This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(January 2021) |
This page is one of a series listing English translations of notableLatinphrases, such asveni, vidi, viciandet cetera.Some of the phrases are themselves translations ofGreek phrases,asancient Greekrhetoricandliteraturestarted centuries before the beginning ofLatin literatureinancient Rome.[1]
- This list covers the letterV.SeeList of Latin phrasesfor the main list.
Latin | Translation | Notes |
---|---|---|
vacate et scire | Be still and know. | Motto of theUniversity of Sussex |
vade ad formicam | go to the ant | From theVulgate,Proverbs6:6.The full quotation translates as "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!"[2] |
vade mecum | go with me | Avade-mecumorvademecumis an item one carries around, especially a handbook. |
vade retro Satana | go back,Satan | An exhortation toSatanto be gone, often aRoman Catholicresponse totemptation.From a popular Medieval Roman Catholicexorcismformula, derived from the rebuke ofJesus ChristtoSt. Peter,as quoted in theVulgate,Mark8:33:vade retro me Satana( "get behind Me, Satan" ).[3]The phrase "vade retro"(" go back ") is also inTerence'sFormio,I, 4, 203. |
vale | farewell | see also:ave atque vale |
valenter volenter | strongly and willingly | Motto ofHMSValorous(L00) |
vae, puto deus fio | ah, I think I am becoming a god | Last words ofVespasianaccording toSuetoniusin hisTwelve Caesars |
vae victis | woe to the conquered | Attributed byLivytoBrennus,the chief of theGauls,stated with his demand for more gold from the citizens of the sacked city ofRomein 390 BC. |
vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas | vanity of vanities; everything [is] vanity | Or more simply: "vanity, vanity, everything vanity". From theVulgate,Ecclesiastes1:2;12:8. |
vaticinium ex eventu | prophecy from the event | A purported prediction stated as if it was made before the event it describes, while in fact being made thereafter. |
vel non | or not | Summary of alternatives, e. g., "this action turns upon whether the claimant was the deceased's grandsonvel non." |
velle est posse | to be willing is to be able | Non-literally, "where there is a will, there is a way". It is the motto of Hillfield, one of the founding schools ofHillfield Strathallan College. |
velocius quam asparagi coquantur | faster thanasparaguscan be cooked | Rendered byRobert GravesinI, Claudiusas "as quick as boiled asparagus". Ascribed toAugustusbySuetoniusinThe Twelve Caesars,Book 2 (Augustus), para. 87. It refers to anything done very quickly. A very common variant iscelerius quam asparagi cocuntur( "faster than asparagus[is]cooked "). |
velut arbor aevo | as a tree with the passage of time | Motto of theUniversity of Toronto,Canada |
veni, vidi, vici | I came, I saw, I conquered | The message supposedly sent byJulius Caesarto theRoman Senateto describe his battle againstKing Pharnaces II of PontusnearZelain 47 BC. |
venia aetatis | pardon my age | the privilege of age sometimes granted a minor under Roman or civil law, entitling the minor to the rights and liabilities of a person of full age, and resemblingemancipation of minorsin modern law |
venturis ventis | to the coming winds | Motto ofBrasília,the capital ofBrazil |
vera causa | true cause | |
vera natura | true nature | Used inMetaphysicsand specifically inKant'sTranscendental Idealismto refer to a subject as it exists in its logically distinct form rather than as it is perceived by the human faculty.[4][5] |
verba docent exempla trahunt | words instruct, illustrations lead | This refers to the relevance of illustrations, for example in preaching. |
verba ex ore | words from mouth | Taking the words out of someone's mouth, speaking exactly what the other colloquist wanted to say. |
verba ita sunt intelligenda ut res magis valeat quam pereat | words are to be understood such that the subject matter may be more effective than wasted | I. e., when explaining a subject, it is important to clarify rather than confuse. |
verba vana aut risui non loqui | not to speak words in vain or to start laughter | ARoman Catholicreligious precept, being Rule 56 of theRule of Saint Benedict. |
verba volant, scripta manent | words fly away, writings remain | |
verbatim | word for word | The phrase refers to perfect transcription or quotation. |
verbatim et literatim | word for word and letter by letter | |
verbi divini minister | servant of the Divine Word | A phrase denoting apriest.Cf. "Verbum Dei"infra. |
verbi gratia (v. gr.orv. g.) |
for example | Literally, "for the sake of a word". |
