad alta
through difficulty to heights
Through hardship, great heights are reached; frequently used motto
%
per ardua ad astra
through adversity to the stars
Motto of the Royal, Royal Australian and Royal New Zealand Air Forces, the U. S. State of Kansas and of several schools. The phrase is used by Latin Poet Virgil in the Aeneid; also used in H. Rider Haggard's novel The People of the Mist.
%
per aspera ad astra
through hardships to the stars
From Seneca the Younger; frequently used motto, sometimes as ad astra per aspera ("to the stars through hardships")
%
per capita
by heads
"Per head", i.e., "per person", a ratio by the number of persons. The singular is per caput.
%
per capsulam
through the small box
That is, "by letter"
%
per contra
through the contrary
Or "on the contrary" (cf. a contrario)
%
per crucem vincemus
through the cross we shall conquer
Motto of St John Fisher Catholic High School, Dewsbury
%
Per Crucem Crescens
through the cross, growth
Motto of Lambda Chi Alpha
%
per curiam
through the senate
Legal term meaning "by the court", as in a per curiam decision
%
per definitionem
through the definition
Thus, "by definition"
%
per diem (pd.)
by day
Thus, "per day". A specific amount of money an organization allows an individual to spend per day, typically for travel expenses.
%
per fas et nefas
through right or wrong
By fair means or foul
%
per fidem intrepidus
fearless through faith
%
per literas regiasper lit. reg.per regias literasper reg. lit.etc.
by royal letters
by letters patent;of academic degrees: awarded by letters patent from the King/Queen, rather than by a University[98][99]
%
per mare per terram
by sea and by land
Motto of the Royal Marines and (with small difference) of Clan Donald and the Compagnies Franches de la Marine
%
per mensem (pm.)
by month
Thus, "per month", or "monthly"
%
per multum cras, cras, crebro dilabitur aetas
what can be done today should not be delayed

%
per os (p.o.)
through the mouth
Medical shorthand for "by mouth"
%
per pedes
by feet
Used of a certain place that can be traversed or reached by foot, or to indicate that one is travelling by foot as opposed to by a vehicle
%
per procura (p.p. or per pro)
through the agency
Also rendered per procurationem. Used to indicate that a person is signing a document on behalf of another person. Correctly placed before the name of the person signing, but often placed before the name of the person on whose behalf the document is signed, sometimes through incorrect translation of the alternative abbreviation per pro. as "for and on behalf of".
%
per quod
by reason of which
In a UK legal context: "by reason of which" (as opposed to per se which requires no reasoning). In American jurisprudence often refers to a spouse's claim for loss of consortium.
%
per rectum (pr)
through the rectum
Medical shorthand; see also per os
%
per rectum ad astra
via rectum to the stars
a modern parody of per aspera ad astra, originating and most commonly used in Russia, meaning that the path to success took you through most undesirable and objectionable places or environments; or that a found solution to a complex problem is extremely convoluted.
%
per risum multum poteris cognoscere stultum
by excessive laughter one can recognise the fool

%
per se
through itself
Also "by itself" or "in itself". Without referring to anything else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications etc. A common example is negligence per se. See also malum in se.
%
per stirpes
through the roots
Used in wills to indicate that each "branch" of the testator's family should inherit equally. Contrasted with per capita.
%
per unitatem vis
through unity, strength
Motto of Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets
%
per veritatem vis
through truth, strength
Motto of Washington University in St. Louis
%
per volar sunata[sic]
born to soar
Frequently used motto; not from Latin but from Dante's Purgatorio, Canto XII, 95, the Italian phrase "per volar sù nata".
%
Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim
Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.
From Ovid, Amores, Book III, Elegy XI
%
periculum in mora
danger in delay

%
perinde ac [si] cadaver [essent]
[well-disciplined] like a corpse
Phrase written by St. Ignatius of Loyola in his Constitutiones Societatis Iesu (1954)
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perita manus mens exculta
skilled hand, cultivated mind
Motto of RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia
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perge sequar
advance, I follow
from Virgil's Aeneid IV 114; in Vergil's context: "proceed with your plan, I will do my part."
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Pericula ludus
Danger is my pleasure
Motto of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte
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perpetuum mobile
thing in perpetual motion
A musical term; also used to refer to hypothetical perpetual motion machines
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Perseverantia et Fide in Deo
Perseverance and Faith in God
Motto of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim, India
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persona non grata
person not pleasing
An unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person. In diplomatic contexts, a person rejected by the host government. The reverse, persona grata ("pleasing person"), is less common, and refers to a diplomat acceptable to the government of the country to which he is sent.
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Pes meus stetit in directo
My foot has stood in the right way (or in uprightness; in integrity)
Motto of the Light Armoured Cavalry Regiment Santiago No 1, Spanish Army;[100] Psalm 26:12
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petitio principii
request of the beginning
Begging the question, a logical fallacy in which a proposition to be proved is implicitly or explicitly assumed in one of the premises
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pia desideria
pious longings
Or "dutiful desires"
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pia fraus
pious fraud
Or "dutiful deceit". Expression from Ovid; used to describe deception which serves Church purposes
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pia mater
pious mother
Or "tender mother". The delicate innermost of the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.
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Pietate et doctrina tuta libertas
Freedom is made safe through character and learning
Motto of Dickinson College
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pinxit
one painted
Thus, "he painted this" or "she painted this". Formerly used on works of art, next to the artist's name.
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piscem natare doces
[you] teach a fish to swim
Latin proverb, attributed by Erasmus in his Adagia to Greek origin (Diogenianus, Ἰχθὺν νήχεσθαι διδάσκεις); corollary Chinese idiom (班門弄斧)
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placet
it pleases
expression of assent
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plene scriptum
fully written

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plenus venter non studet libenter
A full belly does not like studying
I.e., it is difficult to concentrate on mental tasks after a heavy meal. The following variant is also attested: plenus si venter renuit studere libenter (the belly, when full, refuses to study willingly).
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plenus venter facile de ieiuniis disputat
A full belly readily discusses fasting.
Hieronymus, Epistulæ 58,2
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pluralis majestatis
plural of majesty
The first-person plural pronoun when used by an important personage to refer to himself or herself; also known as the "royal we"
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pluralis modestiae
plural of modesty

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plus minusve (p.m.v.)
more or less
Frequently found on Roman funerary inscriptions to denote that the age of a decedent is approximate
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plus ultra
further beyond
National motto of Spain and a number of other institutions
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pollice compresso favor iudicabatur
goodwill decided by compressed thumb
Life was spared with a thumb tucked inside a closed fist, simulating a sheathed weapon. Conversely, a thumb up meant to unsheath your sword.
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pollice verso
with a turned thumb
Used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator. The type of gesture used is uncertain. Also the name of a famous painting depicting gladiators by Jean-Léon Gérôme.
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Polonia Restituta
Rebirth of Poland

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pons asinorum
bridge of asses
Any obstacle that stupid people find hard to cross. Originally used of Euclid's Fifth Proposition in geometry.
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Pontifex Maximus
Greatest High Priest
Or "Supreme Pontiff". Originally an office in the Roman Republic, later a title held by Roman Emperors, and later a traditional epithet of the pope. The pontifices were the most important priestly college of the religion in ancient Rome; their name is usually thought to derive from pons facere ("to make a bridge"), which in turn is usually linked to their religious authority over the bridges of Rome, especially the Pons Sublicius.
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posse comitatus
force of the county[101]
Thus, to be able to be made into part of a retinue or force. In common law, a sheriff's right to compel people to assist law enforcement in unusual situations.
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possunt quia posse videntur
They can because they think they can
Inscription on the back of Putney medals, awarded to boat race winning Oxford blues. From Virgil's Aeneid Book V line 231.
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post aut propter
after it or by means of it
Causality between two phenomena is not established (cf. post hoc, ergo propter hoc)
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post cibum (p.c.)
after food
Medical shorthand for "after meals" (cf. ante cibum)
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post coitum
After sex
After sexual intercourse
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post coitum omne animal triste est sive gallus et mulier
After sexual intercourse every animal is sad, except the cock (rooster) and the woman
Or: triste est omne animal post coitum, praeter mulierem gallumque. Attributed to Galen of Pergamum.[102]
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post eventum
after the event
Refers to an action or occurrence that takes place after the event that is being discussed (similar in meaning to post factum).  More specifically, it may refer to a person who is recounting an event long after it took place, implying that details of the story may have changed over time. (Some sources attribute this expression to George Eliot.)
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post factum
after the fact
Not to be confused with ex post facto.
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post festum
after the feast
Too late, or after the fact
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post hoc ergo propter hoc
after this, therefore because of this
A logical fallacy where one assumes that one thing happening after another thing means that the first thing caused the second.
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post meridiem (p.m.)
after midday
The period from noon to midnight (cf. ante meridiem)
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post mortem (pm)
after death
Usually rendered postmortem. Not to be confused with post meridiem
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Post mortem auctoris (p.m.a.)
after the author's death
The phrase is used in legal terminology in the context of intellectual property rights, especially copyright, which commonly lasts until a certain number of years after the author's death.
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post nubila phoebus
after the clouds, the sun
Motto of the University of Zulia, Venezuela, as well as Hartford, Connecticut
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post nubes lux
out of darkness, light
Motto of Cranfield University
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post scriptum (p.s.)
after what has been written
A postscript. Used to mark additions to a letter, after the signature. Can be extended to post post scriptum (p.p.s.), etc.
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post tenebras lux, or, post tenebras spero lucem
after darkness, [I hope for] light
from Vulgata, Job 17:12; frequently used motto
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postera crescam laude
I am going to grow in the esteem of future generations
Motto of the University of Melbourne
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potest solum unum
There can be only one
Highlander
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praemia virtutis honores
honours are the rewards of virtue
 
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praemonitus praemunitus
forewarned is forearmed
Common catch phrase of the fictional character "Captain Blood" from the novel Captain Blood (novel)
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praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes
Lead in order to serve, not in order to rule.
Motto of Lancaster Royal Grammar School
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praeter legem
after the law
Legal terminology, international law
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Praga Caput Regni
Prague, Head of the Kingdom
Motto of Prague from Middle Ages
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Praga Caput Rei publicae
Prague, Head of the Republic
Motto of Prague from 1991
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Praga mater urbium
Prague, Mother of Cities
Motto of Prague from 1927
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Praga totius Bohemiae domina
Prague, the mistress of the whole of Bohemia
Former motto of Prague
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Pretium Laborum Non Vile
No mean reward for labour
Motto of the Order of the Golden Fleece
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pretiumque et causa laboris
The prize and the cause of our labour
Motto of Burnley Football Club; from Ovid's Metamorphoses, 4.739 (Latin)/English): "The Tale of Perseus and Andromeda": resoluta catenis incedit virgo, pretiumque et causa laboris. ("freed of her chains the virgin approaches, cause and reward of the enterprise.")
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prima facie
at first sight
Used to designate evidence in a trial which is suggestive, but not conclusive, of something (e.g., a person's guilt)
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prima luce
at dawn
Literally "at first light"
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primas sum: primatum nil a me alienum puto
I am a primate; nothing about primates is outside of my bailiwick
A sentence by the American anthropologist Earnest Hooton and the slogan of primatologists and lovers of the primates.
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primum mobile
first moving thing
Or "first thing able to be moved"; see primum movens
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primum movens
prime mover
Or "first moving one". A common theological term, such as in the cosmological argument, based on the assumption that God was the first entity to "move" or "cause" anything. Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to discuss the "uncaused cause", a hypothetical originator—and violator—of causality.
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primum non nocere
first, to not harm
A medical precept. Often falsely attributed to the Hippocratic Oath, though its true source is probably a paraphrase from Hippocrates' Epidemics, where he wrote, "Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these acts. As to diseases, make a habit of two things: to help, or at least to do no harm."
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primus inter pares
first among equals
Position of the Ecumenical Patriarch in the Eastern Orthodox Church, position of the President of the Swiss Confederation among the members of the Federal Council, and a title of the Roman Emperors (cf. princeps).
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principia probant non probantur
principles prove; they are not proved
Fundamental principles require no proof; they are assumed a priori.
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principiis obsta (et respice finem)
resist the beginnings (and consider the end)
Ovid, Remedia Amoris, 91
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principium individuationis
Individuation
psychological term: the self-formation of the personality into a coherent whole
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prior tempore potior iure
earlier in time, stronger in law
A legal principle that older laws take precedence over newer ones. The inverse principle is known as lex posterior.
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pro aris et focis
For altars and hearths
The motto of the Royal Queensland Regiment, and many other regiments.
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pro bono publico
for the public good
Often abbreviated pro bono. Work undertaken voluntarily at no expense, such as public services. Often used of a lawyer's work that is not charged for.
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pro Brasilia fiant eximia
let exceptional things be made for Brazil
Motto of São Paulo state, Brazil.
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pro Deo Domo Patria
For God, home and country
Motto of the University of Mary Washington
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pro Deo et Patria
For God and Country
Frequently used motto
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pro domo (sua)
for (one’s own) home or house
serving the interests of a given perspective or for the benefit of a given group.
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pro Ecclesia, pro Texana
For Church, For Texas
Motto of Baylor University, a private Christian Baptist university in Waco, Texas.
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pro fide et patria
for faith and fatherland
Motto of the originally Irish Muldoon family and of several schools, such as the Diocesan College (Bishops) in Cape Town, South Africa, and All Hallows High School in the Bronx, New York.
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pro forma
for form
Or "as a matter of form". Prescribing a set form or procedure, or performed in a set manner.
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pro gloria et patria
for glory and fatherland
Motto of Prussia
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pro hac vice
for this occasion
Request of a state court to allow an out-of-state lawyer to represent a client.
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pro multis
for many
It is part of the Rite of Consecration of the wine in Western Christianity tradition, as part of the Mass.
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pro parte
in part
Frequently used in taxonomy to refer to part of a group.
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pro patria
for country
Pro Patria Medal: for operational service (minimum 55 days) in defence of the Republic South Africa or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism; issued for the Border War (counter-insurgency operations in South West Africa 1966–89) and for campaigns in Angola (1975–76 and 1987–88). Motto of The Royal Canadian Regiment, Royal South Australia Regiment, Hurlstone Agricultural High School.
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pro patria vigilans
watchful for the country
Motto of the United States Army Signal Corps.
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pro populo et gloria
for the people and glory
Motto of HMS Westminster
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pro per
for self
to defend oneself in court without counsel; abbreviation of propria persona. See also: pro se.
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pro rata
for the rate
i.e., proportionately.
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pro re nata (PRN, prn)
for a thing that has been born
Medical shorthand for "as the occasion arises" or "as needed". Also "concerning a matter having come into being". Used to describe a meeting of a special Presbytery or Assembly called to discuss something new, and which was previously unforeseen (literally: "concerning a matter having been born").
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pro rege et lege
for king and the law
Found on the Leeds coat of arms.
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pro rege, lege et grege
for king, the law and the people
Found on the coat of arms of Perth, Scotland.
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pro se
for oneself
to defend oneself in court without counsel. Some jurisdictions prefer, "pro per".
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pro scientia atque sapientia
for knowledge and wisdom
motto of Stuyvesant High School in New York City
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pro scientia et patria
for science and nation
motto of the National University of La Plata
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pro studio et labore
for study and work

