Few Latin phrases carry as much historical weight as alea iacta est. Usually translated as “the die is cast,” the expression evokes a decision from which there…
Few Latin phrases have traveled as easily from ancient literature into everyday conversation as in vino veritas. Usually translated as “in wine, there is…
Memento mori is a Latin phrase usually translated as “remember that you must die.” Its message is brief, but its cultural reach is immense. Across centuries,…
Legal language often preserves ideas that have traveled across centuries. The phrase prima facie is one of the clearest examples. Meaning “at first sight” or…
The origins and use of Veni Vidi Vici in military history can be traced to one of Julius Caesar’s fastest and most politically useful victories. Usually…
Few Latin expressions have traveled as far from their original setting as carpe diem. The phrase appears on classroom posters, watches, tattoos, travel blogs,…
Latin survives in modern speech partly because it gives precise names to situations that are difficult to describe quickly. In extremis is one of those…
Few Latin verbs have traveled so widely through history as amo, meaning “I love” or “I cherish.” Its forms appear in school exercises, inscriptions, poetry,…
The Latin phrase pro bono publico means “for the public good.” In everyday legal language, it is usually shortened to pro bono, a term associated with…
Latin expressions often survive because they offer compact ways to express ideas that would otherwise require a longer explanation. Two familiar examples are…