Verbum Dei | Word of God | Seereligious text. |
Verbum Domini lucerna pedibus nostris | The word of the Lord [is] a light for our feet | Motto of theUniversity of Groningen |
verbum Domini manet in aeternum(VDMA) | the word of the Lord endures forever | Motto of theLutheran Reformation |
verb. sap. verbum sap. |
a word to the wise [is sufficient] | A phrase denoting that the listener can fill in the omitted remainder, or enough is said. It is the truncation of "verbum sapienti sat[is] est". |
verbum volitans | flying word | A word that floats in the air, on which everyone is thinking and is just about to be imposed.[citation needed] |
veritas | truth | Motto of many educational institutions |
veritasaequitas | truth [and] justice | |
veritas, bonitas, pulchritudo, sanctitas | truth, goodness, beauty, [and] sanctity | Motto ofFu Jen Catholic University,Taiwan |
veritas Christo et ecclesiae | truth for Christ and church | Thede iuremotto ofHarvard University,United States, which dates to its foundation; it is often shortened toveritasto remove its original religious meaning. |
veritas cum libertate | truth with liberty | Motto ofWinthrop University |
veritas curat | truth cures | Motto ofJawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research |
veritas Dei vincit | the truth of God conquers | Motto of theHussites |
veritas Domini manet in aeternum | the truth of the Lord remains for eternity | |
veritas et fortitudo | truth and fortitude | One of the mottos of theLyceum of the Philippines University |
veritas et virtus | truth and virtue | Motto of theUniversity of Pittsburgh,Methodist University,andMississippi College |
veritas, fides, sapientia | truth, faith, [and] wisdom | Motto ofDowling Catholic High School |
veritas in caritate | truth in charity | Motto ofBishop Wordsworth's School,St Munchin's College,and theUniversity of Santo Tomas |
veritas, iustitia, libertas | truth, justice, [and] liberty | Motto of theFree University of Berlin |
veritas liberabit vos | truth shall liberate you | Motto ofXavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan |
veritas lux mea | truth [is] my light | A common, non-literal translation is "truth enlightens me"; motto ofSeoul National University,South Korea |
veritas numquam perit | truth never expires | bySeneca the Younger |
veritas odit moras | truth hates delay | bySeneca the Younger |
veritas odium parit | truth breeds hatred | |
veritas omnia vincit | truth conquers all | A quotation from a letter ofJan Hus;frequently used as a motto |
veritas, probitas, iustitia | truth, honesty, justice | Motto of theUniversity of Indonesia |
veritas, unitas, caritas | truth, unity, [and] love | Motto ofVillanova University,United States |
veritas vincit | truth conquers | Cf. "veritas omnia vincit"supra.Motto on thestandardof the presidents ofCzechoslovakiaand theCzech Republic,and of theScottishClan Keith |
Veritas. Virtus. Libertas. | Truth. Virtue. Liberty. | Motto of theUniversity of Szeged,Hungary |
veritas vitæ magistra | truth is the teacher of life | Another plausible translation is "truth is the mistress of life". It is the unofficial motto of theUniversity of Puerto Rico, Río Piedrasand is inscribed in its tower. |
veritas vos liberabit | truth will liberate you [all] | Motto ofJohns Hopkins University,United States |
veritate duce progredi | advancing with truth leading | Motto of theUniversity of Arkansas,United States |
[in] veritate et caritate | in truth and charity | Motto ofCatholic Junior College,Singapore;St. Xavier's School,andHazaribagh,India |
veritate et virtute | with truth and virtue | Motto ofSydney Boys High School.It is alternatively rendered "virtute et veritate"(" with virtue and truth "), which is the motto ofWalford Anglican School for GirlsandPocklington School. |
veritatem dilexi | I esteemed truth | Alternatively, "I loved truth"; motto ofBryn Mawr College |
veritatem fratribus testari | to bear witness to truth in fraternity | Motto ofXaverian Brothers High School |
veritatem cognoscere | to know truth | Motto of the Clandestine Service of the United StatesCentral Intelligence Agency |
vero nihil verius | nothing [is] truer than truth | Motto ofMentone Girls' Grammar School |
vero possumus | yes, we can | A variation of the campaign slogan of then-SenatorBarack Obama,which was superimposed on a variation of theGreat Seal of the United Statesduring theUS presidential campaign of 2008.[6] |
