Latin words and phrases

Non bis in idem, which translates literally from Latin as "not twice in the same [thing]", is a legal doctrine to the effect that no legal action can be instituted twice for the same cause of action.

Si vis pacem, para bellum is a Latin adage translated as, "If you want peace, prepare for war".

Argument from ignorance (from Latin: argumentum ad ignorantiam), also known as appeal to ignorance (in which ignorance represents "a lack of contrary evidence"), is a fallacy in informal logic.

In publishing and graphic design, lorem ipsum (derived from Latin dolorem ipsum, translated as "pain itself") is a filler text commonly used to demonstrate the graphic elements of a document or visual presentation.

Sol Invictus ("Unconquered Sun") was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers.

A precept (from the Latin: præcipere, to teach) is a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action.

Translatio imperii (Latin for "transfer of rule") is a historiographical concept, originating in the Middle Ages, in which history is viewed as a linear succession of transfers of an imperium that invests supreme power in a singular ruler, an "emperor".

A motu proprio (Latin for: "on his own impulse") is a document issued by the Pope (or by a monarch) on his own initiative and personally signed by him.

de jure (adjective, adverb) (/dᵻ ˈdʒʊəriː/, /deɪ-/; Classical Latin: de iure [deː ˈjuːrɛ]; lit. 'from law') means 'a state of affairs that is in accordance with law', i.

A plurale tantum (Latin for "plural only", plural form: pluralia tantum) is a noun that appears only in the plural form and does not have a singular variant for referring to a single object.

In the sciences, an experimentum crucis (English: crucial experiment or critical experiment) is an experiment capable of decisively determining whether or not a particular hypothesis or theory is superior to all other hypotheses or theories whose acceptance is currently widespread in the scientific community.

Deus vult (Classical Latin for "God wills it") was the cry of the people at the declaration of the First Crusade by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095 when the Byzantine Empire requested help in defense from the Seljuk invasion of Anatolia.

"De Brevitate Vitae" (Latin: "On the Shortness of Life"), more commonly known as "Gaudeamus Igitur" ("So Let Us Rejoice") or just "Gaudeamus", is a popular academic commercium song in many Western countries, mainly sung or performed at university graduation ceremonies.

"Veni, vidi, vici" (Classical Latin: [ˈweːniː ˈwiːdiː ˈwiːkiː]; Ecclesiastical Latin: [ˈvɛni ˈvidi ˈvitʃi]; "I came; I saw; I conquered") is a Latin phrase popularly attributed to Julius Caesar who, according to Appian, used the phrase in a letter to the Roman Senate around 47 BC after he had achieved a quick victory in his short war against Pharnaces II of Pontus at the Battle of Zela.

Res judicata or res iudicata, also known as claim preclusion, is the Latin term for "a matter [already] judged", and refers to either of two concepts: in both civil law and common law legal systems, a case in which there has been a final judgment and is no longer subject to appeal; and the legal doctrine meant to bar (or preclude) continued litigation of a case on same issues between the same parties.

Et in Arcadia ego (also known as Les bergers d'Arcadie or The Arcadian Shepherds) is a 1637–38 painting by Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665).

Per aspera ad astra (or, less commonly, ad astra per aspera) is a popular Latin phrase meaning "through hardships to the stars".

In situ (/ɪn ˈsɪtjuː/ or /ɪn ˈsaɪtʃuː/; often not italicized in English) is a Latin phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position".

A locum is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another.

An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa (Latin: "for the sake of the honor") is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, a dissertation and the passing of comprehensive examinations.

In argumentation theory, an argumentum ad populum (Latin for "appeal to the people") is a fallacious argument that concludes that a proposition is true because many or most people believe it: "If many believe so, it is so.

Tabula rasa (/ˈtæbjələ ˈrɑːsə, -zə, ˈreɪ-/) refers to the epistemological idea that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception.

Ad usum Delphini means “for the use of the Dauphin”.

De rerum natura (Latin: [deː ˈreːrũː naːˈtuːraː]; On the Nature of Things) is a first-century BC didactic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius (c. 99 BC – c. 55 BC) with the goal of explaining Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience.

Ad hominem (Latin for "to the man" or "to the person"), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a logical fallacy in which an argument is rebutted by attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself.

Sola scriptura (Latin: by Scripture alone) is a Christian theological doctrine which holds that the Christian Scriptures are the supreme authority in all matters of doctrine and practice.

"An eye for an eye", or the law of retaliation, is the principle that a person who has injured another person is to be penalized to a similar degree, or in softer interpretations, the victim receives the [estimated] value of the injury in compensation.

Erga omnes is a Latin phrase which means "towards all" or "towards everyone".

A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves.

Sede vacante in the canon law of the Catholic Church is the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church and especially that of the papacy.

Gentile (from Latin gentilis, by the French gentil, feminine: gentille, meaning of or belonging to a clan or tribe) is an ethnonym that commonly means non-Jew.

Deo Vindice (English: Under God, our Vindicator), was the motto of the Confederate States of America (CSA), and was engraved on their official seal.

Numerus clausus ("closed number" in Latin) is one of many methods used to limit the number of students who may study at a university.

"Eamus Catuli" is a Latin phrase associated with the Chicago Cubs, a Major League Baseball team, and with the team's home ballpark, Wrigley Field.

Filioque (Ecclesiastical Latin: [filiˈɔkwe], literally "and [from] the Son") is a Latin term added to the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (NCC) which is not in the original version.

Quos ego (Latin, literally 'Whom I') are the words, in Virgil's Aeneid (I, 135), uttered by Neptune in threat to the disobedient and rebellious winds.

Ex nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning "out of nothing".

Vacuum is space void of matter.

Sophismata (from the Greek word σόφισμα, 'sophisma', which also gave rise to the related term "sophism") in medieval philosophy are difficult or puzzling sentences presenting difficulties of logical analysis that must be solved.

Consubstantial (Latin: consubstantialis) is an adjective used in Latin Christian christology, coined by Tertullian in Against Hermogenes 44, used to translate the Greek term homoousios.

The Nomen Mysticum is the secret name that a member of a mystical secret society is given once they are considered a worthy and confirmed member of a specific mystical order.

A non sequitur (Latin for "it does not follow"), in formal logic, is an invalid argument – an argument whose conclusion does not follow from its premises.

Dux (/dʌks, dʊks/; plural: duces) is Latin for "leader" (from the noun dux, ducis, "leader, general") and later for duke and its variant forms (doge, duce, etc.).

In Civil law and Roman law, the legitime (legitima portio), also known as a forced share or legal right share, of a decedent's estate is that portion of the estate from which he cannot disinherit his children, or his parents, without sufficient legal cause.

A solis ortu usque ad occasum is a heraldic motto roughly meaning "From sunrise to sunset" in Latin.