When the gavel falls in a Sydney courtroom, when a long-distance runner crosses the finish line of the Melbourne Marathon, or when a scholar finally bindsâŠ
Some outcomes depend on a requirement so fundamental that, without it, the outcome cannot occur. This is the idea expressed by conditio sine qua non, a LatinâŠ
Compos mentis is a Latin expression meaning âof sound mindâ or âin possession of oneâs facultiesâ. In modern English, it is associated with mental competence:âŠ
Latin expressions often acquire new meanings when they move between classical texts, modern scholarship and everyday language. Cogitationes ad Verbum is aâŠ
The Latin expression circulus vitiosus means a âvicious circleâ or âflawed circleâ. It describes a pattern in which a problem sustains itself, an explanationâŠ
Ceteris paribus is a Latin expression meaning âall other things being equalâ. In economics and science, it signals a deliberate simplification: one factor isâŠ
Caveat emptor is a Latin phrase meaning âlet the buyer bewareâ. It expresses the idea that a purchaser should examine goods, assess risks and understand theâŠ
Few Latin expressions are as immediately understandable as cave canem. Usually translated as âbeware of the dogâ, the phrase combines a short command with aâŠ
In international relations, a casus belli is an act, event or condition used to justify war. The Latin expression translates literally as âcase for warâ,âŠ
âCarpe diemâ is among the most recognisable Latin phrases in the English-speaking world. Usually translated as âseize the dayâ, it encourages people to valueâŠ