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
|
faber est suae
quisque fortunae
|
every man is the
artisan of his own fortune --
quote by Appius Claudius Caecus
|
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
|
ante meridiem
|
before noon -- A.M.,
used in timekeeping
|
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
fortius
|
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
|
et tu, Brute?
|
last words of Caesar
after being murdered by friend Brutus in Shakespeare's "Julius
Caesar," used today to convey utter betrayal
|
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 a law with retroactive effect
|
fac fortia et patere
|
do brave deeds and
endure
|
fac simile
|
make alike -- origin
of the word "fax"
|
flectere si nequeo
superos, acheronta movebo
|
if I cannot move
heaven I will raise hell -- 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 legal 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 futuri
|
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
|
nil volentibus
arduum
|
nothing [is] arduous
for the willing
|
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 meridiem
|
after noon -- P.M.,
used in timekeeping
|
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
|
quasi
|
as if or as though
|
qui totum vult totum
perdit
|
he who wants
everything loses everything -- attributed to Seneca
|
quid agis
|
what's going on? --
what's up, what's happening, etc.
|
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"
|
quis custodiet ipsos
custodes?
|
who will guard the
guards themselves? -- commonly associated with Plato
|
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 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
|
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
|
|
spes bona
|
good hope
|
statim (stat)
|
immediately --
medical shorthand
|
status quo
|
the situation in
which or 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 heroica
|
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 the Bible (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
|