Latin Phrase Definition
adeste fidelis [L.] always faithful
ad hoc [L.] temporary
alter ego [L.] other self; constant companion
amicus curiae [L.] friend of the court
amor vincit omnia [L.] “Love conquers all.”—Virgil
anno regni [L.] year in the reign of
ars gratia artis [L.] art for art's sake
caveat emptor [L.] Let the buyer beware!
cave canem [L.] Beware of the dog!
cogito, ergo sum! [L.] “I think, therefore I am.”—
Descartes
concordia discors [L.] harmony in discord
de facto [L.] in fact
de gustibus non est disputandum [L.] one can't
argue taste
Dei gratia [L.] by the grace of God
Dominus vobiscum [L.] may God be with you
ex more [L.] customary
ex post facto [L.] lit. what is done after;
retroactive
gravitas [L.] solemnity
habeas corpus [L.] lit. to have a body
id est [L.] that is
in perpetuum [L.] forever
in utero [L.] in the womb
in vino veritas [L.] in wine there is truth
mea culpa [L.] my fault
Missa solemnis [L.] High Mass (Roman Catholic)
nil desperandum [L.] “never desperate”—Horace
noblesse oblige [Fr.] the inferred obligation of
high-ranking people to behave well toward others
non sequitur [L.] a remark having no bearing on
what was just said; an illogical conclusion
from the facts
omnia vincit amor [L.] “Love conquers all!”—Virgil
o tempora! o mores! [L.] “Oh times! Oh morals!”—
Cicero, meaning “What a time we live in!”
Pax Britannica [L.] peace imposed by Britain
Pax Romana [L.] peace imposed by Rome
pax vobiscum [L.] peace be with you
pro bono [L.] free; without compensation
pro bono publico [L.] for the public good
pro forma [L.] according to form
pro patria [L.] for one's country
quid pro quo [L.] one thing in return for another
quod erat demonstrandum [L.] which is (was) to be
demonstrated
quo vadis? [L.] Where are you going?
status quo [L.] existing condition
terra firma [L.] solid ground
terra incognito [L.] unknown land; unknown ground
veni, vidi, vici [L.] “I came; I saw;
I conquered.”—Julius Caesar
verbatim [L.] word for word
vice versa [L.] the other way around; reversed