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pro tanto
for so much
Denotes something that has only been partially fulfilled. A philosophical term indicating the acceptance of a theory or idea without fully accepting the explanation.
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pro tanto quid retribuemus
what shall we give in return for so much
The motto of the city of Belfast; taken from the Vulgate translation of Psalm 116.
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pro tempore
for the time (being)
Denotes a temporary current situation; abbreviated pro tem.
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probatio pennae
testing of the pen
Medieval Latin term for breaking in a new pen
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probis pateo
I am open for honest people
Traditionally inscribed above a city gate or above the front entrance of a dwelling or place of learning.
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prodesse quam conspici
To Accomplish Rather Than To Be Conspicuous
motto of Miami University
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propria manu (p.m.)
"by one's own hand"
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propter vitam vivendi perdere causas
to destroy the reasons for living for the sake of life
That is, to squander life's purpose just in order to stay alive, and live a meaningless life. From Juvenal, Satyricon VIII, verses 83–84.
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protectio trahit subjectionem, et subjectio protectionem
Protection draws allegiance, and allegiance draws protection
Legal maxim, indicating that reciprocity of fealty with protection
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provehito in altum
launch forward into the deep
motto of Memorial University of Newfoundland
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proxime accessit
he came next
the runner-up
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proximo mense (prox.)
in the following month
Used in formal correspondence to refer to the next month. Used with ult. ("last month") and inst. ("this month").
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pulchrum est paucorum hominum
Beauty is for the few
from Friedrich Nietzsche's 1889 book Twilight of the Idols
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pulvis et umbra sumus
we are dust and shadow
From Horace, Carmina book IV, 7, 16.
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punctum saliens
leaping point
Thus, the essential or most notable point. The salient point.
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purificatus non consumptus
purified, not consumed

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qua definitione
by virtue of definition
Thus: "by definition"; variant of per definitionem; sometimes used in German-speaking countries. Occasionally misrendered as "qua definitionem".
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qua patet orbis
as far as the world extends
Motto of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
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quae non posuisti, ne tollas
do not take away what you did not put in place
Plato, Laws
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quae non prosunt singula multa iuvant
what alone is not useful helps when accumulated
Ovid, Remedia amoris
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quaecumque sunt vera
whatsoever is true
frequently used as motto; taken from Philippians 4:8 of the Bible
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quaecumque vera doce me
teach me whatsoever is true
motto of St. Joseph's College, Edmonton at the University of Alberta
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quaere
to seek
Or "you might ask..." Used to suggest doubt or to ask one to consider whether something is correct. Often introduces rhetorical or tangential questions.
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quaerite primum regnum Dei
seek ye first the kingdom of God
Also quaerite primo regnum dei; frequently used as motto
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qualis artifex pereo
As what kind of artist do I perish?
Or "What a craftsman dies in me!" Attributed to Nero in Suetonius' De vita Caesarum
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Qualitas potentia nostra
Quality is our might
motto of Finnish Air Force
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quam bene non quantum
how well, not how much
motto of Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada
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quam bene vivas referre (or refert), non quam diu
it is how well you live that matters, not how long
Seneca, Epistulae morales ad Lucilium CI (101)
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quamdiu (se) bene gesserit
as long as he shall have behaved well (legal Latin)
I.e., "[while on] good behavior." So for example the Act of Settlement 1701 stipulated that judges' commissions are valid quamdiu se bene gesserint (during good behaviour). (Notice the different singular, "gesserit", and plural, "gesserint", forms.) It was from this phrase that Frank Herbert extracted the name for the Bene Gesserit sisterhood in the Dune novels.
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quantocius quantotius
the sooner, the better
or, as quickly as possible
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quantum libet (q.l.)
as much as pleases
medical shorthand for "as much as you wish"
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quantum sufficit (qs)
as much as is enough
medical shorthand for "as much as needed" or "as much as will suffice"
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quaque hora (qh)
every hour
medical shorthand; also quaque die (qd), "every day", quaque mane (qm), "every morning", and quaque nocte (qn), "every night"
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quare clausum fregit
wherefore he broke the close
An action of trespass; thus called, by reason the writ demands the person summoned to answer to wherefore he broke the close (quare clausum fregit), i.e. why he committed such a trespass.
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quater in die (qid)
four times a day
medical shorthand
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quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius
Whom the gods would destroy, they first make insane

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quem di diligunt adulescens moritur
he whom the gods love dies young
Other translations of diligunt include "prize especially" or "esteem". From Plautus, Bacchides, IV, 7, 18. In this comic play, a sarcastic servant says this to his aging master. The rest of the sentence reads: dum valet sentit sapit ("while he is healthy, perceptive and wise").
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questio quid iuris
I ask what law?
from the Summoner's section of Chaucer's General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, line 648
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qui audet adipiscitur
Who Dares Wins
The motto of the SAS, of the British Army
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qui bene cantat bis orat
he who sings well praises twice
from St. Augustine of Hippo's commentary on Psalm 73, verse 1: Qui enim cantat laudem, non solum laudat, sed etiam hilariter laudat ("He who sings praises, not only praises, but praises joyfully")
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qui bono
who with good
common misspelling of the Latin phrase cui bono ("who benefits?")
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quibuscum(que) viis
(and) by whatever ways possible
Used by Honoré de Balzac in several works,[103] including Illusions perdues and Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes.
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qui docet in doctrina
he that teacheth, on teaching
Motto of the University of Chester. A less literal translation is "Let those who teach, teach" or "Let the teacher teach".
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qui habet aures audiendi audiat
he who has ears to hear, let him hear
"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear"; Mark Mark 4:9
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qui me tangit, vocem meam audit
who touches me, hears my voice
common inscription on bells
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qui tacet consentire videtur
he who is silent is taken to agree
Thus, silence gives consent. Sometimes accompanied by the proviso "ubi loqui debuit ac potuit", that is, "when he ought to have spoken and was able to". Pope Boniface VII in Decretale di Bonifacio VIII, Libro V, Tit. 12, reg. 43 AD 1294
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qui prior est tempore potior est jure
Who is first in point of time is stronger in right
As set forth in the "Property Law" casebook written by Jesse Dukeminier, which is generally used to teach first year law students.
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qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur
he who brings an action for the king as well as for himself
Generally known as 'qui tam,' it is the technical legal term for the unique mechanism in the federal False Claims Act that allows persons and entities with evidence of fraud against federal programs or contracts to sue the wrongdoer on behalf of the Government.
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qui totum vult totum perdit
he who wants everything loses everything
Attributed to Publilius Syrus
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qui transtulit sustinet
he who transplanted still sustains
Or "he who brought us across still supports us", meaning God. State motto of Connecticut. Originally written as sustinet qui transtulit in 1639.
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quia suam uxorem etiam suspicione vacare vellet
because he should wish his wife to be free even from any suspicion
Attributed to Julius Caesar by Plutarch, Caesar 10. Translated loosely as "because even the wife of Caesar may not be suspected". At the feast of Bona Dea, a sacred festival for females only, which was being held at the Domus Publica, the home of the Pontifex Maximus, Caesar, and hosted by his second wife, Pompeia, the notorious politician Clodius arrived in disguise. Caught by the outraged noblewomen, Clodius fled before they could kill him on the spot for sacrilege. In the ensuing trial, allegations arose that Pompeia and Clodius were having an affair, and while Caesar asserted that this was not the case and no substantial evidence arose suggesting otherwise, he nevertheless divorced, with this quotation as explanation.
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quid agis
What are you doing?
What's happening? What's going on? What's the news? What's up?
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quid est veritas
What is truth?
In the Vulgate translation of John 18:38, Pilate's question to Jesus (Greek: Τί ἐστιν ἀλήθεια;). A possible answer is an anagram of the phrase: est vir qui adest, "it is the man who is here."
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quid novi ex Africa
What of the new out of Africa?
less literally, "What's new from Africa?"; derived from an Aristotle quotation
%
quid nunc
What now?
Commonly shortened to quidnunc. As a noun, a quidnunc is a busybody or a gossip. Patrick Campbell worked for The Irish Times under the pseudonym "Quidnunc".
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quid pro quo
what for what
Commonly used in English, it is also translated as "this for that" or "a thing for a thing". Signifies a favor exchanged for a favor. The traditional Latin expression for this meaning was do ut des ("I give, so that you may give").
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Quid rides?Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur.
Why do you laugh? Change but the name, and the story is told of yourself.
Horace, Satires, I. 1. 69.
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quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
whatever has been said in Latin seems deep
Or "anything said in Latin sounds profound". A recent ironic Latin phrase to poke fun at people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more important or "educated". Similar to the less common omnia dicta fortiora si dicta Latina.
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quieta non movere
don't move settled things

%
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Who will guard the guards themselves?
Commonly associated with Plato who in the Republic poses this question; and from Juvenal's On Women, referring to the practice of having eunuchs guard women and beginning with the word sed ("but"). Usually translated less literally, as "Who watches the watchmen?" This translation is a common epigraph, such as of the Tower Commission and Alan Moore's Watchmen comic book series.
%
quis leget haec?
Who will read this?

