Latin Phrases and Abbreviations
Latin Phrases
A
a bene placito: from one well pleased; ad libitum (at pleasure).
a caelo usque ad centrum: from the sky to the center, from the sky to the center of the earth. cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos: whoever owns the ground, it is theirs up to the sky and down into the underground
a capite ad calcem: from head to heel; from top to bottom; all the way through "head to toe"
a contrario: from the opposite/contrary. argumentum a contrario argument from the contrary
a Deucalione; since Deucalion; A long time ago. In Gaius Lucilius Satires
a falsis principiis proficisci: to profit from false principles; from Cicero's De Finibus 4.53.
a mari usque ad mare: from sea to sea: Psalm 72:8, "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos terrae" "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth"
a pedibus usque ad caput: complete from feet to toe; from feet to head
a posse ad esse: from possibility to actuality
a posteriori: empirical knowledge known from experience.
a priori: something that is known before experience; something intuitively known without empirical evidence.
B
Bonis nocet quisquis malis perpercit: Whoever spares the bad hurts the good: Publilius Syrus.
Bonis quod bene fit haud perit: What is done for good men is never done in vain: Titus Maccius Plautus.
Bono vinci satius est quam almo more iniuriam vincere:
A good man would rather suffer defeat than defeat another by foul means: Gaius Sallustius Crispus, known as Sallust.
F
Fiat justitia: Let justice be done.
Fiat justitia ruat caelum: Let justice be done though heavens (the sky) fall.
Fiat justitia, et pereat mundus: Let there be justice, though the world perish: Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor.
H
habeas corpus: You should have the body; habeas corpus ad subjiciendum: you may have the body to bring up meaning the legal right of a prisoner to question the legality of his detention
habemus papam: we have a pope; announcement after electing a new pope
Habent sua fata libelli: Books have their destiny, it depends on the reader
hac lege: with this law
haec olim meminisse iuvabit: one day, this will be good to remember
Hannibal ad portas: Hannibal (is) at the gates (of Rome)
Hannibal ante portas: Hannibal (is already) before the gates (of Rome)
haud ignota loquor: I speak not of unfamiliar things
hic abundant leones: here (are) lions abundance
hic et nunc: here and now
hic jacet (HJ): here lies
hic manebimus optime: here we'll stay well
hic sunt dracones: here (there) are dragons
hic sunt leones: here (there) are lions
hinc et inde: from both sides
hinc illae lacrimae: hence (therefor) those tears
hinc robur et securitas: herefore strength and safety
historia vitae magistra: history, life's teacher
hoc age: do this
hoc est bellum: this is war
hoc est Christum cognoscere, beneficia eius cognoscere: (to) know Christ (is) to know his benefits
hoc est enim corpus meum: This is my (own) body
hodie mihi, cras tibi: Today me, tomorrow you
hominem non morbum cura: treat the man, not the disease
homo bulla: man is a bubble, meaning he is beautiful but fragile
homo homini lupus: man (is) wolf to man
homo praesumitur bonus donec probetur malus: man is innocent until proven guilty
homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto: I am a human, nothing human is alien to me
homo unius libri (timeo): (I fear) a man of (only) one book
honestes ante honores: honesty before honour (glory)
honor virtutis praemium: honour is the reward of virtue
honoris causa: for the sake of honour
hora fugit: the hour flees (escapes)
hora somni (h.s.): at the hour of sleep
horas non numero nisi serenas: I do not count the hours unless they are serene
horribile dictu: horrible to say
hortus in urbe: A garden in the city
hortus siccus: A dry garden
hostis humani generis: enemy of the human race
humilitas occidit superbiam: humility conquers pride
hypotheses non fingo: I fabricate no hypotheses (Sir Isaac Newton)
Latin abbreviations
First the abbreviation, then the word or phrase followed by the translation/meaning
A.D. anno Domini in the year of the Lord
a.m. Ante Meridiem before midday
AMDG Ad maiorem Dei gloriam or ad majorem Dei gloriam for the greater glory of God
c., ca., ca or cca. Circa around, about, approximately
Cap. Capitulus chapter
cf. confer bring together and hence compare
cp. Compare
Cp ceteribus paribus all other things equal
C.V. or CV curriculum vitae course of life
cwt. centum weight
D.V. Deo volente God willing
DG, D.G. or DEI GRA Dei gratia by the grace of God
ead. eadem the same (man)
et al. et alii and others, and co-workers
etc. et cetera and the others, and other things, and the rest
e.g. exempli gratia for example, for instance
et seq. et sequens, et seqq or et sequa. et sequentes, et sequential and the following
ff. foliis from pages
fl. or flor. Floruit it flourished, time of activity
F D, FID DEF fidei defensor defender of the faith
ibid. ibidem in the same place, book, etc.