versus(vs)or(v.) | towards | Literally, "in the direction [of]". It is erroneously used in English for "against", probably as the truncation of "adversus",especially in reference to two opponents, e. g., the parties tolitigationor a sports match. |
vestigia nulla retrorsum | Never a backward step | Motto ofWanganui Collegiate School |
vestis virum facit | Clothes make the man | Statement made byErasmusto augment ancient commentary on the role of appearance in affirming authority |
veto | I forbid | The word denotes the right to unilaterally forbid or void a specific proposal, especiallylegislation.It is derived from ancientRomanvoting procedures. |
vexata quaestio | vexed question | Latin legal phrase denoting a question that is often debated or considered, but is not generally settled, such that contrary answers may be held by different persons. |
vexilla regis prodeunt inferni | forth go the banners of the king of Hell | Authored byDante AlighieriinCanto XXXIVof theInferno,the phrase is an allusion to and play upon the LatinEasterhymnVexilla Regis.The phrase is repeatedly referenced in the works ofWalter M. Miller, Jr. |
vi coactus | under constraint | A legal phrase regarding contracts that indicates agreement made under duress. |
vi et animo | with heart and soul | Alternatively, "strength and courage"; motto of theAscham School |
vi veri universum vivus vici | by the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe | Magickalmotto ofAleister Crowley. |
via | by the road/way | The word denotes "by way of" or "by means of", e. g., "I will contact you via email". |
via media | middle road/way | This phrase describes a compromise between two extremes or theradical centerpolitical position. |
via, veritas, vita | the Way, the Truth, [and] the Life | Words ofJesus ChristinJohn14:6;motto of many institutions |
viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi | I will show you the way of wisdom | Motto ofDePaul University |
vice | in place of | The word refers to one who acts in the place of another. It is used as a separate word or as a hyphenated prefix, e. g., "Vice President" and "Vice-Chancellor". |
vice versa versa vice |
with position turned | British English,viceis pronounced as two syllables, but inAmericanandCanadian Englishthe singular-syllable pronunciation is almost universal.Classical Latin pronunciationdictates that the letter "c" is only a hard sound, like "k". Moreover, the letter "v", when consonantal, represents /w/; henceWEE-kehWEHR-sah.[7] | Thus, "the other way around", "conversely",et cetera.Historically, in
victoria amat curam | victory demands dedication | Motto ofNorth Melbourne Football Club |
victoria aut mors | Victory or death | Similar toaut vincere aut mori. |
victoria concordia crescit | victory comes from harmony | Motto ofArsenal F.C. |
victrix causa diis placuit sed victa Catoni | the victorious cause pleased the gods, but the conquered cause pleasedCato | Authored byLucaninPharsalia,1, 128. The dedicatory inscription on the south face of the Confederate Memorial inArlington National Cemetery,Virginia, United States. |
vide | "see" or "refer to" | The word is used in scholarly citations. |
vide infra(v. i.) | see below | The word is used in scholarly works. |
vide supra(v. s.) | see above | The word is used in scholarly works to refer to previous text in the same document. It is sometimes truncated to "supra". |
videlicet(viz.) | "namely", "that is to say", or "as follows" | A contraction of "videre licet"(" it is permitted to see "),vide infra. |
video et taceo | I see and keep silent | Motto ofQueen Elizabeth Iof England |
video meliora proboque deteriora sequor | I see and approve of the better, but I follow the worse | From theMetamorphosesBook 7, 20-1ofOvid,being a summary of the experience ofakrasia. |
video sed non credo | I see it, but I do not believe it | The statement ofCaspar Hofmann after being shown proof of thecirculatory systembyWilliam Harvey. |
videre licet | "it is permitted to see" or "one may see" | used in scholarship |
vim promovet insitam | promotes one's innate power | derived fromHorace,Ode4, 4; motto of theUniversity of Bristol |
vince malum bono | overcome evil with good | A partial quotation ofRomans12:21; motto ofOld Swinford HospitalandBishop Cotton Schoolin Shimla |
vincere est vivere | to conquer is to live | Motto of CaptainJohn Smith |
vincere scis Hannibal victoria uti nescis | you know [how] to win,Hannibal;you do not know [how] to use victory | According toLivy,a colonel in the cavalry stated this toHannibalafter victory in theBattle of Cannaein 216 BC, meaning that Hannibal should have marched onRomeimmediately. |
