\”a posteriori — from the latter; knowledge or justification is dependent on experience or empirical evidence
a priori — from what comes before; knowledge or justification is independent of experience
acta non verba — deeds, not words
ad hoc — to this — improvised or made up
ad hominem — to the man; below-the-belt personal attack rather than a reasoned argument
ad honorem — for honor
ad infinitum — to infinity
ad nauseam — used to describe an argument that has been taking place to the point of nausea
ad victoriam — to victory; more commonly translated into “for victory,” this was a battle cry of the Romans
alea iacta est — the die has been cast
alias — at another time; an assumed name or pseudonym
alibi — elsewhere
alma mater — nourishing mother; used to denote one’s college/university
amor patriae — love of one’s country
amor vincit omnia — love conquers all
annuit cœptis –He (God) nods at things being begun; or “he approves our undertakings,” motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the United States one-dollar bill
ante bellum — before the war; commonly used in the Southern United States as antebellum to refer to the period preceding the American Civil War
aqua vitae — water of life; used to refer to various native distilled beverages, such as whisky (uisge beatha) in Scotland and Ireland, gin in Holland, and brandy (eau de vie) in France
arte et marte — by skill and valour
astra inclinant, sed non obligant — the stars incline us, they do not bind us; refers to the strength of free will over astrological determinism
audemus jura nostra defendere — we dare to defend our rights; state motto of Alabama
audere est facere — to dare is to do
audio — I hear
aurea mediocritas — golden mean; refers to the ethical goal of reaching a virtuous middle ground between two sinful extremes
auribus teneo lupum — I hold a wolf by the ears; a common ancient proverb; 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”
aut cum scuto aut in scuto — either with shield or on shield; do or die, “no retreat”; said by Spartan mothers to their sons as they departed for battle
aut neca aut necare — either kill or be killed
aut viam inveniam aut faciam — I will either find a way or make one; said by Hannibal, the great ancient military commander
barba non facit philosophum — a beard doesn’t make one a philosopher
bellum omnium contra omnes — war of all against all
bis dat qui cito dat — he gives twice, who gives promptly; a gift given without hesitation is as good as two gifts
bona fide — good faith
bono malum superate — overcome evil with good
carpe diem — seize the day
caveat emptor — let the buyer beware; the purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need
circa — around, or approximately
citius altius forties — faster, higher, stronger; modern Olympics motto
cogito ergo sum — “I think therefore I am”; famous quote by Rene Descartes
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
corpus christi — body of Christ
corruptissima re publica plurimae leges — when the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous; said by Tacitus
creatio ex nihilo — creation out of nothing; a concept about creation, often used in a theological or philosophical context
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 — the course of one’s life; in business, a lengthened resume
de facto — from the fact; distinguishing what’s supposed to be from what is reality
deo volente — God willing
deus ex machina — God out of a machine; a term meaning a conflict is resolved in improbable or implausible ways
dictum factum — what is said is done
disce quasi semper victurus vive quasi cras moriturus — learn as if you’re always going to live; live as if tomorrow you’re going to die
discendo discimus — while teaching we learn
docendo disco, scribendo cogito — I learn by teaching, think by writing
ductus exemplo — leadership by example
ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt — the fates lead the willing and drag the unwilling; attributed to Lucius Annaeus Seneca
dulce bellum inexpertis — war is sweet to the inexperienced
dulce et decorum est pro patria mori — it is sweet and fitting to die for your country
dulcius ex asperis — sweeter after difficulties
e pluribus unum — out of many, one; on the U.S. seal, and was once the country’s de facto motto
emeritus — veteran; retired from office
ergo — therefore
et alii — and others; abbreviated et al.
et cetera — and the others
ex animo — from the heart; thus, “sincerely”
ex libris — from the library of; to mark books from a library
ex nihilo — out of nothing
ex post facto — from a thing done afterward; said of law with retroactive effect
faber est suae quisque fortunae — every man is the artisan of his own fortune; quote by Appius Claudius Caecus
fac fortia et patere — do brave deeds and endure
flectere si nequeo superos, acheronta movebo — if I cannot move heaven I will raise hell; from Virgil’s Aeneid
fortes fortuna adiuvat — fortune favors the bold
fortis in arduis — strong in difficulties
gloria in excelsis Deo — glory to God in the highest
habeas corpus — you should have the body; a legal term from the 14th century or earlier; commonly used as the general term for a prisoner’s right to challenge the legality of their detention
habemus papam — we have a pope; used after a Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope
historia vitae magistra — history, the teacher of life; from Cicero; also “history is the mistress of life”
hoc est bellum — this is war
homo unius libri (timeo) — (I fear) a man of one book; attributed to Thomas Aquinas
honor virtutis praemium — esteem is the reward of virtue
hostis humani generis — enemy of the human race; Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general
humilitas occidit superbiam — humility conquers pride
igne natura renovatur integra — through fire, nature is reborn whole
ignis aurum probat — fire tests gold; a phrase referring to the refining of character through difficult circumstances
in absentia — in the absence
in aqua sanitas — in water there is health
in flagrante delicto — in flaming crime; caught red-handed, or in the act
in memoriam — into the memory; more commonly “in memory of”
in omnia paratus — ready for anything
in situ — in position; something that exists in an original or natural state
in toto — in all or entirely
in umbra, igitur, pugnabimus — then we will fight in the shade; made famous by Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae and by the movie 300
in utero — in the womb
in vitro — in glass; biological process that occurs in the lab
incepto ne desistam — may I not shrink from my purpose
intelligenti pauca — few words suffice for he who understands
invicta — unconquered
invictus maneo — I remain unvanquished
ipso facto — by the fact itself; something is true by its very nature
labor omnia vincit — hard work conquers all
laborare pugnare parati sumus — to work, (or) to fight; we are ready
labore et honore — by labor and honor
leges sine moribus vanae — laws without morals [are] vain
lex parsimoniae — law of succinctness; also known as Occam’s Razor; the simplest explanation is usually the correct one
lex talionis — the law of retaliation
magna cum laude — with great praise
magna est vis consuetudinis — great is the power of habit
magnum opus — great work; said of someone’s masterpiece
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
malum in se — wrong in itself; a legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong
malum prohibitum — wrong due to being prohibited; a legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is against the law
mea culpa — my fault
meliora — better things; carrying the connotation of “always better”
memento mori — remember that [you will] die; was whispered by a servant into the ear of a victorious Roman general to check his pride as he paraded through cheering crowds after a victory; a genre of art meant to remind the viewer of the reality of his death
memento vivere — remember to live
memores acti prudentes future — mindful of what has been done, aware of what will be
modus operandi — method of operating; abbreviated M.O.