%
quis separabit?
Who will separate us?
motto of Northern Ireland and of the Order of St Patrick
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quis ut Deus
Who [is] as God?
Usually translated "Who is like unto God?" Questions who would have the audacity to compare himself to a Supreme Being. It is a translation of the Hebrew name 'Michael' = Mi cha El Who like God מי/כ/ אל  Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל‎ (right to left).
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quo errat demonstrator
where the prover errs
A pun on "quod erat demonstrandum"
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quo fata ferunt
where the fates bear us to
motto of Bermuda
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quo non ascendam
to what heights can I not rise?
motto of Army Burn Hall College
%
Quod verum tutum
what is true is right
motto of Spier's School
%
quousque tandem?
For how much longer?
From Cicero's first speech In Catilinam to the Roman Senate regarding the conspiracy of Catiline: Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? ("For how much longer, Catiline, will you abuse our patience?").
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Quo Vadimus?
Where are we going?
Title of the series finale of Aaron Sorkin's TV dramedy Sports Night
%
quo vadis?
Where are you going?
According to Vulgate translation of John 13:36, Saint Peter asked Jesus Domine, quo vadis? ("Lord, where are you going?"). The King James Version has the translation "Lord, whither goest thou?"
%
quocunque jeceris stabit
whithersoever you throw it, it will stand
motto of the Isle of Man
%
quod abundat non obstat
what is abundant doesn't hinder
It is no problem to have too much of something.
%
quod cito fit, cito perit
what is done quickly, perishes quickly
Things done in a hurry are more likely to fail and fail quicker than those done with care.
%
quod erat demonstrandum (Q.E.D.)
what was to be demonstrated
The abbreviation is often written at the bottom of a mathematical proof. Sometimes translated loosely into English as "The Five Ws", W.W.W.W.W., which stands for "Which Was What We Wanted".
%
quod erat faciendum (Q.E.F.)
which was to be done
Or "which was to be constructed". Used in translations of Euclid's Elements when there was nothing to prove, but there was something being constructed, for example a triangle with the same size as a given line.
%
quod est (q.e.)
which is

%
quod est necessarium est licitum
what is necessary is lawful

%
quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur
what is asserted without reason may be denied without reason
If no grounds have been given for an assertion, then there are no grounds needed to reject it.
%
quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi
what is permitted to Jupiter is not permitted to an ox
If an important person does something, it does not necessarily mean that everyone can do it (cf. double standard). Iovi (also commonly rendered Jovi) is the dative form of Iuppiter ("Jupiter" or "Jove"), the chief god of the Romans.
%
quod me nutrit me destruit
what nourishes me destroys me
Thought to have originated with Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe. Generally interpreted to mean that that which motivates or drives a person can consume him or her from within. This phrase has become a popular slogan or motto for pro-ana websites, anorexics and bulimics.
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quod natura non dat Salmantica non praestat
what nature does not give, Salamanca does not provide
Refers to the Spanish University of Salamanca, meaning that education cannot substitute the lack of brains.
%
quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini
What the barbarians did not do, the Barberinis did
A well-known satirical lampoon left attached to the ancient "speaking" statue of Pasquino on a corner of the Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy.[104] Through a sharp pun the writer criticizes Pope Urban VIII, of the Barberini family, who reused stones and decorations from ancient buildings to build new ones, thus wrecking classical constructions that even the barbarians had not touched.
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quod periit, periit
What is gone is gone
What has happened has happened and it cannot be changed, thus we should look forward into the future instead of being pulled by the past.
%
quod scripsi, scripsi
What I have written I have written.
Pilate to the chief priests (John 19:22)
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quod supplantandum, prius bene sciendum
Whatever you hope to supplant, you will first know thoroughly
i.e. "You must thoroughly understand that which you hope to supplant". A caution against following a doctrine of Naive Analogy when attempting to formulate a scientific hypothesis.
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quod vide (q.v.)
which see
Used after a term, phrase, or topic that should be looked up elsewhere in the current document, book, etc. For more than one term or phrase, the plural is quae vide (qq.v.).
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Quodcumque dixerit vobis, facite.
Whatever He tells you, that you shall do.
More colloquially: "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you to do." Instructions of Mary to the servants at the Wedding at Cana. (John 2:5). Also the motto of East Catholic High School.
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quomodo vales
How are you?

%
quorum
of whom
the number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make any given meeting constitutional
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quos amor verus tenuit tenebit
Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding
Seneca
%
quot capita tot sensus
as many heads, so many perceptions
"There are as many opinions as there are heads" – Terence
%
quot homines tot sententiae
as many men, so many opinions
Or "there are as many opinions as there are people", "how many people, so many opinions"
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radix malorum est cupiditas
the root of evils is desire
Or "greed is the root of all evil". Theme of "The Pardoner's Tale" from The Canterbury Tales.
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rara avis (rarissima avis)
rare bird (very rare bird)
An extraordinary or unusual thing. From Juvenal's Satires VI: rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygno ("a rare bird in the lands, and very like a black swan").
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rari nantes in gurgite vasto
Rare survivors in the immense sea
Virgil, Aeneid, I, 118
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ratio decidendi
reasoning for the decision
The legal, moral, political, and social principles used by a court to compose a judgment's rationale.
%
ratio legis
reasoning of law
A law's foundation or basis.
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ratione personae
by reason of his/her person
Also "Jurisdiction Ratione Personae" the personal reach of the courts jurisdiction.[105]
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ratione soli
by account of the ground
Or "according to the soil". Assigning property rights to a thing based on its presence on a landowner's property.
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ratum et consummatum
confirmed and completed
in Canon law, a consummated marriage
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ratum tantum
confirmed only
in Canon law, a confirmed but unconsummated marriage (which can be dissolved super rato)
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re
[in] the matter of
More literally, "by the thing". From the ablative of res ("thing" or "circumstance"). It is a common misconception that the "Re:" in correspondence is an abbreviation for regarding or reply; this is not the case for traditional letters. However, when used in an e-mail subject, there is evidence that it functions as an abbreviation of regarding rather than the Latin word for thing. The use of Latin re, in the sense of "about", "concerning", is English usage.
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rebus sic stantibus
with matters standing thus
The doctrine that treaty obligations hold only as long as the fundamental conditions and expectations that existed at the time of their creation hold.
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recte et fortiter
Upright and Strong
Motto of Homebush Boys High School
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recte et fideliter
Upright and Faithful
Also "just and faithful" and "accurately and faithfully". Motto of Ruyton Girls' School
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reductio ad absurdum
leading back to the absurd
A common debate technique, and a method of proof in mathematics and philosophy, that proves the thesis by showing that its opposite is absurd or logically untenable. In general usage outside mathematics and philosophy, a reductio ad absurdum is a tactic in which the logic of an argument is challenged by reducing the concept to its most absurd extreme. Translated from Aristotle's "ἡ εις άτοπον απαγωγη" (hi eis atopon apagogi, "reduction to the impossible").
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reductio ad Hitlerum
leading back to Hitler
A term coined by German-American political philosopher Leo Strauss to humorously describe a fallacious argument that compares an opponent's views to those held by Adolf Hitler or the Nazi Party. Derived from reductio ad absurdum.
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reductio ad infinitum
leading back to the infinite
An argument that creates an infinite series of causes that does not seem to have a beginning. As a fallacy, it rests upon Aristotle's notion that all things must have a cause, but that all series of causes must have a sufficient cause, that is, an unmoved mover. An argument which does not seem to have such a beginning becomes difficult to imagine. If it can be established, separately, that the chain must have a start, then a reductio ad infinitum is a valid refutation technique.
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reformatio in peius
change to worse
A decision from a court of appeal is amended to a worse one.  With certain exceptions, this is prohibited at the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office by case law.
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Regem ego comitem me comes regem
you made me a Count, I will make you a King
Motto of the Forbin family [fr]
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Reginam occidere
From "Reginam occidere nolite timere bonum est si omnes consentiunt ego non contradico", a sentence whose meaning is highly dependent on punctuation: either the speaker wishes a queen killed or not.[106]
Written by John of Merania, bishop of Esztergom, to Hungarian nobles planning the assassination of Gertrude of Merania. The queen was assassinated as the plotters saw the bishop's message as an encouragement.
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regnat populus
the people rule
State motto of Arkansas, adopted in 1907. Originally rendered in 1864 in the plural, regnant populi ("the peoples rule"), but subsequently changed to the singular.
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Regnum Mariae Patrona Hungariae
Kingdom of Mary, the Patron of Hungary
Former motto of Hungary.
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regressus ad uterum
return to the womb
Concept used in psychoanalysis by Sándor Ferenczi and the Budapest School.
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rem acu tetigisti
You have touched the point with a needle
i.e., "You have hit the nail on the head"
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repetita iuvant
repeating does good
Lit: "Repeated things help". Usually said as a jocular remark to defend the speaker's (or writer's) choice to repeat some important piece of information to ensure reception by the audience.
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repetitio est mater studiorum
repetition is the mother of study/learning

%
requiem aeternam
eternal rest
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requiescat in pace (R.I.P.)
let him/her rest in peace
Or "may he/she rest in peace". A benediction for the dead. Often inscribed on tombstones or other grave markers. "RIP" is commonly mistranslated as "Rest In Peace", though the two mean essentially the same thing.
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rerum cognoscere causas
to learn the causes of things
Motto of the University of Sheffield, the University of Guelph, and London School of Economics.
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res firma mitescere nescit
a firm resolve does not know how to weaken
Used in the 1985 film American Flyers where it is colloquially translated as "once you got it up, keep it up".
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res gestae
things done
A phrase used in law representing the belief that certain statements are made naturally, spontaneously and without deliberation during the course of an event, they leave little room for misunderstanding/misinterpretation upon hearing by someone else ( i.e. by the witness who will later repeat the statement to the court) and thus the courts believe that such statements carry a high degree of credibility.
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res ipsa loquitur
the thing speaks for itself
A phrase from the common law of torts meaning that negligence can be inferred from the fact that such an accident happened, without proof of exactly how.
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res judicata
judged thing
A matter which has been decided by a court. Often refers to the legal concept that once a matter has been finally decided by the courts, it cannot be litigated again (cf. non bis in idem and double jeopardy).
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res, non verba
"actions speak louder than words", or "deeds, not words"
From rēs ("things, facts") the plural of rēs ("a thing, a fact") + nōn ("not") + verba ("words") the plural of verbum ("a word"). Literally meaning "things, not words" or "facts instead of words" but referring to that "actions be used instead of words".
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res nullius
nobody's property
Goods without an owner. Used for things or beings which belong to nobody and are up for grabs, e.g., uninhabited and uncolonized lands, wandering wild animals, etc. (cf. terra nullius, "no man's land").
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res publica
Pertaining to the state or public
source of the word republic
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respice adspice prospice
look behind, look here, look ahead
i.e., "examine the past, the present and future". Motto of CCNY.
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respice finem
look back at the end
i.e., "have regard for the end" or "consider the end". Generally a memento mori, a warning to remember one's death. Motto of Homerton College, Cambridge, Trinity College, Kandy, Georgetown College in Kentucky, Turnbull High School, Glasgow, and the London Oratory School.
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respondeat superior
let the superior respond
Regarded as a legal maxim in agency law, referring to the legal liability of the principal with respect to an employee. Whereas a hired independent contractor acting tortiously may not cause the principal to be legally liable, a hired employee acting tortiously will cause the principal (the employer) to be legally liable, even if the employer did nothing wrong.
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restitutio ad (or in) integrum
restoration to original condition
Principle behind the awarding of damages in common law negligence claims
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resurgam
I shall arise
"I shall rise again", expressing Christian faith in resurrection at the Last Day. It appears, inter alia, in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, as the epitaph written on Helen Burns's grave; in a poem of  Emily Dickinson: Poems (1955) I. 56 (" 'Arcturus' is his other name"), I slew a worm the other day – A 'Savant' passing by Murmured 'Resurgam' – 'Centipede'! 'Oh Lord – how frail are we'!; and in a letter of Vincent van Gogh.[107]  The OED gives "1662 J. Trapp, Annotations upon the Old and New Testament, in five distinct volumes (London, 1662), vol. I, p. 142: "Howbeit he had hope in his death, and might write Resurgam on his grave" as its earliest attribution in the English corpus.
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retine vim istam, falsa enim dicam, si coges
Restrain your strength, for if you compel me I will tell lies
An utterance by the Delphic oracle recorded by Eusebius of Caesarea in Praeparatio evangelica, VI-5, translated from the Greek of Porphyry (c.f. E. H. Gifford's translation)[108] and used by William Wordsworth as a subtitle for his ballad "Anecdote for Fathers".
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rex regum fidelum et
king even of faithful kings
Latin motto that appears on the crest of the Trinity Broadcasting Network of Paul and Jan Crouch.
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rigor mortis
stiffness of death
The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the limbs to stiffen about 3–4 hours after death. Other signs of death include drop in body temperature (algor mortis, "cold of death") and discoloration (livor mortis, "bluish color of death").
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risum teneatis, amici?
Can you help laughing, friends?
An ironic or rueful commentary, appended following a fanciful or unbelievable tale.
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risus abundat in ore stultorum
laughter is abundant in the mouth of fools
excessive and inappropriate laughter signifies stupidity.
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Roma invicta
Unconquered Rome
Inspirational motto inscribed on the Statue of Rome.
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Roma locuta, causa finita
Rome has spoken, the case is closed
In Roman Catholic ecclesiology, doctrinal matters are ultimately decided by the Vatican.
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Romanes eunt domus
People called Romans they go the house
An intentionally garbled Latin phrase from Monty Python's Life of Brian. Its intended meaning is "Romans, go home!", in Latin Romani ite domum.
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rorate coeli
drop down ye heavens
a.k.a. The Advent Prose.
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rosa rubicundior, lilio candidior, omnibus formosior, semper in te glorior
redder than the rose, whiter than the lilies, fairer than all things, I do ever glory in thee
From Veni, veni, venias (Carmina Burana).
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Rosam quae meruit ferat
She who has earned the rose may bear it
Motto from Sweet Briar College
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rus in urbe
A countryside in the city
Generally used to refer to a haven of peace and quiet within an urban setting, often a garden, but can refer to interior decoration.
%
saltus in demonstrando
leap in explaining
a leap in logic, by which a necessary part of an equation is omitted.
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salus in arduis
a stronghold (or refuge) in difficulties
a Roman Silver Age maxim. Also the school motto of Wellingborough School.
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salus populi suprema lex esto
the welfare of the people is to be the highest law
From Cicero's De Legibus, book III, part III, sub. VIII. Quoted by John Locke in his Second Treatise, On Civil Government, to describe the proper organization of government. Also the state motto of Missouri.
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salva veritate
with truth intact
Refers to two expressions that can be interchanged without changing the truth value of the statements in which they occur.
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Salvator Mundi
Savior of the World
Christian epithet, usually referring to Jesus. The title of paintings by Albrecht Dürer and Leonardo da Vinci.
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salvo errore et omissione (s.e.e.o.)
save for error and omission
Used as a reservation on statements of financial accounts.  Often now given in English "errors and omissions excluded" or "e&oe".
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salvo honoris titulo (SHT)
Addressing oneself to someone whose title is unknown.|
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Sancta Sedes
Holy Chair
literally, "holy seat". Refers to the Papacy or the Holy See.
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sancta simplicitas
holy innocence
Or "sacred simplicity".
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sancte et sapienter
in a holy and wise way
Also sancte sapienter (holiness, wisdom), motto of several institutions, notably King's College London
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sanctum sanctorum
Holy of Holies
referring to a more sacred and/or guarded place, within a lesser guarded, yet also holy location.
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sapere aude
dare to know
From Horace's Epistularum liber primus, Epistle II, line 40. Made popular in Kant's essay Answering the Question: What Is Enlightenment? defining the Age of Enlightenment. The phrase is common usage as a university motto.
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sapiens qui prospicit
wise is he who looks ahead
Motto of Malvern College, England
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sapienti sat
enough for the wise
From Plautus. Indicates that something can be understood without any need for explanation, as long as the listener has enough wisdom or common sense. Often extended to dictum sapienti sat est ("enough has been said for the wise", commonly translated as "a word to the wise is enough").
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sapientia et doctrina
wisdom and learning
Motto of Fordham University, New York. Motto of Hill House School Doncaster, England.
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sapientia et eloquentia
wisdom and eloquence
One of the mottos of the Ateneo schools in the Philippines.[109]
Motto of the Minerva Society

