Latin Phrases Everyone Should Know

Spider-webs may bundle on the stones that bear Latin phrases, but they will never conceal its distinguished past.

Just because it's a "dead" language, doesn't mean you will never stumble upon a Latin word or phrase nowadays, and I am not talking exclusively about the cliched "Carpe diem". It is often quoted in music, art, literature, and entertainment (besides the obvious: medical & scientific terms); some of these are also particularly useful to make sense of what your lawyer, judge, or parole officer is saying. So, "fancy up" & rec these in your cerebrum:


Status quo- The existing state of affairs

Alter ego- Another Self (he-llo, remember Freud?)

Ad hoc: Literally meaning "for this," usually means improvised

Id est: "That is", often abbreviated "i.e."

Terra firma- Solid ground

Et tu, Brute?- "Even you, Brutus?" (Uttered by Caesar; represents the ultimate betrayal by one's closest friend)

Tabula rasa- A clean slate (John Locke's description of the human mind without knowledge)

Quid pro quo- A thing for a thing- tit for tat

Sapere aude- Dare to be wise

Cogito ergo sum- I think, therefore I am (Descartes, 17th century)

Ars longa, vita brevis- Art is long, life is short

Bona fide- In good faith

Caveat emptor- Let the buyer beware

Multum in parvo- Much in a little

Lapsus linguae- A slip of the tongue

Lapsus memoriae- A slip of the memory

Magna cum laude- With great honor

Magnum opus- (lit. a great work) Masterpiece

Mea culpa- My fault

Summa summarum- The sum of sums

Persona grata- A well-liked or dear person

Persona non grata- A person one doesn't like

Errare humanum est- To err is human

Dictum meum pactum- my word is my bond

In vino veritas- In wine is truth

Ecce homo! -Behold the man! (Proclaimed by Pontius Pilate at the trial of Christ, FYI)

Nolo contendere: When you want to enter a plea of No contest" in "as fancy a way as possible".

Veni, Vidi, Vici (Classical Latin: [ˈweːniː ˈwiːdiː ˈwiːkiː]; Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈvɛni ˈvidi ˈvitʃi] -I came, I saw, I conquered

Alibi- the plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove that the person was in another place when the alleged act was committed (resumed: an excuse)

Per se- Of, in, or by itself; e.g.: "I didn't call him stupid, per se. I simply said he had plenty to learn"

Modus operandi- mode of working

*You can find more on Latin Legalese here: http://bit.ly/6lUqDm