montani semper liberi — mountaineers [are] always free; state motto of West Virginia
morior invictus — death before defeat
morituri te salutant — those who are about to die salute you; popularized as a standard salute from gladiators to the emperor, but only recorded once in Roman history
morte magis metuenda senectus — old age should rather be feared than death
mulgere hircum — to milk a male goat; to attempt the impossible
multa paucis — say much in few words
nanos gigantum humeris insidentes — dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants; commonly known by the letters of Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”
nec aspera terrent — they don’t terrify the rough ones; frightened by no difficulties; less literally “difficulties be damned”
nec temere nec timide — neither reckless nor timid
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
non ducor, duco — I am not led; I lead
non loqui sed facere — not talk but action
non progredi est regredi — to not go forward is to go backward
non scholae, sed vitae discimus — we learn not for school, but for life; from Seneca
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
non sum qualis eram — I am not such as I was; or “I am not the kind of person I once was”
nosce te ipsum — know thyself; from Cicero
novus ordo seclorum — new order of the ages; from Virgil; motto on the Great Seal of the United States
nulla tenaci invia est via — for the tenacious, no road is impassable
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
panem et circenses — bread and circuses; 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
para bellum — prepare for war; if you want peace, prepare for war; if a country is ready for war, its enemies are less likely to attack
parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus — when you are steeped in little things, you shall safely attempt great things; sometimes translated as, “once you have accomplished small things, you may attempt great ones safely”
pater familias — father of the family; the eldest male in a family
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
per angusta ad augusta — through difficulties to greatness
per annum — by the year
per capita — by the person
per diem — by the day
per se — through itself
persona non grata — person not pleasing; an unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person
pollice verso — with a turned thumb; used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator
post mortem — after death
postscriptum — thing having been written afterward; in writing, abbreviated P.S.
praemonitus praemunitus — forewarned is forearmed
praesis ut prosis ne ut imperes — lead in order to serve, not in order to rule
primus inter pares — first among equals; a title of the Roman Emperors
pro bono — for the good; in business, refers to services rendered at no charge
pro rata — for the rate
quam bene vivas referre (or refert), non quam diu — it is how well you live that matters, not how long; from Seneca
qui totum vult totum perdit — he who wants everything loses everything; attributed to Seneca
quid pro quo — this for that; an exchange of value
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”
quorum — of whom; the number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make any given meeting constitutional
requiescat in pace — let him rest in peace; abbreviated R.I.P.
rigor mortis — stiffness of death
scientia ac labore — knowledge through hard work
scientia ipsa potentia est — knowledge itself is power
semper anticus — always forward
semper fidelis — always faithful; U.S. Marines motto
semper fortis — always brave
semper paratus — always prepared
semper virilis — always virile
si vales, valeo — when you are strong, I am strong
si vis pacem, para bellum — if you want peace, prepare for war
sic parvis magna — greatness from small beginnings — motto of Sir Frances Drake
sic vita est — thus is life; the ancient version of “it is what it is”
sola fide — by faith alone
sola nobilitat virtus — virtue alone ennobles
solvitur ambulando — it is solved by walking
spes bona — good hope
statim (stat) — immediately; medical shorthand
status quo — the situation in which; current condition
subpoena — under penalty
sum quod eris — I am what you will be; a gravestone inscription to remind the reader of the inevitability of death
summa cum laude — with highest praise
summum bonum — the supreme good
suum cuique — to each his own
tabula rasa — scraped tablet; “blank slate”; John Locke used the term to describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any knowledge
tempora heroic — Heroic Age
tempus edax rerum — time, devourer of all things
tempus fugit — time flees; commonly mistranslated “time flies”
terra firma — firm ground
terra incognita — unknown land; used on old maps to show unexplored areas
vae victis — woe to the conquered
vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas — vanity of vanities; everything [is] vanity; from Ecclesiastes 1
veni vidi vici — I came, I saw, I conquered; famously said by Julius Caesar
verbatim — repeat exactly
veritas et aequitas — truth and equity
versus — against
veto — I forbid
vice versa — to change or turn around
vincit qui patitur — he conquers who endures
vincit qui se vincit — he conquers who conquers himself
vir prudens non contra ventum mingit — [a] wise man does not urinate [up] against the wind
virile agitur — the manly thing is being done
viriliter agite — act in a manly way
viriliter agite estote fortes — quit ye like men, be strong
virtus tentamine gaudet — strength rejoices in the challenge
virtute et armis — by virtue and arms; or “by manhood and weapons”; state motto of Mississippi
vive memor leti — live remembering death
vivere est vincere — to live is to conquer; Captain John Smith’s personal motto
vivere militare est — to live is to fight
vox populi — voice of the people\”