vincit omnia veritas | truth conquers all | motto ofUniversity of Mindanao,Philippines |
vincit qui patitur | he conquers who endures | First attributed to the Roman scholar and satiristPersius;frequently used as a motto. |
vincit qui se vincit | he (she) conquers who conquers himself (herself) | Motto of many educational institutions, including thePhiladelphia High School for GirlsandNorth Sydney Boys High School.It is alternatively rendered asbis vincit qui se vincit( "he (she) who prevails over himself (herself) is twice victorious" ). It is also the motto of theBeastinDisney's filmBeauty and the Beast,as seen inscribed in the castle'sstained glasswindow near the beginning of the film. |
vinculum juris | the chain of the law | The phrase denotes that a thing is legally binding. "A civil obligation is one which has a binding operation in law,vinculum juris."(Bouvier's Law Dictionary(1856), "Obligation" ) |
vinum et musica laetificant cor | wine and music gladden the heart | Asterix and Caesar's Gift;it is a variation of "vinum bonum laetificat cor hominis". |
vinum regum, rex vinorum | the wine of kings, the king of wines | The phrase describesHungarianTokajiwine, and is attributed toKing Louis XIVofFrance. |
viperam sub ala nutricare | a viper nursed at the bosom | Acaveatregarding trusting someone against his inherent nature; the moral ofAesop's fableThe Farmer and the Viper. |
vir quisque vir | every man a man | Motto of the US collegiate fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha. |
vires acquirit eundo | she gathers strength as she goes | A quotation from Vergil'sAeneid,Book 4, 175, which in the original context refers toPheme.Motto on theCoat of arms of Melbourne |
virgo intacta | a female whosehymenis unbroken, had never sexual intercourse, a maiden, a virgin | |
viribus unitis | with united forces | Motto of the house ofHabsburg-Lorraine |
virile agitur | the manly thing is being done | Motto ofKnox Grammar School |
viriliter age | "act manfully" or "act courageously" | Motto ofMarist College Ashgroveand other institutions |
viriliter agite | act in a manly way | Motto ofSt Muredach's Collegeand PAREF Southridge School for Boys. FromPsalm 27 |
viriliter agite estote fortes | act manfully, be strong | Motto ofCulford School |
virtus et labor | virtue and [hard] work | |
virtus et scientia | virtue and knowledge | Common motto |
virtus in media stat | virtue stands in the middle | A principle derived from the ethical theory ofAristotle.Idiomatically, "good practice lies in the middle path" between two extremes. It is disputed whethermediaormediois correct. |
virtus junxit mors non separabit | that which virtue unites, let not death separate | |
virtus laudata crescit | greatness increases with praise | Motto of theBerkhamsted School |
virtus non stemma | valor, not garland | Motto of theDuke of Westminster,inscribed at his residence inEaton,and the motto ofGrosvenor Rowing ClubandHarrow County School for Boys |
virtus sola nobilitas | virtue alone [is] noble | Motto ofChristian Brothers College, St Kilda;similar tosola nobilitat virtus |
virtus tentamine gaudet | strength rejoices in the challenge | Motto ofHillsdale College,Michigan, United States |
virtus unita fortior | virtue united [is] stronger | State mottoofAndorra |
virtute duce | led by virtue | |
virtute duce comite fortuna | led by virtue, accompanied by [good] fortune | |
virtute et armis | by virtue and arms | Alternatively, "by manliness and weapons". TheState mottoofMississippi,United States. The phrase was possibly derived from the motto of Lord Gray de Wilton,virtute non armis fido( "I trust in virtue, not in arms" ). |
virtute et constantia | by virtue and consistency | National motto ofMalta.Also motto of theEstonian Internal Security Service. |
virtute et industria | by virtue and industry | Motto ofBristol,United Kingdom |
virtute et valor | by virtue and valour | Motto of St George’s Grammar School, Cape Town,[8][9]and of a High School |
virtute et veritate | by virtue and truth | Motto ofPocklington School |
vis legis | the power of the law | |
vis major | force majeure,superior force | |
visio dei | vision of a god | |
vita ante acta | a life done before | The phrase denotes a previous life, generally believed to be the result ofreincarnation. |
vita, dulcedo, spes | Mary,[our] life, sweetness, [and] hope | Motto of theUniversity of Notre Dame,Indiana, United States, which is derived from theRoman Catholichymn to theBlessed Virgin MarytitledSalve Regina. |
