SOME COMMONLY USED LATIN EXPRESSIONS
ad absurdo: in an argument “from the absurd”, pointing out the weakness
of an opposing position.
ab initio: “from the beginning.”
ab urbe condite: “from the foundation of the city” (of Rome, traditionally in 753 B.C.); also as anno urbis conditae, “year since the city ( of Rome) was founded”. Used by the ancient Romans to date years in their history. Abbreviated A.U.C.
Ad hoc: “for this” (purpose)
ad hominem: “against the man”, in argument, attacking the person and not his argument.
Ad infinitum: “endlessly, forever”. Abbreviated ad inf. or ad infin.
Ad interim: ” in the meantime”; abbreviated ad int.
Ad libitum: “at pleasure”; extemporaneously abbreviated ad lib.
ad locum: “at or to the place” (usually in reference to a previous citation). Abbreviated ad loc.
Ad quem: “for or to which (or whom)”
adrem: “to the thing” at hand, i.e. pertinent.
Ad valorem: “in proportion to value”. Abbreviated ad val.
a fortiori: “with stronger” reason.
Anno Domini: “in the year of the Lord”. Abbrev. A.D.
Anno mundi: “in the year of the world”. Abbrev. A.M.
Anno regni: “in the regnal year” Abbrev. A.R.
Annus mirabilis: “a remarkable year”
ante bellum: “before the war”
ante Christem: “before Christ”. Abbreviated A.C.
a posteriori: “from what is after”, or from effect to cause.
Apparatus criticusor, simply apparatus: scholarly commentary.
a priori: “from what is before”, or from what is already known.
Bone fide: “in good faith”
circa: “around” or approximately. Abbrev. ca. or c.
confer: “compare”; abbrev. cf. (The full Latin word is never used in English).
Corpis juris:(or juris): “body of law”
cui bono?: “who benefits?”, or who stands to gain.
Cum grano salis: “with a grain of salt”, or cautiously.
De facto: “from the fact”, or in reality.
De jure: (or jure): “according to law”.
Deus ex machine: ” a god from a machine” or an unlikely, providential intervention.
Disiects (or disjecta) membra: “scattered limbs” or fragments.
dramatis personae: “a person of the drama” or cast of characters.
A contrario: “on the contrary”
editio princeps: “first edition” of an ancient text
ergo: “therefore”
erratum: (pl. errata): “error(s)”
et al.: abbreviations for et alii, et aliae, et alia. Meaning “and others”.
Etc.: abbreviation of et cetera “and so on”.
Ex cathedra: “from the chair” or with authority.
exempli gratia: “for the sake of example”. Abbrev. E.g.
Ex more: “according to custom”
ex officio: “by virtue of an office”
ex post facto: “from what is done afterwards”
fecit: “he/she made (it)”, in a signed work of art
finis: “the end”
flourit: “he/she flourished”, in giving an approximate date. Abbrev. Fl.
Honoris causae: “for the sake of honor”
ibidem: “in the same place”, of a work cited immediately before this reference. Abbrev. ibid.
idem: “the same”, meaning the same person referred to in the note immediately proceeding.
Id est: “that is”, abbrev. i.e.
In camera: “in a chamber” or in closed session.
Incipit: “here begins..”
In extenso: “in full” or word-for-word .
In extremis:”at the point of death”
infra: “below”
in medias res: ” in the middle of (some)thing”
in pectore: “in the breast” or secretly.
In re: “in the matter of”, or concerning..
In situ: “in place”, where something was found.
In toto: “in totality”
ipsissima verba: “the very words”
ipso facto: “by the very fact”
loco citatio: “at the place cited”, abbrev. Loc. Cit.
locus classicus: “the classic source” or the best example.
Me judiceor just judice: “in my judgement”
mirabile dictu: “wonderful to relate” expressing astonishment or irony
modus opperandi: “manner of working”
ne plus ultra: “not more beyond” or perfection
nota bene: “note well”, abbrev. N.b.
Opere citato: “in the work cited”, abbrev. Op. Cit.
peri passu: “at an equal pace”
passim: “at various places” thus usually referring to an entire work.
Prima facie: “at first sight”
pro forma: “as a formality”
quod erat demonstrandum: “which was to be demonstrated”; abbrev. Q.E.D.
quod erat faciendum: “which was to be done”, abbrev. Q.E.F.
quod vide: “(for) which see”, abbrev. Q.v.
Recto: “right (side)”, meaning the front of a document; cf. Verso.
Reductio ad absurdum: “reduction to absurdity”
sequens/ sequentes: “the following” abbrev. Seq./seqq.
Seriatim: “in series”
sic: “thus”, used to draw attention to an error in the source quoted.
S.P.Q.R. = Senatus popolusque Romanus “the Senate and People of Rome” used in official pronouncements of the Roman state.
Sui generis: “of its.his/hers/their own kind” or distinctive.
Supra: “above”.
Sub verbo: “under the word” referring to a subject heading. Abbreviated s.v.
Terminus: “fixpoint”, combined with a quo: “from which” something happened; ante quem: “before which” something happened; post quem “after which something happened”
ut: “as (cited)”, combined with supra and infra.
Vade mecum: “go with me” usually as a noun meaning guidebook
verso: “the back” of a document; cf. Recto.
Vide: “see” sometimes combined with infra or rupra; cf. Q.v.
Videlicet: “it is permitted to see”, meaning “namely”. Abbrev. Viz.