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sapientia et veritas
wisdom and truth
Motto of Christchurch Girls' High School, New Zealand.
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sapientia et virtus
wisdom and virtue
Motto of the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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sapientia ianua vitae
wisdom is the gateway to life
Motto of the Wirral Grammar School for Boys, Bebington, England.
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sapientia melior auro
wisdom is better than gold
Motto of University of Deusto, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Spain.
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sapientia, pax, fraternitas
Wisdom, Peace, Fraternity
Motto of Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, Cholula, Mexico.
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sapientia potentia est
wisdom is power
Motto of the House of Akeleye, Sweden, Denmark, Czechoslovakia.
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sat celeriter fieri quidquid fiat satis bene
That which has been done well has been done quickly enough
One of the two favorite saying of Augustus. The other is "festina lente".[110]
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scientia ac labore
By/From/With knowledge and labour
Motto of several institutions
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scientia, aere perennius
knowledge, more lasting than bronze
unknown origin, probably adapted from Horace's ode III (Exegi monumentum aere perennius).
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scientia cum religione
religion and knowledge united
Motto of St Vincent's College, Potts Point
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scientiae cedit mare
The sea yields to knowledge
Motto of the United States Coast Guard Academy.
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scientiae et patriae
For science and fatherland
Motto of University of Latvia
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scientia et labor
knowledge and work
motto of Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería
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scientia et sapientia
knowledge and wisdom
motto of Illinois Wesleyan University
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scientia imperii decus et tutamen
knowledge is the adornment and protection of the Empire
Motto of Imperial College London
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scientia ipsa potentia est
knowledge itself is power
Stated originally by Sir Francis Bacon in Meditationes Sacrae (1597), which in modern times is often paraphrased as scientia est potestas or scientia potentia est (knowledge is power).
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scientia, labor, libertas
science, labour, liberty
Motto of the Free University of Tbilisi.
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scientia non olet
knowledge doesn't smell
A variation on Emperor Vespasian's pecunia non olet in Suetonius' De vita Caesarum. Used to say the way in which we learn something doesn't matter as long as it is knowledge acquired.
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scientia vincere tenebras
conquering darkness by science
Motto of several institutions, such as the Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel).
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scilicet (sc. or ss.)
it is permitted to know
that is to say; to wit; namely; in a legal caption, it provides a statement of venue or refers to a location.
%
scio
I know

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scio me nihil scire
I know that I know nothing

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scire quod sciendum
knowledge which is worth having
motto of now defunct publisher Small, Maynard & Company
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scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim
Each desperate blockhead dares to write
as translated by Philip Francis. From Horace, Epistularum liber secundus (1, 117)[111] and quoted in Fielding's Tom Jones; lit: "Learned or not, we shall write poems without distinction."
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scuto amoris divini
by the shield of God's love
The motto of Skidmore College
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seculo seculorum
forever and ever

%
sed ipse spiritus postulat pro nobis, gemitibus inenarrabilibus
But the same Spirit intercedes incessantly for us, with inexpressible groans
Romans 8:26
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sed terrae graviora manent
But on earth, worse things await
Virgil, Aeneid 6:84.
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sede vacante
with the seat being vacant
The "seat" refers to the Holy See; the vacancy refers to the interregnum between two popes.
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sedes apostolica
apostolic chair
Synonymous with Sancta Sedes.
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sedes incertae
seat (i.e. location) uncertain
Used in biological classification to indicate that there is no agreement as to which higher order grouping a taxon should be placed into. Abbreviated sed. incert.
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sedet, aeternumque sedebit
seat, be seated forever
a Virgi's verse, means when you stop trying, then you lose
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semel in anno licet insanire
once in a year one is allowed to go crazy
Concept expressed by various authors, such as Seneca, Saint Augustine and Horace. It became proverbial during the Middle Ages.
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semper ad meliora
always towards better things
Motto of several institutions
%
semper anticus
always forward
Motto of the 45th Infantry Division (United States) and its successor, the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
%
semper apertus
always open
Motto of University of Heidelberg
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semper ardens
always burning
Motto of Carl Jacobsen and name of a line of beers by Danish brewery Carlsberg.
%
semper eadem
ever the same
personal motto of Elizabeth I, appears above her royal coat of arms. Used as motto of Elizabeth College, Guernsey, Channel Islands, which was founded by Elizabeth I, and of Ipswich School, to whom Elizabeth granted a royal charter. Also the motto of the City of Leicester and Prince George's County.
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semper excelsius
always higher
Motto of the K.A.V. Lovania Leuven and the House of Wrigley-Pimley-McKerr[112]
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semper fidelis
always faithful
Motto of several institutions, e.g. United States Marine Corps
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semper fortis
always brave
Unofficial motto of the United States Navy
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semper idem
always the same
Motto of Underberg
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semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat
We're always in the manure; only the depth varies.
Lord de Ramsey, House of Lords, 21 January 1998[113]
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semper instans
always threatening
Motto of 846 NAS Royal Navy
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semper invicta
always invincible
Motto of Warsaw
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semper necessitas probandi incumbit ei qui agit
the necessity of proof always lies with the person who lays charges
Latin maxim often associated with the burden of proof
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semper liber
always free
Motto of the city of Victoria, British Columbia
%
semper paratus
always prepared
Motto of several institutions, e.g. United States Coast Guard
%
semper primus
always first
Motto of several US military units
%
semper progrediens
always progressing
Motto of the island of Sint Maarten, of King City Secondary School in King City, Ontario, Canada and of Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia)
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semper reformanda
always in need of being reformed
A phrase deriving from the Nadere Reformatie movement in the seventeenth century Dutch Reformed Church and widely but informally used in Reformed and Presbyterian churches today. It refers to the conviction of certain Reformed Protestant theologians that the church must continually re-examine itself in order to maintain its purity of doctrine and practice. The term first appeared in print in Jodocus van Lodenstein, Beschouwinge van Zion (Contemplation of Zion), Amsterdam, 1674.[114]
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semper sursum
always aim high
Motto of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Motto of St. Stephen School, Chandigarh, India. Motto of St. Joseph's College, Allahabad, India. Motto of Palmerston North Girls' High School, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Motto of Vancouver Technical Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Motto of 865 Dartmouth Kiwanis Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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semper vigilans
always vigilant
Motto of several institutions including the US Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol), the city of San Diego, California, and the Providence, Rhode Island Police Department.
%
semper vigilo
always vigilant
The motto of the Scottish Police Forces, Scotland.
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Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR)
The Senate and the People of Rome
The official name of the Roman Republic. "SPQR" was carried on battle standards by the Roman legions. In addition to being an ancient Roman motto, it remains the motto of the modern city of Rome.
%
sensu lato
with the broad, or general, meaning
Less literally, "in the wide sense".
%
sensu stricto cf. stricto sensu
"with the tight meaning"
Less literally, "in the strict sense".
%
sensus plenior
in the fuller meaning
In biblical exegesis, the deeper meaning intended by God, not intended by the human author.
%
sequere pecuniam
follow the money
In an effort to understand why things may be happening contrary to expectations, or even in alignment with them, this idiom suggests that keeping track of where money is going may show the basis for the observed behavior. Similar in spirit to the phrase cui bono (who gains?) or cui prodest (who advances?), but outside those phrases' historically legal context.
%
Sermo Tuus Veritas Est
Thy Word Is Truth
motto of the General Theological Seminary, Cornelius Fontem Esua
%
sero venientes male sedentes
those who are late are poorly seated

%
sero venientibus ossa
those who are late get bones

%
servabo fidem
Keeper of the faith
I will keep the faith.
%
serviam
I will serve
The answer of St. Michael the Archangel to the non serviam, "I will not serve" of Satan, when the angels were tested by God on whether they will serve an inferior being, a man, Jesus, as their Lord.
%
servus servorum Dei
servant of the servants of God
A title for the Pope.
%
sesquipedalia verba
words a foot and a half long
From Horace's Ars Poetica, "proicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba" ("he throws down his high-flown language and his foot-and-a-half-long words"). A self-referential jab at long words and needlessly elaborate language in general.
%
Si comprehendis [,] non est Deus
if you understand [something], it is not God
Augustine of Hippo, Sermo 117.3.5; PL 38, 663
%
si dormiam capiar
If I sleep, I may be caught
Motto of HMS Wakeful (H88)
%
Si monumentum requiris circumspice
If you seek (his) monument, look around you
from the epitaph on Christopher Wren's tomb in St Paul's Cathedral.
%
Si non oscillas, noli tintinnare
If you can't swing, don't ring
Inscribed on a plaque above the front door of the Playboy mansion in Chicago.
%
si omnes... ego non
if all ones... not I
%
si peccasse negamus fallimur et nulla est in nobis veritas
if we deny having made a mistake, we are deceived, and there's no truth in us
From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, where the phrase is translated "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there's no truth in us." (cf. 1 John 1:8 in the New Testament)
%
si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice
if you seek a delightful peninsula, look around
Said to have been based on the tribute to architect Christopher Wren in St Paul's Cathedral, London: si monumentum requiris, circumspice (see above). State motto of Michigan, adopted in 1835.
%
si quid novisti rectius istis, candidus imperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
if you can better these principles, tell me; if not, join me in following them
Horace, Epistles I :6, 67–68
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si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses
If you had kept your silence, you would have stayed a philosopher
This quote is often attributed to the Latin philosopher Boethius of the late fifth and early sixth centuries. It translates literally as, "If you had been silent, you would have remained a philosopher." The phrase illustrates a common use of the subjunctive verb mood. Among other functions it expresses actions contrary to fact. Sir Humphrey Appleby translated it to the PM as: "If you'd kept your mouth shut we might have thought you were clever."
%
si vales valeo (SVV)
if you are well, I am well (abbr)
A common beginning for ancient Roman letters. An abbreviation of si vales bene est ego valeo, alternatively written as SVBEEV. The practice fell out of fashion and into obscurity with the decline in Latin literacy.
%
si vis amari ama
If you want to be loved, love
This is often attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca, found in the sixth of his letters to Lucilius.
%
si vis pacem, para bellum
if you want peace, prepare for war
From Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, De Re Militari. Origin of the name parabellum for some ammunition and firearms, such as the Luger Parabellum. (Similar to igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum and in pace ut sapiens aptarit idonea bello.)
%
sic
thus
Or "just so". States that the preceding quoted material appears exactly that way in the source, despite any errors of spelling, grammar, usage, or fact that may be present. Used only for previous quoted text; ita or similar must be used to mean "thus" when referring to something about to be stated.
%
sic currite ut comprehendatis
Run to win
More specifically, So run, that ye may obtain, 1 Corinthians 24. Motto of Divine Word University, Madang, Papua New Guinea.
%
sic et non
thus and not
More simply, "yes and no".
%
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
we gladly feast on those who would subdue us
Mock-Latin motto of The Addams Family.
%
sic infit
so it begins

%
sic itur ad astra
thus you shall go to the stars
From Virgil, Aeneid book IX, line 641. Possibly the source of the ad astra phrases. Motto of several institutions, including the Royal Canadian Air Force.
%
sic parvis magna
greatness from small beginnings
Motto of Sir Francis Drake
%
sic passim
Thus here and there
Used when referencing books; see passim.
%
sic semper erat, et sic semper erit
Thus has it always been, and thus shall it ever be

