Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Latin Abbreviations
A.B. (Artium Baccalaureus)
Bachelor of Arts
A.C. (ante Christum)
before Christ
A.D. (anno domini)
in the year of the Lord
ad inf., ad infin. (ad infinitum)
to infinity
ad int. (ad interim)
in the meantime
ad fin. (ad finem)
near the end [of the page]
ad loc. (ad locum)
to the place
ad val. (ad valorem)
according to the value
ae., aet., aetat. (aetatis)
of age, aged
Ag (argentum)
silver
A.M. (anno mundi)
in the year of the world
A.M. (ante meridiem)
before midday
A.M. (ante mortem)
before death
A.M. (Artium Magister)
Master of Arts
A.R. (anno regni)
in the year of the reign
a.u.c. (ab urbe condita, anno urbis conditae)
from the founding of the city
B.A. (Baccalaureus Artium)
Bachelor of Arts
B.D. (Baccalaureus Divinitatis)
Bachelor of Divinity
B.L. (Baccalaureus Legum)
Bachelor of Law
B.Lit. (Baccalaureus Lit[t]erarum)
Bachelor of Literature (or Letters)
B.M. (Baccalaureus Medicinae)
Bachelor of Medicine
B.Mus. (Baccalaureus Musicae)
Bachelor of Music
B.Phil. (Baccalaureus Philosophiae)
Bachelor of Philosophy
B.S., B.Sc. (Baccalaureus Scientiae)
Bachelor of Science
c. (cum)
with
ca., cir., circ. (circa)
about
cf. (confer)
compare
D.D. (Divinitatis Doctor)
Doctor of Divinity
D.G. (Dei Gratia)
By the grace of God
D.Lit. (Doctor Litterarum)
Doctor of Literature
D.M. (Doctor Medicinae)
Doctor of Medicine
d.s.p. (decessit sine prole)
Died without issue
by the year
per cent. (per centum)
per hundred
Ph. D. (Philosophiae Doctor)
Doctor of Philosophy
P.M. (post meridiem)
after midday
p.r.n. (pro re nata)
as the need arises
pro tem. (pro tempore)
for the time, temporarily
prox. (proximo mense)
next month
P.S. (post scriptum)
written after
Q. (quasi)
as it were, almost
q.d. (quaque die)
every day
R. (regina, rex)
Queen, King
R.I.P. (Requiescat in pace)
May he rest in peace
Rx. (recipe)
take
S.C. (Senatus Consultum)
decree of the Senate
S.C.U. (Senatus Consultum Ultimum)
final decree of the Senate (martial law)
s.d. (sine die)
without [appointing] a day
seq., seqq. (sequentia)
following
s.i.d. (semel in die)
once a day
s.p. (sine prole)
without issue
S.P.Q.R. (Senatus Populusque Romanus)
The Senate and the Roman People
stat. (statim)
immediately
s.v. (sub vero)
under the word
tal. (talis)
of such
U.D. (ut dictum)
as directed
ult. (ultimo mense)
last month
vox pop. (vox populi)
voice of the people
vs. (versus)
against
v.s. (vide super)
see above
Latin Quotes: Absurdity
credo quia absurdum est
I believe it because it is absurd
ab asino lanam
[Like getting] wool from an ass (i.e., blood from a stone)
ab absurdum
To the absurd
Latin Quotes: Age
bis pueri senes
Old men are twice children
durante minore aetate
in vino veritas
There is truth in wine
(truth is told by him who has drunk wine)
lex non distinguitur nos non distinguere debemus
The law does not distinguish and so we ought not distinguish.
legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus
We are slaves of the law in order that we may be able to be free.
mutantur omnia nos et mutamur in illis
All things change, and we change with them.
multum in parvo
Much in little
memento mori
Remember that you will die
mendacem memorem esse oportet
It is fitting that a liar should be a man of good memory
(liars should have good memories)
mens sana in corpore sano
A sound mind in a sound body
minima maxima sunt
The smallest things are most important.
nemo liber est qui corpori servit
No one is free who is a slave to his body
non est vivere sed valere vita est
Life is not being alive but being well (life is more than just being alive)
non semper erit aestas
It will not always be summer (be prepared for hard times)
non teneas aurum totum quod splendet ut aurum
Do not take as gold everything that shines like gold
ne quid nimis
Nothing in excess.
nemo dat quod non habet
No one gives what he does not have.
non est ad astra mollis e terris via
There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.
nosce te ipsum
Know thyself
omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis
All things change, and we change with them
omnia causa fiunt
Everything happens for a reason
parva leves capiunt animas
Small things occupy light minds
(small things amuse small minds)
pessimum genus inimicorum laudantes
Flatterers are the worst type of enemies
possunt quia posse videntur
They can because they seem to be able to
(they can do it because they think they can do it - the power of positive thinking)
proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris
It is human nature to hate a person whom you have injured
perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim
Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.
quod me nutrit me destruit.
