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!
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V
E contrario - From a contrary position
E pluribus unum - From many, one (motto of the USA)
E re nata - As circumstances dictate
E vestigio - From where one stands
Ecce homo - Behold the man
Ecce signum - Behold the proof
Editio princeps - First printed edition
Ego et rex meus - I and my King
Ego me bene habeo - With me all is well. (last words) (Burrus)
Ego nolo caesar esse - I don't want to be Caesar. (Florus)
Ego spem pretio non emo - I do not purchase hope for a price. (I do not buy a pig in a poke.)
Ego - Consciousness of one's own identity
Eheu fugaces labuntur anni - Alas, the fleeting years slip by. (Horace)
Eiusdem generis - Of the same kind
Emeritus - Honorary; by merit
Emitte lucem et veritatem - Send out light and truth
Ense et aratro - With sword and plow
Eo ipso - By that very act
Eo nomine - Under that name
Epistula non erubescit - A letter doesn't blush. (Cicero)
Eram quod es, eris quod sum - I was what you are, you will be what I am. (grave inscription)
Ergo bibamus - Therefore, let us drink
Ergo - Therefore
Errare humanum est - To err is human. / It is human to err. (Seneca)
Errata - A list of errors (in a book)
Erratum (errata) - Error (errors)
Esse est percipi - Being is perception. (It is a standard metaphysical) (Mauser)
Esse quam videri - To be, rather than to seem (state motto of North Carolina)
Est autem fides credere quod nondum vides; cuius fidei merces est videre quod credis - Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. (St. Augustine)
Est deus in nobis - There is a god inside us
Est modus in rebus - There is a middle ground in things. (Horace)
Est queadam fiere voluptas - There is a certain pleasure in weeping. (Ovid)
Esto perpetue - May you last for ever
Et alii/aliae - Other persons/things
Et cetera/etcetera (etc.) - And the rest
Et in arcadia ego - I, also, am in Arcadia
Et sequens (et seq.) - And the following
Et sequentes (et seq. Or seqq.) - And those that follow
Et sic de ceteris - And so to of the rest
Et tu, Brute - And you, Brutus
Et uxor (abbreviated et ux.) - And wife
Etiam capillus unus habet umbram - Even one hair has a shadow. (Publilius Syrus)
Eventus stultorum magister - Events are the teacher of the stupid persons. Stupid people learn by experience, bright people calculate what to do
Ex abrupto - Without preparation
Ex abundancia cordis, os loquitor - From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks
Ex animo - From the heart (sincerely)
Ex ante - Before the event, beforehand. (economics: based on prior assumptions)
Ex cathedra - From the chair. With authority (without argumentation)
Ex cearulo - Out of the blue
Ex curia - Out of court
Ex dolo - Intentionally
Ex gratia - Purely as a favour
Ex hypothesi - From the hypothesis. (i.e. The one under consideration)
Ex libris - From the Library (of)
Ex luna, scientia - From the moon, knowledge. (motto of Apollo 13)
Ex mea sententia - In my opinion
Ex more - According to custom
Ex nilhilo nihil fit - Nothing comes from nothing
Ex officio - By virtue of his office
Ex opere operato - By the work having been worked
Ex parte - By only one party to a dispute in the absence of the other
Ex post facto - After the fact, or Retrospectively
Ex proprio motu - Voluntarily
Ex silentio - From silence. (from lack of contrary evidence)
Ex tempore - Off the cuff, without preparation
Ex uno disce omnes - From one person learn all persons. (From one we can judge the rest)
Ex vi termini - By definition
Ex voto - According to one's vow
Ex - Out of
Excelsior - Ever upward. (state motto of New York)
Exceptio probat regulam de rebus non exceptis - An exception establishes the rule as to things not excepted
Exceptis excipiendis - Excepting what is to be excepted
Excitabat fluctus in simpulo - He was stirring up billows in a ladle. (He was raising a tempest in a teapot) (Cicero)
Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta - He who excuses himself, accuses himself (qui s'excuse, s'accuse)
Exeat - Permission for a temporary absence
Exegi monumentum aere perennius - I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze. (Horace)
Exempli gratia (e.g) - For the sake of example
Exeunt omnes - All go out. (A common stage direction in plays)
Exeunt - They go out
Exit - He/she goes out
Exitus acta probat - The outcome proves the deeds. (the end justifies the means) (Ovid)
Experientia docet stultos - Experience teaches fools
Experientia docet - Experience is the best teacher
Expressio unius est exclusio alterius - The mention of one thing may exclude others
Extempore - Without premeditation
Extinctus amabitur idem - The same [hated] man will be loved after he's dead. How quickly we forget. (Horace)
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus - Outside the Church [there is] no salvation. (A phrase of much disputed significance in Roman Catholic theology)
Extra territorium jus dicenti impune non paretur - The judgment (or the authority) of one who is exceeding his territorial jurisdiction is disobeyed with impunity