%
sic semper tyrannis
thus always to tyrants
Attributed to Brutus at the time of Julius Caesar's assassination and to John Wilkes Booth at the time of Abraham Lincoln's assassination; whether it was actually said at either of these events is disputed. State motto of Virginia, adopted in 1776.
%
sic transit gloria mundi
thus passes the glory of the world
A reminder that all things are fleeting. During Papal coronations, a monk reminds the Pope of his mortality by saying this phrase, preceded by pater sancte ("holy father") while holding before his eyes a burning paper illustrating the passing nature of earthly glories. This is similar to the tradition of a slave in a Roman triumphs whispering memento mori in the ear of the celebrant.
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sic utere tuo ut alienum non laedas
use [what is] yours so as not to harm [what is] of others
Or "use your property in such a way that you do not damage others'". A legal maxim related to property ownership laws, often shortened to simply sic utere ("use it thus").
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sic vita est
thus is life
Or "such is life". Indicates that a circumstance, whether good or bad, is an inherent aspect of living.
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sidere mens eadem mutato
Though the constellations change, the mind is universal
Latin motto of the University of Sydney.
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signetur (sig or S/)
let it be labeled
Medical shorthand
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signum fidei
Sign of the Faith
Motto of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
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silentium est aureum
silence is golden
Latinization of the English expression "silence is golden". Also Latinized as silentium est aurum ("silence is gold").
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similia similibus curantursimilia similibus curentur
similar things are taken care of by similar thingslet similar things be taken care of by similar things
"like cures like" and "let like be cured by like"; the first form ("curantur") is indicative, while the second form ("curentur") is subjunctive. The indicative form is found in Paracelsus (16th century), while the subjunctive form is said by Samuel Hahnemann, founder of homeopathy, and is known as the law of similars.
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similia similibus solvuntur
similar substances will dissolve similar substances
Used as a general rule in chemistry; "like dissolves like" refers to the ability of polar or non polar solvents to dissolve polar or non polar solutes respectively.[115]
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simplex sigillum veri
simplicity is the sign of truth
expresses a sentiment akin to Keep It Simple, Stupid
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sincere et constanter
sincere and constant
Motto of the Order of the Red Eagle
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sine anno (s.a.)
without a year
Used in bibliographies to indicate that the date of publication of a document is unknown.
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sine die
without a day
Originally from old common law texts, where it indicates that a final, dispositive order has been made in the case. In modern legal context, it means there is nothing left for the court to do, so no date for further proceedings is set, resulting in an "adjournment sine die".
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sine ira et studio
without anger and fondness
Thus, impartially. From Tacitus, Annals 1.1.
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sine honoris titulo
without honorary title
Addressing oneself to someone whose title is unknown.
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sine labore non erit panis in ore
without labour there will be no bread in mouth

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sine loco (s.l.)
without a place
Used in bibliographies to indicate that the place of publication of a document is unknown.
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sine metu
"without fear"
Motto of Jameson Irish Whiskey
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sine nomine (s.n.)
"without a name"
Used in bibliographies to indicate that the publisher of a document is unknown.
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sine poena nulla lex
Without penalty, there is no law
Refers to the ineffectiveness of a law without the means of enforcement
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sine prole
Without offspring
Frequently abbreviated to "s.p." or "d.s.p." (decessit sine prole – "died without offspring") in genealogical works.
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sine prole superstite
Without surviving children
Without surviving offspring (even in abstract terms)
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sine timore aut favore
Without Fear or Favor
St.George's School, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada motto
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sine qua non
without which not
Used to denote something that is an essential part of the whole. See also condicio sine qua non.
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sine remediis medicina debilis est
without remedies medicine is powerless
Inscription on a stained glass in the conference hall of a pharmaceutical mill in Kaunas, Lithuania.
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sine scientia ars nihil est
without knowledge, skill is nothing

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sisto activitatem
I cease the activity
Phrase, used to cease the activities of the Sejm upon the liberum veto principle
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sit nomine digna
may it be worthy of the name
Motto of Rhodesia
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sit sine labe decus
let honour stainless be
Motto of the Brisbane Boys' College (Brisbane, Australia).
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sit tibi terra levis
may the earth be light to you
Commonly used on gravestones, often contracted as S.T.T.L., the same way as today's R.I.P.
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sit venia verbo
may there be forgiveness for the word
Similar to the English idiom "pardon my French".
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sol iustitiae illustra nos
sun of justice, shine upon us
Motto of Utrecht University.
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sol lucet omnibus
the sun shines on everyone
Petronius, Satyricon Lybri 100.
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sol omnia regit
the sun rules over everything
Inscription near the entrance to Frombork Museum
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sola fide
by faith alone
The material principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that men are saved by faith even without works.
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sola dosis facit venemum
the dose makes the poison
It is credited to Paracelsus who expressed the classic toxicology maxim "All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison."
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sola gratia
by grace alone
A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that salvation is an unearned gift (cf. ex gratia), not a direct result of merit.
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sola lingua bona est lingua mortua
the only good language is a dead language
Example of dog Latin humor.
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sola scriptura
by scripture alone
The formal principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the Protestant idea that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority, not the Pope or tradition.
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sola nobilitat virtus
virtue alone ennobles
Similar to virtus sola nobilitas
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solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris
misery loves company
From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
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soli Deo gloria (S.D.G.)
glory to God alone
A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the idea that God is the creator of all good things and deserves all the praise for them. Johann Sebastian Bach often signed his manuscripts with the abbreviation S.D.G. to invoke this phrase, as well as with AMDG (ad maiorem Dei gloriam). The motto of the MasterWorks Festival, an annual Christian performing arts festival.
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solus Christus
Christ alone
A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the only mediator between God and mankind. Also rendered solo Christo ("by Christ alone").
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solus ipse
I alone

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solvitur ambulando
it is solved by walking
The problem is solved by taking a walk, or by simple experiment.
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Spartam nactus es; hanc exorna
your lot is cast in Sparta, be a credit to it
from Euripides's Telephus, Agamemnon to Menelaus.[116]
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specialia generalibus derogant
special departs from general

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species nova
new species
Used in biological taxonomy
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speculum speculorum
mirror of mirrors

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spem gregis
the hope of the flock
from Virgil's Eclogues
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spem reduxit
he has restored hope
Motto of New Brunswick.
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spero meliora
I aspire to greater things
Also translated "I expect better" and "I hope for better things."
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spes bona
good hope
Motto of University of Cape Town.
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spes vincit thronum
hope conquers (overcomes) the throne
Refers to Revelation 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." On the John Winthrop family tombstone, Boston, Massachusetts.
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spiritus mundi
spirit of the world
From The Second Coming (poem) by William Butler Yeats. Refers to Yeats' belief that each human mind is linked to a single vast intelligence, and that this intelligence causes certain universal symbols to appear in individual minds. The idea is similar to Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious.
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spiritus ubi vult spirat
the spirit spreads wherever it wants
Refers to The Gospel of Saint John 3:8, where he mentions how Jesus told Nicodemus "The wind blows wherever it wants, and even though you can hear its noise, you don't know where it comes from or where it goes. The same thing happens to whomever has been born of the Spirit." It is the motto of Cayetano Heredia University[117]
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splendor sine occasu
brightness without setting
Loosely "splendour without diminishment" or "magnificence without ruin". Motto of British Columbia.
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stamus contra malo
we stand against by evil
The motto of the Jungle Patrol in The Phantom. The phrase actually violates Latin grammar because of a mistranslation from English, as the preposition contra takes the accusative case. The correct Latin rendering of "we stand against evil" would be "stamus contra malum".
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stante pede
with a standing foot
"Immediately".
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stare decisis
to stand by the decided things
To uphold previous rulings, recognize precedent.
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stat sua cuique dies
There is a day [turn] for everybody
Virgil, Aeneid, X 467
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statim (stat)
"immediately"
Medical shorthand used following an urgent request.[118]
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statio bene fide carinis
A safe harbour for ships
Motto of Cork City, Ireland. Adapted from Virgil's Aeneid (II, 23: statio male fida carinis, "an unsafe harbour") but corrupted for unknown reasons to "fide".
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status quo
the situation in which
The current condition or situation. Also status quo ante ("the situation in which [things were] before"), referring to the state of affairs prior to some upsetting event (cf. reset button technique).
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status quo ante bellum
the state before the war
A common term in peace treaties.
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stet
let it stand
Marginal mark in proofreading to indicate that something previously deleted or marked for deletion should be retained.
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stet fortuna domus
let the fortune of the house stand
First part of the motto of Harrow School, England, and inscribed upon Ricketts House, at the California Institute of Technology.
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stipendium peccati mors est
the reward of sin is death
From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. (See Rom 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.")
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strenuis ardua cedunt
the heights yield to endeavour
Motto of the University of Southampton.
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stricto sensu cf. sensu stricto
with the tight meaning
Less literally, "in the strict sense".
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stupor mundi
the wonder of the world
A title given to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. More literally translated "the bewilderment of the world", or, in its original, pre-Medieval sense, "the stupidity of the world".
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sua sponte
by its own accord
Legal term when a court takes up a motion on its own initiative, not because any of the parties to the case has made the motion. The regimental motto of the 75th Ranger Regiment of the U.S. Army.
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sub anno
under the year
Commonly abbreviated s.a. or sa, it is used in citing annals, which record events by year.
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sub cruce lumen
The Light Under the Cross
Motto of the University of Adelaide, Australia. Refers to the figurative "light of learning" and the Southern Cross constellation, Crux.
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sub divo
under the wide open sky
Also, "under the sky", "in the open air", "out in the open" or "outdoors". Ablative "divo" does not distinguish divus, divi, a god, from divum, divi, the sky.
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sub finem
toward the end
Used in citations to refer to the end of a book, page, etc., and abbreviated 's.f.' Used after the page number or title. E.g., 'p. 20 s.f. '
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sub Iove frigido
under cold Jupiter
At night; from Horace's Odes 1.1:25
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sub judice
under a judge
Said of a case that cannot be publicly discussed until it is finished. Also sub iudice.
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sub poena
under penalty
Commonly rendered subpoena. Said of a request, usually by a court, that must be complied with on pain of punishment. Examples include subpoena duces tecum ("take with you under penalty"), a court summons to appear and produce tangible evidence, and subpoena ad testificandum ("under penalty to testify"), a summons to appear and give oral testimony.
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sub rosa
under the rose
"In secret", "privately", "confidentially", or "covertly". In the Middle Ages, a rose was suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber to indicate that what was said in the "under the rose" was not to be repeated outside. This practice originates in Greek mythology, where Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros, and he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to ensure that his mother's indiscretions—or those of the gods in general, in other accounts—were kept under wraps.
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sub nomine (sub nom.)
under the name
"in the name of", "under the title of"; used in legal citations to indicate the name under which the litigation continued.
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sub silentio
under silence
implied but not expressly stated.
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sub specie aeternitatis
under the sight of eternity
Thus, "from eternity's point of view". From Spinoza, Ethics.
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sub specie Dei
under the sight of God
"from God's point of view or perspective".
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sub tuum praesidium
Beneath thy compassion
Name of the oldest extant hymn to the Theotokos (Blessed Virgin Mary). Also "under your protection". A popular school motto.
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Sub umbra floreo
Under the shade I flourish
National Motto of Belize, referring to the shade of the mahogany tree.
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sub verbo; sub voce

Under the word or heading, as in a dictionary; abbreviated s.v.
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sublimis ab unda
Raised from the waves
Motto of King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham
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subsiste sermonem statim
stop speaking immediately

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Succisa virescit
Cut down, we grow back stronger
Motto of Delbarton School
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Sudetia non cantat
One doesn't sing on the Sudeten Mountains
Saying from Hanakia
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sui generis
Of its own kind
In a class of its own.
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sui iuris
Of one's own right
Capable of responsibility. Has both legal and ecclesiastical use. Commonly rendered sui juris.
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sum quod eris
I am what you will be
A gravestone inscription to remind the reader of the inevitability of death (cf. memento mori). Also rendered fui quod sis ("I have been what you are") and tu fui ego eris ("I have been you, you will be I").
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sum quod sum
I am what I am
from Augustine's Sermon No. 76.[119]
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summa cum laude
with highest praise

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summa potestas
sum or totality of power
It refers to the final authority of power in government. For example, power of the Sovereign.
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summa summarum
all in all
Literally "sum of sums". When a short conclusion is rounded up at the end of some elaboration.
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summum bonum
the supreme good
Literally "highest good". Also summum malum ("the supreme evil").
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summum ius, summa iniuria
supreme law, supreme injustice
From Cicero (De officiis, I, 10, 33). An acritical application of law, without understanding and respect of laws's purposes and without considering the overall circumstances, is often a means of supreme injustice. A similar sentence appears in Terence (Heautontimorumenos, IV, 5): Ius summum saepe summa est malitia ("supreme justice is often out of supreme malice (or wickedness)").
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sumptibus auctoris
published [cost of printing paid] by author
Found in self-published academic books of the 17th to 19th century. Often preceded by Latin name of city in which the work is published.
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sunt lacrimae rerum
there are tears for things
From Virgil, Aeneid. Followed by et mentem mortalia tangunt ("and mortal things touch my mind"). Aeneas cries as he sees Carthaginian temple murals depicting the deaths of the Trojan War. See also hinc illae lacrimae.
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sunt omnes unum
they are all one

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sunt pueri pueri, pueri puerilia tractant
Children are children, and children do childish things
anonymous proverb
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sunt superis sua iura
the gods have their own laws
From Ovid's Metamorphoses, book IX, line 500; also used by David Hume in The Natural History of Religion, chapter XIII
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suo jure
in one's own right
Used in the context of titles of nobility, for instance where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage.
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suo motu
upon one's own initiative
Also rendered suo moto. Usually used when a court of law, upon its own initiative, (i.e., no petition has been filed) proceeds against a person or authority that it deems has committed an illegal act. It is used chiefly in South Asia.[citation needed]
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suos cultores scientia coronat
Knowledge crowns those who seek her
The motto of Syracuse University, New York.
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super firmum fundamentum dei
On the firm foundation of God
The motto of Ursinus College, Pennsylvania.
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super fornicam
on the lavatory
Where Thomas More accused the reformer, Martin Luther, of going to celebrate Mass.
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superbia in proelia
pride in battle
Motto of Manchester City F.C.
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superbus via inscientiae
proud of the way of ignorance
Motto of the Alien Research Labs of the fictional Black Mesa Research Facility in the video game Half-Life (1998)
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supero omnia
I surpass everything
A declaration that one succeeds above all others.
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surdo oppedere
to belch before the deaf
From Erasmus' collection of annotated Adagia (1508): a useless action.
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surgam
I shall rise
Motto of Columbia University's Philolexian Society.
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sursum corda
Lift up your hearts
Literally, “Lift hearts”. Motto of Haileybury College, Hertfordshire. The opening dialogue to the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer or Anaphora in the liturgies of the Christian Church.
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sutor, ne ultra crepidam
Cobbler, no further than the sandal!
Thus, don't offer your opinion on things that are outside your competence. It is said that the Greek painter Apelles once asked the advice of a cobbler on how to render the sandals of a soldier he was painting. When the cobbler started offering advice on other parts of the painting, Apelles rebuked him with this phrase in Greek, and it subsequently became a popular Latin expression.
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suum cuique tribuere
to render to every man his due
One of Justinian I's three basic precepts of law. Also shortened to suum cuique ("to each his own").
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s.v.

