Historically, Great Britain's population consisted of many different ethnic groups, each with its own language. And our isle was a Roman Empire outpost, to boot! Still, Latin fell into disuse after the Romans left Great Britain, but we were never rid of that language. In fact, we use abbreviations, phrases, and Latin words in English every day, as this sampling reveals.
| 📖Word, phrase or abbreviation | 🔍What it means | 🤩Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|
| i.e. | id est - in other words | He hates eating healthy, i.e., all veg are off the menu. |
| medium media (pl) | a way; a substance | Social media is the medium many people communicate with today. |
| P.S. | post scriptum - a final thought you add to a finished letter. | P.S.: don't forget to put out the bins! |
| referendum referenda (pl) | that which must be referred | The Swiss vote in referenda on every issue but we only get a referendum if the matter is really important! |
| etc | et cetera - and so on | Buy everything you need for school: notebooks, pens, erasers, etc. |
| stadium stadia (pl) | a measure of length | I've been to many stadia as a footballer but never such a gorgeous stadium as this! |
| caveat emptor | buyer beware | The smart online shopping rule is 'caveat emptor' |
| alter ego | lit. 'the other self' | I like him well enough, it's his nasty alter ego I can't stand. |
| carpe diem | seize the day | Many activist groups adopt 'carpe diem' as their rallying cry. |
| status quo | the current state of affairs. | Don't do anything to disrupt the status quo! |
| In situ | in its original place | Detectives need to inspect the body in situ so they can gather crucial evidence. |
| ultimatum ultimata (pl) | a final statement | My boss gave me so many ultimata that I finally gave him an ultimatum of my own. |
| de jure | by law | She's his de jure wife though they never married. |
| per se | specifically | I didn't tell him that, per se. |
| e.g. | for example | Buy something decent to sit on, a chair or settee, e.g. |
How Latin Words Crept Into English
Once the Roman occupiers left, our ancestors reverted to speaking Old English. That was the state of affairs for a few hundred years, until an enemy threatened our shores again.
William the Conqueror, the French Duke of Normandy, invaded in 1066. His reign (of terror!) left us many landmarks, including the formidable Tower of London.
He also left Latin seeds in our language. He established Norman, a Romance language that was an old version of French, as the official court language.
His influence — and the Norman language — remained for almost 300 years. Besides physical relics like the Tower of London, a couple of mottos on the Royal coat of arms remain:
Honi soit qui mal y pense
Shame be to him who evil thinks.
Dieu et mon droit
God and my right.
Of course, one doesn't need to become fluent in Latin to understand them, as they're in French. Both maxims are from the 14th century; they show the deep connection that English monarchs had with France.
Still, despite these and other historical connections, English has more in common with the Germanic language family than with Latin. So, how did we end up with so many Latin words in English?
Lingua franca means common language.
English is the language of business, aviation, science, and maths, among other disciplines.
Our language reflects centuries of cultural, scholarly, and political contact rather than a direct linguistic descent from Latin
The Latin Words and Phrases of our Everyday Life
Before we start on this topic, how is your Latin pronunciation? Once you check out this list of Latin words in English, you'll conclude it's better than you thought. Oh, and one more caveat (nifty Latin word!).
Our word lists are actual Latin words in common usage in English.
We don't include words rooted in Latin, which make up roughly half of all English words.
Alibi
The cover story you desperately need if mum suspects you of shenanigans. In Latin, it means "elsewhere".
"Mum, I've been in my room the whole time! How could I have eaten all the sweets?" "That's the weakest alibi I've ever heard! How come your notebook is by the biscuit tin, then?"
Agenda
From the Latin verb "agere", meaning to act, agenda describes a list of topics to discuss during a meeting. It's also a plan of action someone might execute for ulterior motives.
"Don't believe a word she says. She has an agenda and will stop at nothing!"
Ego
Today, this word describes one's self-esteem. In Latin, it meant "I" — the first person singular pronoun.
"Interviewing for jobs is downright ego-bruising these days!"
Acumen
This noun describes someone's sharp perception and quick spirit. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Latin definition was "sharp point".
Jordan Belfort, the Wolf of Wall Street, is renowned for his financial acumen.
Maximum and Minimum
This word pair describes the most and least value, size, quantity, or force. That's a lot of heavy lifting for just two words! Luckily, they have forms to suit every 'most and least' need:
Maximum
- maximal (adj): press for maximal information.
- maximally (adv): the rich are maximally advantaged.
- maxima (pl): find the consumption maxima.
- maxi (adj): a lovely maxi dress.
Minimum
- minimal (adj): a minimal amount.
- minimally (adv): they were minimally involved.
- minima (pl): a list of maxima and minima.
- mini (adj): a saucy miniskirt.
Quid pro quo
The phrase means "taking something for something else". Today it is mostly used to describe an exchange of service, rather like "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine".
Apothecaries originally used the term when they substituted one ingredient for another.
Gratis
This word means kindness in Latin. In English, we use it in the sense of 'free of charge, at no cost'.
"Buy three of these and get a further two gratis!"
Ultimatum
The Latin word for "final", ultimus. We use it to describe a requirement one party makes on another, often as a threat.
"Here's your ultimatum: clean your room or I'll throw everything you have away!"
Veto
This word means "I forbid". Typically used in political circles, is used to stop the process of a decision such as the signature of a new law.