id. Idem the same (man)
i.a. inter alia among other things
i.e. id est that is, in other words
inter alios among others, including people and legal entities (not an abbreviation)
inst. instante mense this month
J.D. Juris Doctor teacher of law/rights
lb. libra scales
LL.B. Legum Baccalaureus bachelor of laws
M.A. Magister Artium Master of Arts
M.O. modus operandi method of operating
N.B. nota bene note well
nem. con. nemine contradicente with no one speaking against
N.N. nomen nescio I do not know the name
O.D. oculus dexter the right eye
O.S. oculus sinister the left eye
op. cit. opere citato
p.a. per annum through a year, yearly
per cent. per centum for each one hundred
Ph.D. Philosophiæ Doctor Teacher of Philosophy
p.m. Post Meridiem after midday
p.m.a.post mortem auctoris after the author's death
p.p. and per pro. per procurationem through the agency of
prox. proximo mense next month
PRN pro re nata as needed
pro tem. pro tempore for the time being, temporarily, in place of
P.S. post scriptum after what has been written
Q.D. quaque die every day
Q.E.C. quod erat construendum which was to be constructed
Q.E.D. quod erat demonstrandum which was to be demonstrated
Q.E.F. quod erat faciendum which was to be done
q.v. quod videre , plural; quae videre which to see , a term that should be looked up elsewhere
Re in re in the matter of, concerning
REG regina queen
R.I.P. requiescat in pace may he or she rest in peace
r. rexit ruled the time period ruler's reign, e.g. Charles [r. 1796–1846]
sc. scilicet one may know
s.o.s. si opus sit if there is need, if occasion require, if necessary
sphalm. sphalma typographicum a misprint.
stat. statim immediately
S.T.T.L. sit tibi terra levis May the earth rest lightly on you, similar to R.I.P.
s.v. sub verbo under the word or heading
S.V.B.E.E.V. si vales bene est ego valeo if you are well, it is good. I am well
sic, thus (not an abbreviation)
stet let it stand (not an abbreviation)
ult. ultimo mense last month
V.C. vi coactus constrained by force when forced to sign or else face the consequences
v.i. vide infra see below
viz. videlicet namely, to wit, precisely, that is to say
v.s. vide supra see above
vs or v. versus against
Full list of translated Latin Phrases
Phrases
From
a favor from one well pleased; optional (at pleasure).
from the sky to the center from the sky to the center, from the sky to the center of the earth. which is the only way to the sky and gone whoever owns the ground, it is theirs up to the sky and down into the underground
from head to foot from head to heel; from top to bottom; all the way through, "head to toe"
on the contrary, from the opposite / contrary. argument contrary argument from the contrary
of Deucalion; since Deucalion; A long time ago. Gains in Lucilius Satire
a set of false assumptions , to profit from false principles; Cicero's On Territories 4.53.
from sea to sea, from sea to sea Psalm 72: 8, " And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, " "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth "
from the feet to the head, complete from feet to toe; from feet to head
deductive reasoning, from possibility to actuality
a posteriori empirical knowledge known from experience.
a priori, something that is known before experience; something intuitively known without empirical evidence.
B
Hurts himself rather spare
Whoever spares the bad hurts the good, higher standard.
Good that it is not lost in
what is done for good men is never done in vain Plautus.
Good defeat than ever meet an injury to win
A good man would suffer defeat rather than defeat another by foul means, Sallust, known as complete.
F
Let justice
Let justice be done.
Let justice be done though the heavens fall
Let justice be done though heaven (the sky) fall.
Let justice be done, and the world perish
Let there be justice, though the world perish: Ferdinand 1, Holy Roman Emperor.
A
error: You should have the body; habeas corpus may subject, you may have the body to bring up meaning the legal right of a prisoner to question the legality of his detention
We have a pope, we have a pope; announcement after electing a new pope
Have their fate: Books have their destiny, it depends on the reader
This law, with this law
someday we will, one day, this will be good to remember
At the gates, Hannibal (it) at the gates (of Rome)
Hannibal was at the gates, Hannibal (already) before the gates (of Rome)
I speak not unknown: 1 speak not of unfamiliar things
This lions abound: here (are) Lions abundance
Here and now, here and now
Here lies (HJ): Here lies
here will be well, here we'll stay well
Here are the dragons here (there) are dragons
Here are the lions, here (there) are Lions
on both sides, from both sides
The Blade, hence (therefor) those tears
Hereby strength and safety herefore strength and safety
Life history teacher, history, life's teacher
do this, do this
This is not war, this is war
To know Christ is to know his benefits, (to) know Christ (is) to know these benefits
this is my body, ' This is my (own) body
Today me, tomorrow for you: Today me, tomorrow you
a person can not heal the disease, treat the man, not the disease
a boss, man is a bubble, meaning he is beautiful but fragile
one man wolf man (is) wolf to man
One is innocent until proven guilty, man is innocent until proven guilty
I am a man nothing human is foreign to me: 1 am a human, nothing human is alien to me?
the man of one book (Time): (1 ear) a man of (only) one book
honestes front office: Honesty before honor (glory)
honor prize honor is the reward of virtue
Honorary, for the sake of honor
time flies, the flies hour (escape)
bedtime (HS), at the hour of sleep
the number of hours not only the bright, 1 do not count the hours unless they are calm
buoyed, horrible to say
In the city garden, a garden in the city
garden temperature: A dry garden
enemy of mankind: the enemy of the human race
Humility has killed more proud humility endures pride
frame no hypotheses: 1 drafted no hypotheses (Sir Isaac Newton)