Abbreviation for sub verbo or sub voce (see above).
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tabula gratulatoria
congratulatory tablet
A list of congratulations.
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tabula rasa
scraped tablet
Thus, "blank slate". Romans used to write on wax-covered wooden tablets, which were erased by scraping with the flat end of the stylus. John Locke used the term to describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any knowledge.
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talis qualis
just as such
"Such as it is" or "as such".
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taliter qualiter
somewhat
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talium Dei regnum
for of such (little children) is the kingdom of God
from St Mark's gospel 10:14 "talium (parvuli) est enim regnum Dei"; similar in St Matthew's gospel 19:14 "talium est enim regnum caelorum" ("for of such is the kingdom of heaven"); motto of the Cathedral School, Townsville.
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tanquam ex ungue leonem
we know the lion by his claw
Said in 1697 by Johann Bernoulli about Isaac Newton's anonymously submitted solution to Bernoulli's challenge regarding the Brachistochrone curve.
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tarde venientibus ossa
To the late are left the bones
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Te occidere possunt sed te edere non possunt nefas est
They can kill you, but they cannot eat you, it is against the law.
The motto of the fictional Enfield Tennis Academy in the David Foster Wallace novel Infinite Jest. Translated in the novel as "They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier".
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technica impendi nationi
Technology impulses nations
Motto of Technical University of Madrid
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temet nosce
know thyself
A reference to the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed on the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, according to the Greek periegetic writer Pausanias (10.24.1). Rendered also with nosce te ipsum, temet nosce ("thine own self know") appears in The Matrix translated as "know thyself".
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tempora heroica
Heroic Age
Literally "Heroic Times"; refers to the period between the mythological Titanomachy and the (relatively) historical Trojan War.
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tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis
the times are changing, and we change in them
16th century variant of two classical lines of Ovid: tempora labuntur ("time labors", Fasti) and omnia mutantur ("everything changes", Metamorphoses). See entry for details.
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tempus edax rerum
time, devourer of all things
Also "time, that devours all things", literally: "time, gluttonous of things", edax: adjectival form of the verb edo to eat. From Ovid, Metamorphoses, 15, 234-236.
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tempus fugit
Time flees.Time flies.
From Virgil's Georgics (Book III, line 284), where it appears as fugit inreparabile tempus. A common sundial motto. See also tempus volat, hora fugit below.
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tempus rerum imperator
time, commander of all things
"Tempus Rerum Imperator" has been adopted by the Google Web Accelerator project. It is shown in the "About Google Web Accelerator" page. Also, motto of Worshipful Company of Clockmakers.
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tempus vernum
spring time
Name of song by popular Irish singer Enya
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tempus volat, hora fugit
time flies, the hour flees
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tendit in ardua virtus
virtue strives for what is difficult
Appears in Ovid's Epistulae ex Ponto
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teneo te Africa
I hold you, Africa!
Suetonius attributes this to Julius Caesar, from when Caesar was on the African coast.
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tentanda via
The way must be tried
motto for York University
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ter in die (t.i.d.)
thrice in a day
Medical shorthand for "three times a day".
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terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus.
The hour finishes the day; the author finishes his work.
Phrase concluding Christopher Marlowe's play Doctor Faustus.[120]
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terminus ante quem
limit before which
In archaeology or history, refers to the date before which an artefact or feature must have been deposited. Used with terminus post quem (limit after which). Similarly, terminus ad quem (limit to which) may also refer to the latest possible date of a non-punctual event (period, era, etc.), while terminus a quo (limit from which) may refer to the earliest such date.
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terra australis incognita
unknown southern land
First name used to refer to the Australian continent
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terra firma
solid earth
Often used to refer to the ground
%
terra incognita
unknown land
%
terra nova
new land
Latin name of Newfoundland (island portion of Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, capital- St. John's), also root of French name of same, Terre-Neuve
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terra nullius
land of none
That is, no man's land. A neutral or uninhabited area, or a land not under the sovereignty of any recognized political entity.
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terras irradient
let them illuminate the lands
Or "let them give light to the world". An allusion to Isaiah 6.3: plena est omnis terra gloria eius ("the whole earth is full of his glory"). Sometimes mistranslated as "they will illuminate the lands" based on mistaking irradiare for a future indicative third-conjugation verb, whereas it is actually a present subjunctive first-conjugation verb. Motto of Amherst College; the college's original mission was to educate young men to serve God.
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tertium non datur
no third (possibility) is given
A logical axiom that a claim is either true or false, with no third option.
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tertium quid
a third something
1. Something that cannot be classified into either of two groups considered exhaustive; an intermediate thing or factor. 2. A third person or thing of indeterminate character.
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testis unus, testis nullus
one witness is not a witness
A law principle expressing that a single witness is not enough to corroborate a story.
%
textus receptus
received text

%
Tibi cordi immaculato concredimus nos ac consecramus
We consecrate to your immaculate heart and entrust to you (Mary) for safekeeping
The inscription found on top of the central door of the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, otherwise known as the Manila Cathedral in the Philippines
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timeo Danaos et dona ferentes
I fear Greeks even if they bring gifts
Danaos being a term for the Greeks. In Virgil's Aeneid, II, 49, the phrase is said by Laocoön when warning his fellow Trojans against accepting the Trojan Horse. The full original quote is quidquid id est timeo Danaos et dona ferentis, quidquid id est meaning "whatever it is" and ferentis being an archaic form of ferentes. Commonly mistranslated "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".
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timidi mater non flet
A coward's mother does not weep
A proverb from Cornelius Nepos's Vita of Thrasybulus: praeceptum illud omnium in animis esse debet, nihil in bello oportere contemni, neque sine causa dici matrem timidi flere non solere (that old precept has to be held by all in our minds: nothing should be condemned in war, and it is for a reason that it is said the mother of a coward does not weep [for her cowardly son]).
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timor mortis conturbat me
the fear of death confounds me
Refrain originating in the response to the seventh lesson in the Office of the Dead. In the Middle Ages, this service was read each day by clerics. As a refrain, it appears also in other poems and can frequently be found inscribed on tombs.
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toto cælo
by whole heaven
as far apart as possible; utterly.
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totus tuus
totally yours
Offering one's life in total commitment to another. The motto was adopted by Pope John Paul II to signify his love and servitude to Mary the Mother of Jesus.
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transire benefaciendo
to travel along while doing good
Literally "beneficial passage." Mentioned in "The Seamy Side of History" (L'envers de l'histoire contemporaine, 1848), part of La Comédie humaine, by Honoré de Balzac, and Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne.
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translatio imperii
transfer of rule
Used to express the belief in the transfer of imperial authority from the Roman Empire of antiquity to the Medieval Holy Roman Empire.
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tres faciunt collegium
three makes company
It takes three to have a valid group; three is the minimum number of members for an organization or a corporation.
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treuga Dei
Truce of God
A decree by the medieval Church that all feuds should be cancelled during the Sabbath—effectively from Wednesday or Thursday night until Monday. See also Peace and Truce of God.
%
tria juncta in uno
Three joined in one
Motto of the Order of the Bath
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Triste est omne animal post coitum, præter mulierem gallumque
Every animal is sad after coitus except the human female and the rooster

%
tu autem Domine miserere nobis
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us
Phrase said at the end of biblical readings in the liturgy of the medieval church.  Also used in brief, "tu autem", as a memento mori epitaph.
%
tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum
Defence of the faith and assistance to the poor
Motto of the Association of Canadian Knights of the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta.[121]
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tu fui ego eris
I was you; you will be me
Thus, "what you are, I was; what I am, you will be.". A memento mori gravestone inscription to remind the reader that death is unavoidable (cf. sum quod eris).
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tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito
you should not give in to evils, but proceed ever more boldly against them
From Virgil, Aeneid, 6, 95. "Ne cede malis" is the motto of The Bronx.
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tu quoque
you too
The logical fallacy of attempting to defend one's position merely by pointing out the same weakness in one's opponent.
%
tu stultus es
you are stupid
Motto for the satirical news organization, The Onion
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tuebor
I will protect
Found on the Great Seal on the flag of the state of Michigan.
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tunica propior est pallio
A tunic is closer [to the body] than a cloak
From Plautus' Trinummus 1154. Equivalent to "blood is thicker than water" in modern English.
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turris fortis mihi Deus
God is my strong tower
Motto of the Kelly Clan
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tutum te robore reddam
I will give you safety by strength
Motto of the Clan Crawford
%
tuum est
It's up to you
Motto of the University of British Columbia
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uberrima fides
most abundant faith
Or "utmost good faith" (cf. bona fide). A legal maxim of insurance contracts requiring all parties to deal in good faith.
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ubertas et fidelitas
fertility and faithfulness
Motto of Tasmania.
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ubi amor, ibi dolor
where [there is] love, there [is] pain

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ubi bene, ibi patria
where [it is] well, there [is] the fatherland
Or "Home is where it's good"; see also ubi panis ibi patria.
%
ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est
where there is charity and love, God is there

%
ubi dubium, ibi libertas
where [there is] doubt, there [is] freedom
Anonymous proverb.
%
ubi jus, ibi remedium
Where [there is] a right, there [is] a remedy

%
ubi mel, ibi apes
where [there is] honey, there [are] bees
Similar to "you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar"—treat people nicely and they will treat you nicely in return.
%
ubi libertas. ibi patria
where [there is] liberty, there [is] the fatherland
Or "where there is liberty, there is my country". Patriotic motto.
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ubi nihil vales, ibi nihil velis
where you are worth nothing, there you will wish for nothing
From the writings of the Flemish philosopher Arnold Geulincx; also quoted by Samuel Beckett in his first published novel, Murphy.
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ubi non accusator, ibi non iudex
where [there is] no accuser, there [is] no judge
Thus, there can be no judgment or case if no one charges a defendant with a crime. The phrase is sometimes parodied as "where there are no police, there is no speed limit".
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ubi panis ibi patria
where there is bread, there is my country

%
ubi pus, ibi evacua
where there is pus, there evacuate it

%
ubi, re vera
when, in a true thing
Or "whereas, in reality..." Also rendered ubi, revera ("when, in fact" or "when, actually").
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ubi societas, ibi ius
if there's a society, law will be there
By Aristotle.
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ubi solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant
They make a desert and call it peace
from a speech by Calgacus reported/constructed by Tacitus, Agricola, ch. 30.
%
ubi sunt?
where are they?
Nostalgic theme of poems yearning for days gone by. From the line ubi sunt, qui ante nos fuerunt? ("Where are they, those who have gone before us?").
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ubique, quo fas et gloria ducunt
everywhere, where right and glory leads
Motto of the Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery and most other Engineer or Artillery corps within the armies of the British Commonwealth (for example, the Royal Australian Engineers, Royal Canadian Engineers, Royal New Zealand Engineers, Royal Canadian Artillery, Royal Australian Artillery, Royal New Zealand Artillery). Interunit rivalry often leads to the sarcastic translation of ubique to mean all over the place in a derogative sense.
Motto of the American Council on Foreign Relations, where the translation of ubique is often given as omnipresent, with the implication of pervasive hidden influence.[122]

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ultima ratio
last methodthe final argumentthe last resort (as force)



The last resort. Short form for the metaphor "The Last Resort of Kings and Common Men" referring to the act of declaring war; used in the names the French sniper rifle PGM Ultima Ratio and the fictional Reason weapon system. Louis XIV of France had Ultima Ratio Regum ("last argument of kings") cast on the cannons of his armies; motto of the American 1st Battalion 11th Marines; motto of the French Fourth Artillery Regiment; motto of Swedish Artilleriregementet. Also, the Third Battery of the French Third Marine Artillery Regiment has the motto Ultima Ratio Tribuni. The term is also borne by the gorget owned by Captain William Cattell, which inspired the crescent worn by the revolutionary militia of South Carolina and in turn the state's flag[123].