"The United Kingdom has veto rights in the United Nations Security Council."
Vice Versa
The Latin phrase for "the position having been reversed" is used in English to describe a situation in which two things or people have been reversed.
"You can go from London to Barcelona and vice versa by plane."
Via
This Latin word simply means "road" but is mostly used today to say "by way of" or "passing through".
"They came from Bristol to Nottingham via London."
Visa
in Latin, the expression described a document that had been verified. "Charta visa" is literally "a paper that has been seen". Today it is a permit that allows you to enter in a foreign country that will be "seen" by the border authority.
Video
Literally "I see" in Latin, the word's English usage describes any film or short clip.
"Let's go to the video with Lorraine Kelly."
Granted, Latin is an extinct language, spoken officially only in the Vatican. Still, it constitutes massive chunks of many European languages and more than a small part of ours. If you are looking to learn Latin, seeing its uses in modern English is a great starting point.
The Latin Abbreviations Commonly Used
Good for you if you're taking a Latin course! Still, you don't have to study classical literature or Latin to use these abbreviations in your next essay.
| 📜Latin abbreviation | 📖Full form | 🔎What it means | 🍪Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| AD | anno domini | the year of our Lord | The House of Tudor reigned from 1485 to 1603 AD |
| AM PM | ante meridiem post meridiem | before midday after midday | I HATE AM classes! My brain only wakes up after 2 PM. |
| e.g. | exempli gratia | for example for instance | I love stone fruits, e.g., peaches, plums, and cherries. |
| et al. | et alii | and others | To all workers, managers, helpers et al.: starting December, we follow the holiday schedule. |
| etc | et cetera | and so on | Don't forget to dust the picture frames, window sills, tops of the door jambs, ect. |
| i.e. | id est | that is in other words | She loves couture, i.e., all the expensive brands. |
| N.B. | Nota Bene | note well | Nota bene, the deadline for submitting assignments is Friday. |
| p.a. | per annum | each year | New teachers earn an average £27 000 p.a. |
| P.S. | post scriptum | a note at the end of a letter or text | P.S.: I love you! |
| vs. | versus | against used to compare two things. | Chelsea vs Man City: for some, the ultimate match! |
The Latin Words We Commonly Write
Have you ever wondered where the Roman alphabet originated? And how they dreamed up all these marvellous words? We find a lot of Latin vocabulary in law, business, and academics. These deceptively simple terms seem a bit cryptic.
ad hoc
In Latin
- ad = to
- hoc = this
In English
A temporary group formed for a targeted purpose.
"The Christmas ad hoc committee will decide the city's decoration budget."
ad lib
Latin: ad libitum - as much as you like.
English: improvised, as in 'an artist who has not prepared'
"Movie directors often keep actors' ad-libbed lines because they're better than the scripted ones."
alter ego
Literally 'the other self'; the Latin sense describes a close friend you trust with all your secrets.
The English sense describes the 'friend' that lives in your mind, who may be good or evil.
bona fide
This term has the same meaning and usage, whether in Latin or English. If you take Latin classes London, you know it means "In good faith" — as in, "He's proven his bona fides."
caveat
With this word, the Romans were saying, "Let him beware!". In English, we use it as a general warning, like we did in the phrase above.
consensus
If we come to a consensus, we are all in agreement; exactly what it meant in its original language. But these Latin words have a few more tricks up their sleeve.
The Latin verb consentire is the root of English words that signal agreement.
Consentire literally means 'to feel together'.
de facto
In Latin, this phrase means "In fact". In English, it describes a person or institution who has no legal rights but holds the power of a position or institution.
"Mr Jones is the manager, but he's never around. Sheila is our de facto leader."
major
This Latin word has multiple meanings in our modern world: 'great', 'important' and 'serious' among them. It's also a rank for military officers, and it describes one's main subject at university.
mea culpa
This phrase means through my own fault; Romans used it as "I am sorry" when they were culpable of something. Let's take a study break to enjoy the late Jimmy Buffett putting 'mea culpa' to its most engaging use.
per se
Latin meaning: by himself, herself, or itself
"He went strolling by the river per se."
Meaning: "He took a walk by himself."
English meaning: specifically, exactly.
"He didn't go strolling by the river, per se."
Meaning: he walked, but not exactly by the river.
People might get confused if you use the Latin definition in your essay. As you learn how to write in Latin, you'll master fine distinctions such as this.
verbatim
This adverb is straightforward in its meaning: "in exactly the same words".
"It's not hearsay, your Honour, it's what he said, verbatim."
A Few Other Common Latin Expressions
No need to open a Latin-English dictionary or take an online Latin course to understand some of the most commonly used Latin expressions. Here, we challenge you with a few expressions we often use, starting with ones you're sure to know.
Now that you have enriched your vocabulary and that you know the meaning of many Latin words you probably have been using every day, it might be time to dig a bit deeper and perfect your Latin pronunciation. Before you start on that, though, discover our top ten tips for writing in Latin.
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This little article omits as Latin words commonly used in English: medium, referendum, stadium, ultimatum, etc.. In fac t he plural of these words are in Latin too: media, referenda, stadia, ultimata, etc.. Not knowing that they are Latin words, people says “medias”, “stadiums”, etc.. Hence I would not recommend these “Latin tutors”…