Although Latin is considered a “dead language” (meaning it isn’t spoken widely as a primary language), many tongues around the world have been heavily influenced by it. Early Europeans traded with Latin speakers in the Roman Empire, and later, Catholic monks wrote religious texts and conducted services in Latin. Though relatively few English speakers know Latin today, many of our words have roots in this ancient language. We could go on ad infinitum (forever) about the influence of Latin on the English-speaking world, but instead, let’s examine the roots of the most common Latin phrases we use today.
“Ad hoc” literally translates as “to this,” but the phrase essentially describes things created as needed, or when necessary. “Ad hoc” can be used as either an adjective (“We formed an ad hoc committee to plan the gala”) or an adverb (“Let’s buy the supplies ad hoc”).
The literal Latin translation of this phrase is “with good faith,” but in modern colloquialisms, “bona fide” is another way of saying “genuine” or “sincere.” When used in legal or business contexts, it means there was no intent to defraud or deceive. (“He was a bona fide expert in personal finance.”)
Read today as “seize the day,” this phrase comes from the Roman poet Horace and is more accurately translated as “pluck the day.” It encourages us to enjoy the current moment without worrying about the future. (“She was determined to carpe diem on her vacation.”)
“Let the buyer beware” puts the onus (another Latin word meaning “burden”) on the person buying an item to know and understand the risk inherent in their purchase. (“Caveat emptor is a good approach when selecting a used car.”)
“God from the machine” sounds like a sci-fi plot, but this phrase comes from ancient Greek theater traditions. At the end of some Greek plays, a machine would raise or lower an actor playing a god onto the stage, and they would then resolve the conflict of the narrative. Today, “deus ex machina” (still mostly used as a literary device) refers to anyone or anything who suddenly and unexpectedly provides a solution.
Literally “in blazing crime,” the idiom “in flagrante delicto” loosely means “caught in the act.” This often refers to a crime, but it can also be a euphemism for sexual activity. (“When we opened the door, we saw them in flagrante delicto.”) It’s sometimes shortened to just “in flagrante.”
“In media res,” meaning “in the midst of things,” is a literary device that describes a story that begins in the middle of the action or plot. (“My favorite novelists tend to start a story in media res.”)
As a preposition, this means “in memory of,” and as a noun, it’s a synonym (often used as a modifier) for an obituary. These are works created in memory of someone who has died. (“The actor’s photo was shown on the in memoriam photo reel.”)
Directly translated as “great work,” this is an artist’s most significant work or achievement. (“Many believe the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is Michelangelo’s magnum opus.”)
“Mea culpa,” or “by my fault” is a phrase that comes from the Roman Catholic mass, where it is said during a confessional prayer. It’s a way of acknowledging personal fault or error. (“She offered a mea culpa for forgetting my birthday.”)
“It does not follow” — a non sequitur is a statement that does not clearly or logically follow the one before it. (“They were talking about the weather when he brought up a non sequitur about his new car.”)
“Persona non grata” refers to an unwelcome person. As the translation suggests, you don’t want to become a persona non grata. (“The accused man was persona non grata among his former friends.”)
“Something for something,” or “quid pro quo,” is when something is given in return for something else. It can be a fair exchange of goods and services, but the phrase also has a particular meaning in legal contexts. If a deal is considered one-sided, courts can decide a quid pro quo did not exist. (“The job negotiation was on a quid pro quo basis.”)
“I came, I saw, I won.” This phrase is popularly attributed to Julius Caesar when he achieved a quick military victory in modern-day Turkey and sent this message back to the Roman Senate. (“After she won the chess tournament, the champion shouted, ‘Veni, vidi, vici.’”)
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