The last resort. Short form for the metaphor "The Last Resort of Kings and Common Men" referring to the act of declaring war; used in the names the French sniper rifle PGM Ultima Ratio and the fictional Reason weapon system. Louis XIV of France had Ultima Ratio Regum ("last argument of kings") cast on the cannons of his armies; motto of the American 1st Battalion 11th Marines; motto of the French Fourth Artillery Regiment; motto of Swedish Artilleriregementet. Also, the Third Battery of the French Third Marine Artillery Regiment has the motto Ultima Ratio Tribuni. The term is also borne by the gorget owned by Captain William Cattell, which inspired the crescent worn by the revolutionary militia of South Carolina and in turn the state's flag[123].


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The last resort. Short form for the metaphor "The Last Resort of Kings and Common Men" referring to the act of declaring war; used in the names the French sniper rifle PGM Ultima Ratio and the fictional Reason weapon system. Louis XIV of France had Ultima Ratio Regum ("last argument of kings") cast on the cannons of his armies; motto of the American 1st Battalion 11th Marines; motto of the French Fourth Artillery Regiment; motto of Swedish Artilleriregementet. Also, the Third Battery of the French Third Marine Artillery Regiment has the motto Ultima Ratio Tribuni. The term is also borne by the gorget owned by Captain William Cattell, which inspired the crescent worn by the revolutionary militia of South Carolina and in turn the state's flag[123].


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ultimo mense (ult.)
in the last month
Used in formal correspondence to refer to the previous month. Used with inst. ("this month") and prox. ("next month").
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ultra vires
beyond powers
"Without authority". Used to describe an action done without proper authority, or acting without the rules. The term will most often be used in connection with appeals and petitions.
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ultra posse nemo obligatur
No one is obligated beyond what he is able to do.
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ululas Athenas
(to send) owls to Athens
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466–1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated Adagia (1508). Latin translation of a classical Greek proverb. Generally means putting large effort in a necessarily fruitless enterprise. Compare "selling coal to Newcastle".
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una hirundo non facit ver
one swallow does not make summer
A single example of something positive does not necessarily mean that all subsequent similar instances will have the same outcome.
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una salus victis nullam sperare salutem
the only safety for the conquered is to hope for no safety
Less literally, "the only safe bet for the vanquished is to expect no safety". Preceded by moriamur et in media arma ruamus ("let us die even as we rush into the midst of battle") in Virgil's Aeneid, book 2, lines 353–354. Used in Tom Clancy's novel Without Remorse, where character John Clark translates it as "the one hope of the doomed is not to hope for safety". It was said several times in "Andromeda" as the motto of the SOF units.
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unitas, iustitia, spes
unity, justice, hope
Motto of Vilnius.
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unitas per servitiam
unity through service
Motto for the St. Xavier's Institution Board of Librarians.
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uniti aedificamus
united we build
Motto of the Mississippi Makerspace Community
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uno flatu
in one breath
Used in criticism of inconsistent pleadings, i.e. "one cannot argue uno flatu both that the company does not exist and that it is also responsible for the wrong."
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uno sumus animo
we are one of soul
Motto of Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden
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unus multorum
one of many
An average person.
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Unus papa Romae, unus portus Anconae, una turris Cremonae, una ceres Raconae
One pope in Rome, one port in Ancona, one tower in Cremona, one beer in Rakovník
Motto of the Czech Brewery in Rakovník.[124]
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Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno
One for all, all for one
unofficial motto of Switzerland, popularized by The Three Musketeers
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Urbi et Orbi
to the city and the circle [of the lands]
Meaning "To Rome and the World". A standard opening of Roman proclamations. Also a traditional blessing by the pope.
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urbs in horto
city in a garden
Motto of the City of Chicago.
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usque ad finem
to the very end
Often used in reference to battle, implying a willingness to keep fighting until you die.
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usus est magister optimus
practice is the best teacher.
In other words, practice makes perfect. Also sometimes translated "use makes master."
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ut aquila versus coelum
As an eagle towards the sky
Motto of Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine
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ut biberent quoniam esse nollent
so that they might drink, since they refused to eat
Also rendered with quando ("when") in place of quoniam. From a book by Suetonius (Vit. Tib., 2.2) and Cicero (De Natura Deorum, 2.3). The phrase was said by Roman admiral Publius Claudius Pulcher right before the battle of Drepana, as he threw overboard the sacred chickens which had refused to eat the grain offered them—an unwelcome omen of bad luck. Thus, the sense is, "if they do not perform as expected, they must suffer the consequences". He lost the battle disastrously.
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ut cognoscant te
so that they may know You.
Motto of Boston College High School.
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ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
though the power be lacking, the will is to be praised all the same
From Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto (III, 4, 79).
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ut dicitur
as has been said; as above

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ut incepit fidelis sic permanet
as she began loyal, so she persists
Poetically, "Loyal she began, loyal she remains." Motto of Ontario.
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ut infra
as below

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ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus.
that in all things, God may be glorified
Motto of the Order of Saint Benedict
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ut mare quod ut ventus
to sea and into wind
Motto of USNS Washington Chambers
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ut omnes te cognoscant
that all may know you
Motto of Niagara University
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ut omnes unum sint
That they all may be one
Motto of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany
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ut prosim
that I may serve
Motto of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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ut proverbium loquitur vetus...
you know what they say...
Lit: As the old proverb says...
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ut res magis valeat quam pereat
that the matter may have effect rather than fail[125]

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ut retro
as backwards
Or "as on the back side"; thus, "as on the previous page" (cf. ut supra).
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ut Roma cadit, sic omnis terra
as Rome falls, so [falls] the whole world

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ut sit finis litium
so there might be an end of litigation
A traditional brocard. The full form is Interest reipublicae ut sit finis litium, "it is in the government's interest that there be an end to litigation." Often quoted in the context of statutes of limitation.
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ut supra
as above

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ut tensio sic vis
as the extension, so the force
Robert Hooke's expression of his discovery of his law of linear elasticity. Also: Motto of École Polytechnique de Montréal. Motto of the British Watch and Clockmaker's Guild.
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utilis in ministerium
usefulness in service
Comes from 2 Timothy 4:11. Motto of Camberwell Girls Grammar School.
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utraque unum
both into one
Also translated as "that the two may be one." Motto found in 18th century Spanish dollar coins. Motto of Georgetown University.From the Vulgate, Eph. 2:14, Ipse enim est pax nostra, qui fecit utraque unum, "For he is our peace, who hath made both one."
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utrinque paratus
ready for anything
Motto of The British Parachute Regiment. Motto of the Belize National Coast Guard.
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vacate et scire
Be still and know.
Motto of the University of Sussex
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vade ad formicam
go to the ant
From the Vulgate, Proverbs 6:6. The full quotation translates as "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!"[Pro 6:6]
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vade mecum
go with me
A vade-mecum or vademecum is an item one carries around, especially a handbook.
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vade retro Satana
go back, Satan
An exhortation to Satan to be gone, often a Roman Catholic response to temptation. From a popular Medieval Roman Catholic exorcism formula, derived from the rebuke of Jesus Christ to St. Peter, as quoted in the Vulgate, Mark 8:33: vade retro me Satana ("get behind Me, Satan").[Mark 8:33] The phrase "vade retro" ("go back") is also in Terence's Formio, I, 4, 203.
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valenter volenter
strongly and willingly
Motto of HMS Valorous (L00)
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vae victis
woe to the conquered
Attributed by Livy to Brennus, the chief of the Gauls, stated with his demand for more gold from the citizens of the sacked city of Rome in 390 BC.
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vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
vanity of vanities; everything [is] vanity
Or more simply: "vanity, vanity, everything vanity". From the Vulgate, Ecclesiastes 1:2;12:8.
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vaticinium ex eventu
prophecy from the event
A purported prediction stated as if it was made before the event it describes, while in fact being made thereafter.
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vel non
or not
Summary of alternatives, e. g., "this action turns upon whether the claimant was the deceased's grandson vel non."
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velle est posse
to be willing is to be able
Non-literally, "where there is a will, there is a way". It is the motto of Hillfield, one of the founding schools of Hillfield Strathallan College.
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velocius quam asparagi coquantur
faster than asparagus can be cooked
Rendered by Robert Graves in I, Claudius as "as quick as boiled asparagus". Ascribed to Augustus by Suetonius in The Twelve Caesars, Book 2 (Augustus), para. 87. It refers to anything done very quickly. A very common variant is celerius quam asparagi cocuntur ("faster than asparagus [is] cooked").
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velut arbor aevo
as a tree with the passage of time
Motto of the University of Toronto, Canada
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veni, vidi, vici
I came, I saw, I conquered
The message supposedly sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate to describe his battle against King Pharnaces II of Pontus near Zela in 47 BC.
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venturis ventis
to the coming winds
Motto of Brasília, the capital of Brazil
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vera causa
true cause

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vera natura

true nature

Used in Metaphysics and specifically in Kant's Transcendental Idealism to refer to a subject as it exists in its logically distinct form rather than as it is perceived by the human faculty.[126][127]
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verba docent exempla trahunt
words instruct, illustrations lead
This refers to the relevance of illustrations, for example in preaching.
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verba ex ore
words from mouth
Taking the words out of someone's mouth, speaking exactly what the other colloquist wanted to say.
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verba ita sunt intelligenda ut res magis valeat quam pereat
words are to be understood such that the subject matter may be more effective than wasted
I. e., when explaining a subject, it is important to clarify rather than confuse.
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verba vana aut risui non loqui
not to speak words in vain or to start laughter
A Roman Catholic religious precept, being Rule 56 of the Rule of Saint Benedict.
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verba volant, scripta manent
words fly away, writings remain
Quotation from a famous speech of Caius Titus in the ancient Roman Senate.
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verbatim
word for word
The phrase refers to perfect transcription or quotation.
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verbatim et literatim
word for word and letter by letter

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Verbi Divini minister
servant of the Divine Word
A phrase denoting a priest. Cf. "Verbum Dei" infra.
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verbi gratia(v. gr. or v. g.)
for example
Literally, "for the sake of a word".
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Verbum Dei
Word of God
See religious text.
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verbum Domini lucerna pedibus nostris
The word of the Lord [is] a light for our feet
Motto of the University of Groningen
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verbum Domini manet in aeternum (VDMA)
the word of the Lord endures forever
Motto of the Lutheran Reformation
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verb. sap.verbum sap.
a word to the wise [is sufficient]
A phrase denoting that the listener can fill in the omitted remainder, or enough is said. It is the truncation of "verbum sapienti sat[is] est".
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verbum volitans
flying word
A word that floats in the air, on which everyone is thinking and is just about to be imposed.[citation needed]
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veritas
truth
Motto of many educational institutions
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veritas aequitas
truth [and] justice

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veritas, bonitas, pulchritudo, sanctitas
truth, goodness, beauty, [and] sanctity
Motto of Fu Jen Catholic University, Taiwan
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veritas Christo et ecclesiae
truth for Christ and church
The de iure motto of Harvard University, United States, which dates to its foundation; it is often shortened to veritas to remove its original religious meaning.
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veritas cum libertate
truth with liberty
Motto of Winthrop University
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veritas curat
truth cures
Motto of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
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veritas Dei vincit
the truth of God conquers
Motto of the Hussites
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veritas Domini manet in aeternum
the truth of the Lord remains for eternity

