Latin phrases to know

Beautiful & complex thoughts expressed in simple and beautiful ways - the language of Latin

A posteriori

from the latter
based on experience

A priori

from the earlier
independent of experience

Ad hoc

for this
said of something created or formed for a special case

Ad infinitum

to infinity
something that keeps going forever

Alea jacta est

the die is cast
said when a plot is set into motion

Ars longa, vita brevis

art is long, life is short

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam

I will either find a way or make one.

Casus belli

cause of war
where the blame lies

Caveat emptor

let the buyer beware
a reference to the idea that a customer is responsible for making sure a product works as they expect

Compos mentis

of healthy mind
sane

Ex cathedra

from the chair
with the full authority of office

Ex post facto

after the fact
realized with hindsight

De facto

from fact
something that happens in practice but is not necessarily established by law

De jure

from law
the contrary of de facto; something established by law

De mortuis nihil nisi bonum

of the dead, nothing unless good
don’t speak ill of the dead

De profundis clamo ad te domine

Out of the depths, I cry to you, O Lord.
yep, it’s the line from The Sixth Sense

Dies irae

day of judgment

Dramatis personae

persons of the drama
refers to a list of actors (or to the main participants in a group)

Genius loci

guardian spirit
the character of a place

Homo sum humani nil a me alienum puto

I am a human, therefore, nothing human is alien to me
We are all capable of great things, we are all capable of terrible things. So carry empathy with you, because we all carry the capacity for greatness or evil.

Honoris causa

for the sake of the honor
an honorary degree

Horribile dictu

horrible to say

In extremis

in the farthest reaches
in a difficult situation, or at the point of death

In flagrante delicto

in the burning crime
caught in the act

In medias res

into the middle of things
in the midst of action (said of the opening of a story or account)

In situ

in that place
in its original place

In toto

as a whole

Ipso facto

by the very fact
because of that fact

Inter alia

among other things

Introibo ad altare Dei

I approach the altar of God (said at morning Mass)

Mea culpa

I am responsible
forgive me

Memento mori

remember that you must die
a reminder of mortality

Mens sana in corpore sano

a healthy mind in a healthy body

Mirabile dictu

amazing to say

Modus operandi

method of operating
way of working

Ne plus ultra

none more beyond
without equal, the greatest degree

Non ducor duco

I am not led, I lead.

Non sequitur

it does not follow
said of something that does not logically relate to what came before

Nota bene

note well
take note (also NB)

O tempora o mores

oh, the times, oh, the morals
said in criticism of behavior

Omnia vincit amor

love conquers all

Panem et circenses

bread and circuses
said of things offered to the masses to distract them from what they should attend to for their own benefit

Per se

by itself

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

after this, therefore because of this
effect follows cause

Prima facie

at first look
based on a first impression or accepted as correct until proved otherwise

Primus inter pares

first among equals

Pro forma

for form
for the sake of appearances or form

Quid pro quo

this for that
something given in exchange for something else

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes

who watches the watchers?
who shall protect us against those who (supposedly) protect us?

Sic transit gloria mundi

thus passes the glory of the world
fame is fleeting in this world

Sine qua non

without which thing . . . not
said of something indispensable

Sub rosa

under the rose
happening or done in secret

Sui generis

in its own class
unique

Tabula rasa

scraped tablet
blank slate (concept of the human mind before it gets impressions from experience)

Tempus fugit

time flies

Terra firma

solid ground
often used figuratively to refer to certainty

Vox populi

voice of the people

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