What nurishes me also destroys me.
qui tacet consentire
Who is silent gives consent.
quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Who will watch the watchers themselves?
radix omnium malorum est cupiditas
The love of money is the root of all evil.
Avarice is the problem, money itself is not evil.
respice, adspice, prospice
Examine the past, examine the present, examine the future
(look to the past, the present, the future)
sic transit gloria mundi
So passes away earthly glory
sedit qui timuit ne non succederet.
God willing
De Profundis
From the depths; out of despair (Psalm 130)
Deus avertat
God forbid
Deus det
God grant
Deus est regit qui omnia
There is a God who rules all things
Deus est summum bonum
God is the chief good
deus ex machina
god from a machine (a person who intervenes to solve a problem at the last minute)
Deus gubernat navem
God steers the ship
Deus lux Mea
God is my light (motto of the Catholic University of America)
Deus misereatur
May God have mercy (Psalm 67)
Deus nobiscum, quis contra?
God is with us, who can be against us?
Deus nobis fiducia
God is our trust (motto of George Washington University)
deus nobis haec otia fecit
God has brought for us this repose (Virgil)
Deus providebit
God will provide
Deus tecum
May God be with you (singular)
Deus vobiscum
May God be with you (plural)
Deus vult
God wills it (motto of the First Crusade)
Domine, dirige nos
Lord, direct us (motto of London)
Dominica palmarum
Palm Sunday
Domino Optimo Maximo (D.O.M)
To the Lord, best and greatest
Dominus
The Lord
Dominus illuminatio mea
The Lord is my light (motto of the University Oxford, England)
Dominus providebit
The Lord will provide
Dominus vobiscum
May the Lord be with you
dux gregis
Leader of the flock
Agnus Dei
The Lamb of God (portion of Catholic Mass)
amicus usque ad aras
A friend to the altars (i.e., a friend until death or until relilgious convictions prevent action)
amor proximi
Love of one's neighbour
Angelus Domini
Angle of the Lord (a Morning Prayer)
beatae memoriae
Of blessed memory
Benedicite
Invocation of blessing (a prayer canticle)
da fidei quae fidei sunt
Give to faith that which belongs to faith
date et dabitur vobis
Give and it shall be given unto you (the Vulgate translation of the Bible)
De Beata Vita
On the Good Life (St. Augustine)
Cantate Domino
Sing to the Lord (Psalm 98)
cantillatio
The chanting portions of the Catholic Mass
cantus firmus
Fixed song (Gregorian melody)
cantus planus
Plain song (Gregorian chant)
cruce, dum spiro, fido
while I breathe, I trust the cross
cruce signati
Marked with a cross; the Crusaders
crux
Cross
crux decussata
X-shaped cross of St. Andrew or St. Patrick
crux mihi ancora
The cross is my anchor
crux spes unica
The cross is the only hope (motto of Notre Dame University)
fiat lux
let there be light (Genesis)
deo volente
God willing
dei gratia
By the grace of god
anno domini
In the year of our lord
flat lux
Let there be light
laus deo
Praise to god
lares et penates
Household gods
laborare est orare
Work is prayer
dies irae
Day of wrath (the day of judgement)
domine dilrige nos
Lord direct us
dominus illuminatio mea
The lord is my enlightening
di te incolumem custodiant
May the Gods guard your safety (an official good-bye phrase)
deo volente
God willing
gaudeamus igitur
So let us rejoice
gloria in excelsis
Glory to god in the highest
laborare est orare
Work is prayer
lares et penates
Household gods
laus deo
Praise to god
ora pro nobis
Pray for us
peccavi
I have sinned
Vocatus atque
non vocatus
Deus aderit
Invoked or not invoked, the god is present
(Inscription on Carl Jung's tombstone,
Flutern Cemetery; Fluntern (Zurich, Switzerland))
Source: http://corsinet.com/braincandy/graves.html
a deo et rege
From god and the king
bona fides
Good faith