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veritas et fortitudo
truth and fortitude
One of the mottos of the Lyceum of the Philippines University
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veritas et virtus
truth and virtue
Motto of the University of Pittsburgh, Methodist University, and Mississippi College
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veritas, fides, sapientia
truth, faith, [and] wisdom
Motto of Dowling Catholic High School
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veritas in caritate
truth in charity
Motto of Bishop Wordsworth's School, St Munchin's College, and the University of Santo Tomas
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veritas, iustitia, libertas
truth, justice, [and] liberty
Motto of the Free University of Berlin
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veritas liberabit vos
truth shall liberate you
Motto of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan
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veritas lux mea
truth [is] my light
A common, non-literal translation is "truth enlightens me"; motto of Seoul National University, South Korea
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veritas numquam perit
truth never expires
by Seneca the Younger
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veritas odit moras
truth hates delay
by Seneca the Younger
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veritas omnia vincit
truth conquers all
A quotation from a letter of Jan Hus; frequently used as a motto
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veritas, probitas, iustitia
truth, honesty, justice
Motto of the University of Indonesia
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veritas, unitas, caritas
truth, unity, [and] love
Motto of Villanova University, United States
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veritas vincit
truth conquers
Cf. "veritas omnia vincit" supra. Motto on the standard of the presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic, and of the Scottish Clan Keith
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Veritas. Virtus. Libertas.
Truth. Virtue. Liberty.
Motto of the University of Szeged, Hungary
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veritas vitæ magistra
truth is the teacher of life
Another plausible translation is "truth is the mistress of life". It is the unofficial motto of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras and is inscribed in its tower.
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veritas vos liberabit
truth will liberate you [all]
Motto of Johns Hopkins University, United States
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veritate duce progredi
advancing with truth leading
Motto of the University of Arkansas, United States
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[in] veritate et caritate
in truth and charity
Motto of Catholic Junior College, Singapore; St. Xavier's School, and Hazaribagh, India
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veritate et virtute
with truth and virtue
Motto of Sydney Boys High School. It is alternatively rendered "virtute et veritate" ("with virtue and truth"), which is the motto of Walford Anglican School for Girls and Pocklington School.
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veritatem dilexi
I esteemed truth
Alternatively, "I loved truth"; motto of Bryn Mawr College
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veritatem fratribus testari
to bear witness to truth in fraternity
Motto of Xaverian Brothers High School
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veritatem cognoscere
to know truth
Motto of the Clandestine Service of the United States Central Intelligence Agency
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vero nihil verius
nothing [is] truer than truth
Motto of Mentone Girls' Grammar School
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vero possumus
yes, we can
A variation of the campaign slogan of then-Senator Barack Obama, which was superimposed on a variation of the Great Seal of the United States during the US presidential campaign of 2008.[128]
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versus (vs) or (v.)
towards
Literally, "in the direction [of]". It is erroneously used in English for "against", probably as the truncation of "adversus", especially in reference to two opponents, e. g., the parties to litigation or a sports match.
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vestigia nulla retrorsum
Never a backward step
Motto of Wanganui Collegiate School
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veto
I forbid
The word denotes the right to unilaterally forbid or void a specific proposal, especially legislation. It is derived from ancient Roman voting procedures.
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vexata quaestio
vexed question
Latin legal phrase denoting a question that is often debated or considered, but is not generally settled, such that contrary answers may be held by different persons.
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vexilla regis prodeunt inferni
forth go the banners of the king of Hell
Authored by Dante Alighieri in Canto XXXIV of the Inferno, the phrase is an allusion to and play upon the Latin Easter hymn Vexilla Regis. The phrase is repeatedly referenced in the works of Walter M. Miller, Jr..
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vi coactus
under constraint
A legal phrase regarding contracts that indicates agreement made under duress.
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vi et animo
with heart and soul
Alternatively, "strength and courage"; motto of the Ascham School
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vi veri universum vivus vici
by the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe
Magickal motto of Aleister Crowley.
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via
by the road/way
The word denotes "by way of" or "by means of", e. g., "I will contact you via email".
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via media
middle road/way
This phrase describes a compromise between two extremes or the radical center political position.
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via, veritas, vita
the Way, the Truth, [and] the Life
Words of Jesus Christ in John 14:6; motto of many institutions
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viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi
I will show you the way of wisdom
Motto of DePaul University
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vice
in place of
The word refers to one who acts in the place of another. It is used as a separate word or as a hyphenated prefix, e. g., "Vice President" and "Vice-Chancellor".
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vice versaversa vice
with position turned
For other uses, see Vice Versa (disambiguation).Thus, "the other way around", "conversely", et cetera. Historically and in British English, vice is pronounced as two syllables, but in American English the singular syllable pronunciation is almost universal. Classical Latin pronunciation dictates that the letter "c" is only a hard sound, like "k". Moreover, the letter "v", when consonantal, represents /w/; hence WEE-keh WEHR-sah.[129]
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victoria aut mors
victory or death
Similar to aut vincere aut mori.
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victoria concordia crescit
victory comes from harmony
Motto of Arsenal F.C.
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victrix causa diis placuit sed victa Catoni
the victorious cause pleased the gods, but the conquered cause pleased Cato
Authored by Lucan in Pharsalia, 1, 128. The dedicatory inscription on the south face of the Confederate Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States.
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vide
"see" or "refer to"
The word is used in scholarly citations.
%
vide infra (v. i.)
see below
The word is used in scholarly works.
%
vide supra (v. s.)
see above
The word is used in scholarly works to refer to previous text in the same document. It is sometimes truncated to "supra".
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videlicet (viz.)
"namely", "that is to say", or "as follows"
A contraction of "videre licet" ("it is permitted to see"), vide infra.
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video et taceo
I see and keep silent
Motto of Queen Elizabeth I of England
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video meliora proboque deteriora sequor
I see and approve of the better, but I follow the worse
From the Metamorphoses Book 7, 20-1 of Ovid, being a summary of the experience of akrasia.
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video sed non credo
I see it, but I do not believe it
The statement of Caspar Hofmann [de] after being shown proof of the circulatory system by William Harvey.
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videre licet
"it is permitted to see" or "one may see"
The phrase is used in scholarship.
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vim promovet insitam
promotes one's innate power
Motto of the University of Bristol, derived from Horace, Ode 4, 4.
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vince malum bono
overcome evil with good
A partial quotation of Romans 12:21; motto of Old Swinford Hospital and Bishop Cotton School in Shimla
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vincere est vivere
to conquer is to live
Motto of Captain John Smith
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vincere scis Hannibal victoria uti nescis
you know [how] to win, Hannibal; you do not know [how] to use victory
According to Livy, a colonel in the cavalry stated this to Hannibal after victory in the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC, meaning that Hannibal should have marched on Rome immediately.
%
vincit omnia veritas
truth conquers all
University of Mindanao
%
vincit qui patitur
he conquers who endures
First attributed to the Roman scholar and satirst Persius; frequently used as a motto.
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vincit qui se vincit
he (she) conquers who conquers himself (herself)
Motto of many educational institutions, including the Philadelphia High School for Girls and North Sydney Boys High School. It is alternatively rendered as bis vincit qui se vincit ("he (she) who prevails over himself (herself) is twice victorious"). It is also the motto of the Beast in Disney's film Beauty and the Beast, as seen inscribed in the castle's stained glass window near the beginning of the film.
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vinculum juris
the chain of the law
The phrase denotes that a thing is legally binding. "A civil obligation is one which has a binding operation in law, vinculum juris." (Bouvier's Law Dictionary (1856), "Obligation")
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vinum et musica laetificant cor
wine and music gladden the heart
Asterix and Caesar's Gift; it is a variation of "vinum bonum laetificat cor hominis".
%
vinum regum, rex vinorum
the wine of kings, the king of wines
The phrase describes Hungarian Tokaji wine, and is attributed to King Louis XIV of France.
%
viperam sub ala nutricare
a viper nursed at the bosom
A caveat regarding trusting someone against his inherent nature; the moral of Aesop's fable The Farmer and the Viper.
%
vir prudens non contra ventum mingit
[a] wise man does not urinate [up] against the wind

%
vir quisque vir
every man a man
Motto of the US collegiate fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha.
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Vires acquirit eundo
she gathers strength as she goes
A quotation from Vergil's Aeneid, Book 4, 175, which in the original context refers to Pheme. Motto on the Coat of arms of Melbourne
%
Viribus Unitis
with united forces
Motto of the house of Habsburg-Lorraine
%
virile agitur
the manly thing is being done
Motto of Knox Grammar School
%
viriliter age
"act manfully" or "act courageously"
Motto of Marist College Ashgrove and other institutions
%
viriliter agite
act in a manly way
Motto of St Muredach's College and the PAREF Southridge School for Boys
%
viriliter agite estote fortes
act manfully, be strong
Motto of Culford School
%
virtus et labor
virtue and [hard] work

%
virtus et scientia
virtue and knowledge
Common motto
%
virtus in media stat
virtue stands in the middle
A principle derived from the ethical theory of Aristotle. Idiomatically, "good practice lies in the middle path" between two extremes. It is disputed whether media or medio is correct.
%
virtus junxit mors non separabit
that which virtue unites, let not death separate

%
virtus laudata crescit
greatness increases with praise
Motto of the Berkhamsted School
%
virtus non stemma
valor, not garland
Motto of the Duke of Westminster, inscribed at his residence in Eaton, and the motto of Grosvenor Rowing Club and Harrow County School for Boys
%
virtus sola nobilitas
virtue alone [is] noble
Motto of Christian Brothers College, St Kilda; similar to sola nobilitat virtus
%
virtus tentamine gaudet
strength rejoices in the challenge
Motto of Hillsdale College, Michigan, United States
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virtus unita fortior
virtue united [is] stronger
State motto of Andorra
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virtute duce
led by virtue

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virtute duce comite fortuna
led by virtue, accompanied by [good] fortune

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virtute et armis
by virtue and arms
Alternatively, "by manliness and weapons". The State motto of Mississippi, United States. The phrase was possibly derived from the motto of Lord Gray de Wilton, virtute non armis fido ("I trust in virtue, not in arms").
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virtute et industria
by virtue and industry
Motto of Bristol, United Kingdom
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virtute et veritate
by virtue and truth
Motto of Pocklington School
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vis legis
the power of the law

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vis major
force majeure, superior force

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visio dei
vision of a god

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vita ante acta
a life done before
The phrase denotes a previous life, generally believed to be the result of reincarnation.
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vita, dulcedo, spes
Mary, [our] life, sweetness, [and] hope
Motto of the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, United States, which is derived from the Roman Catholic hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary titled Salve Regina.
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vita incerta, mors certissima
life is uncertain, death is most certain
More simply, "the most certain thing in life is death".
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vita mutatur, non tollitur
life is changed, not taken away
The phrase is a quotation from the preface of the first Roman Catholic rite of the Mass for the Dead.
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vita patris
during the life of the father
Hence the term "decessit vita patris" (d. v. p) or "died v. p.", which is seen in genealogical works such as Burke's Peerage.
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vita summa brevis spem nos vetat incohare longam
the shortness of life prevents us from entertaining far-off hopes
This is a wistful refrain that is sometimes used ironically. It is derived from the first line of Horace's Ode 1. It was later used as the title of a short poem of Ernest Dowson.
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vitae corona fides
faith is the crown of life
Motto of Colchester Royal Grammar School.
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vitai lampada tradunt
they hand on the torch of life
A quotation from the poem of Lucretius, De rerum natura, Book 2, 77-9. The ordinary spelling "vitae" in two syllables had to be changed to "vitaï" in three syllables to satisfy the requirements of the poem's dactylic hexameters. Motto of the Sydney Church of England Grammar School and others.
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vitam amplificare hominibus hominesque societati
mankind [who] extends the life of the community
Motto of East Los Angeles College, California, United States
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viva voce
living voice
The phrase denotes an oral, as opposed to written, examination of a candidate.
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vivat crescat floreat
may it live, grow, [and] flourish

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vivat rex
may the king live
The acclamation is ordinary translated as "long live the king!". In the case of a queen, "vivat regina" ("long live the queen").
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vivat rex, curat lex
long live the king, guardian of the law
A curious translation of the pun on "vivat rex", found in Westerham parish church in Kent, England.
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vive memor leti
live remembering death
Authored by Persius. Cf. "memento mori".
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vive ut vivas
live so that you may live
The phrase suggests that one should live life to the fullest and without fear of the possible consequences.
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vivere est cogitare
to live is to think
Authored by Cicero. Cf. "cogito ergo sum".
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vivere militare est
to live is to fight
Authored by Seneca the Younger in Epistle 96, 5. Cf. the allegory of Miles Christianus based on "militia est vita hominis" from the Vulgate, Book of Job 7:1.
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vocare ad regnum
call to fight
Alternatively, "call to Kingdom". Motto of professional wrestler Triple H, and seen in his entrance video.
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vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit
called and not called, God will be present
Alternatively, "called and even not called, God approaches". Attributed to the Oracle at Delphi. Motto of Carl Jung, and inscribed in his home and grave.
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volenti non fit injuria
to one willing, no harm is done
Alternatively, "to him who consents, no harm is done". The principle is used in the law of torts and denotes that one can not be held liable for injuries inflicted on another who consented to the act that injured him.
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volo non fugia
I fly but do not flee
Motto of HMS Venetia[130]
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vos estis sal terrae
you are the salt of the earth
A famous biblical sentence proclaimed by Jesus Christ.
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votum separatum
separate vow
The phrase denotes an independent, minority voice.
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vox clamantis in deserto
the voice of one clamoring in the desert
Or traditionally, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness". A quotation of the Vulgate, Isaiah 40:3, and quoted by St. John the Baptist in Mark 1:3 and John 1:23). Motto of Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States.
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vox nihili
voice of nothing
The phrase denotes a useless or ambiguous statement.
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vox populi
voice of the people
The phrase denotes a brief interview of a common person that is not previously arranged, e. g., an interview on a street. It is sometimes truncated to "vox pop."
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vox populi, vox Dei
the voice of the people [is] the voice of God
In the opinion of the majority of the people.
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vulpes pilum mutat, non mores
the fox changes his fur, not his habits
By extension, and in common morality, humanity can change their attitudes, but they will hardly change their objectives or what they have set themselves to achieve. Ascribed to Titus by Suetonius in the eighth book (chapter 16) of The Twelve Caesars.