Many Latin expressions are used in books and in everyday English speech, and you will certainly find most those phrases listed and translated on my site. However, the existing body of Latin literature, both Classical and Medieval is extremely vast. There are many undiscovered gems of wit and wisdom, so I encourage you to study Latin :) The source for a quote is sometimes indcated, but one must remember that Latin quotations are often used as if they were anonymous maxims of universal wisdom. Unlike the collections of quotes that you will find on some other websites, these lines have been actually looked at more than once by someone who knows Latin. I am sure, however, that some typos have not been fixed, so do not assume that anything you find here is safe and good enough to be tattooed on your person! Always ask a Latinist before using a Latin quote for any permanent purpose.
This site also hosts a plethora of imporant resources about Latin, as well as some other languages. Most notably, there a list of legal Latin maxims. Elsewhere on this site there are Latin phrases used in medicine, heraldry, jewelry engravings, sundials and Latin love poems. There is even a motto generator that lets you create Latin phrases without knowing Latin!
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Maecenas atavis edite regibus - Maecenas, born of monarch ancestors. (Horace)
Magister artis ingeniique largitor venter - Necessity is the mother of all invention
Magister Artium (MA) - Master of arts
Magister mundi sum! - I am the master of the universe!
Magna cum laude - With great honour or academic distinction
Magna res est vocis et silentii temperamentum - The great thing is to know when to speak and when to keep quiet
Magnas inter opes inops - A pauper in the midst of wealth. (Horace)
Magnificat - It magnifies
Magnum bonum - A great good
Magnum opus - Great work, the major work of one's life
Mala fide - In bad faith (something which is done fraudulently)
Male parta male dilabuntur - What has been wrongly gained is wrongly lost.(Cicero)
Malum consilium quod mutari non potest - It's a bad plan that can't be changed. (Publilius Syrus)
Malum prohibitum - A prohibited wrong. A crime that society decides is wrong for some reason, not inherently evil
Malum quidem nullum esse sine aliquo bono - There is, to be sure, no evil without something good. (Pliny the Elder)
Manus in manu - Hand in hand
Manus manum lavat - One hand washes the other. The favor for the favor. (Petronius)
Mare clausum - A closed sea
Mare liberum - An open sea
Mare nostrum - Our sea. (Mediterranean)
Margaritas ante porcos - Pearls before swine. To give something valuable to someone not respecting it
Mater artium necessitas - Necessity is the mother of invention
Mater dolorosa - Sorrowful mother. (Virgin Mary)
Materfamilias - Mother of family
Materia medica - Medical matter
Materiam superabat opus - The workmanship was better than the subject matter. (Ovid)
Maxima debetur puero reverentia - We owe the greatest respect to a child
Maximus in minimis - Great in little things
Me fallit - I do not know
Me iudice - In my judgement
Mea culpa - Through my fault
Mea maxima culpa - Through my very great fault
Mea mihi conscientia pluris est quam omnium sermo - My conscience means more to me than all speech. (Cicero)
Medice, cura te ipsum! - Physician, heal thyself! (Versio Vulgata)
Medici graviores morbos asperis remediis curant - Doctors cure the more serious diseases with harsh remedies. (Curtius Rufus)
Medicus curat, natura sanat - The physician treats, nature cures
Medio tutissimus ibis - You will go safest in the middle. (Moderation in all things) (Ovid)
Meliora cogito - I strive for the best
Melius est praevenire quam praeveniri - Better to forestall than to be forestalled
Melius frangi quam flecti - It is better to break than to bend
Memento mori - Remember that you must die
Memento vivere - A reminder of life (literally remember that you have to live)
Memorabilia - Memorable things
Memorandum - A note of; a thing to be remembered
Memoria in aeterna - In everlasting remembrance
Memoriter - From memory
Mendacem memorem esse oportet - A liar needs a good memory. (Quintilianus)
Mens agitat molem - The mind moves the matter. (Vergil)
Mens rea - Guilty mind
Mens regnum bona possidet - An honest heart is a kingdom in itself. (Seneca)
Mens sana in corpore sano - A sound mind in a sound body. (Juvenalis)
Mens sibi conscia recti - A mind conscious of its rectitude
Meum pactum dictum - My word is my bond
Mihi cura futuri - My concern is the future
Millennium (millennia) - A thousand year period
Mirabile dictu - Wonderful to say/relate
Mirabile visu - Wonderful to behold
Miserere - Have mercy
Missa solemnis - Solemn Mass. (high Mass)
Mittimus - We send (to prison)
Modus agendi - Manner of operation
Modus operandi (m.o.) - Way of operating
Modus vivendi - Way of living
Monstra mihi pecuniam! - Show me the money!
Moratorium - A delay
Morituri te salutant - Those who are about to die salute you
Mors ultima linea rerum est - Death is everything's final limit. (Horace)
Mors ultima ratio - Death is the final accounting
Mortui non mordant - Dead me don't bite; Dead men tell no tale
Motu proprio - Of one's own initiative
Mulier taceat in ecclesia - Let the woman be silent in church. (Paul)
Multi famam, conscientiam pauci verentur - Many fear their reputation, few their conscience. (Pliny)
Multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi - Many are called [but] few are chosen
Multis post annis - Many years later
Multum in parvo - Much in little. (small but significant)
Multum, non multa - Much, not many (quality not quantity)
Mundus vult decipi - The world wants to be deceived
Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur - The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived!
Munit haec et altera vincit - One defends and the other conquers
Mus uni non fidit antro - A mouse does not rely on just one hole. (Plautus)
Musica delenit bestiam feram - Music soothes the savage beast
Mutatis mutandis - The necessary changes having been made
Mutatis mutandis - The things that ought to have changed having been changed with the necessary substitutions having been made
Mutato nomine - The name being changed