vita incerta, mors certissima | life is uncertain, death is most certain | More simply, "the most certain thing in life is death". |
vita mutatur, non tollitur | life is changed, not taken away | The phrase is a quotation from the preface of the firstRoman Catholicrite of theMassfor the Dead. |
vita patris | during the life of the father | Hence the term "decessit vita patris"(d. v. p) or" died v. p. ", which is seen in genealogical works such asBurke's Peerage. |
vita summa brevis spem nos vetat incohare longam | the shortness of life prevents us from entertaining far-off hopes | This is a wistful refrain that is sometimes used ironically. It is derived from the first line ofHorace'sOde 1.It was later used as the title of a short poem ofErnest Dowson. |
vitae corona fides | faith is the crown of life | Motto ofColchester Royal Grammar School. |
vitai lampada tradunt | they hand on the torch of life | A quotation from the poem ofLucretius,De rerum natura,Book 2, 77-9.The ordinary spelling "vitae"in two syllables had to be changed to"vitaï"in three syllables to satisfy the requirements of the poem'sdactylic hexameters.Motto of theSydney Church of England Grammar Schooland others. |
vitam amplificare hominibus hominesque societati | mankind [who] extends the life of the community | Motto ofEast Los Angeles College,California, United States |
viva voce | living voice | "byword of mouth";oral exam; spoken, in-person,evidencein law |
vivat crescat floreat | may it live, grow, [and] flourish | |
vivat rex | may the king live | The acclamation is ordinary translated as "long live the king!". In the case of a queen, "vivat regina"(" long live the queen "). |
vivat rex, curat lex | long live the king, guardian of the law | A curious translation of the pun on "vivat rex",found inWesterhamparish church inKent,England. |
vive memor leti | live remembering death | Authored byPersius.Cf. "memento mori". |
vive ut vivas | live so that you may live | The phrase suggests that one should live life to the fullest and without fear of the possible consequences. |
vivere est cogitare | to live is to think | Authored byCicero.Cf. "cogito ergo sum". |
vivere militare est | to live is to fight | Authored bySeneca the Youngerin Epistle 96, 5. Cf. the allegory ofMiles Christianusbased on "militia est vita hominis"from theVulgate,Book of Job7:1. |
vocare ad regnum | call to fight | Alternatively, "call to Kingdom". Motto of professional wrestlerTriple H,and seen in his entrance video. |
vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit | called and not called, God will be present | Alternatively, "called and even not called, God approaches". Attributed to theOracle at Delphi.Motto ofCarl Jung,and inscribed in his home and grave. |
volenti non fit injuria | to one willing, no harm is done | Alternatively, "to him who consents, no harm is done". The principle is used in the law oftortsand denotes that one can not be held liable for injuries inflicted on another who consented to the act that injured him. |
volo non fugia | I fly but do not flee | Motto ofHMSVenetia[10] |
vos estis sal terrae | you are the salt of the earth | A famous biblical sentence proclaimed byJesus Christ. |
votum separatum | separate vow | The phrase denotes an independent, minority voice. |
vox clamantis in deserto | the voice of one clamoring in the desert | Or traditionally, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness". A quotation of theVulgate,Isaiah40:3,and quoted bySt. John the BaptistinMark1:3andJohn1:23). Motto ofDartmouth College,Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. |
vox nihili | voice of nothing | The phrase denotes a useless or ambiguous statement. |
vox populi | voice of the people | The phrase denotes a brief interview of a common person that is not previously arranged, e. g., an interview on a street. It is sometimes truncated to "vox pop." |
vox populi, vox Dei | the voice of the people [is] the voice of God | |
vulpes pilum mutat, non mores | the fox changes his fur, not his habits | By extension, and in common morality, humanity can change their attitudes, but they will hardly change their objectives or what they have set themselves to achieve. Ascribed toTitusbySuetoniusin the eighth book (chapter 16) ofThe Twelve Caesars. |
References
edit- ^Peter A. Mackridge;Robert Browning;Donald William Lucas;et al."Greek literature".Encyclopædia Britannica.Retrieved5 August2024.
- ^Proverbs 6:6
- ^Mark 8:33
- ^Rosmini Serbati, Antonio (2009).Breve schizzo dei sistemi di filosofia moderna e del proprio sistema e Dialogo su la vera natura del conoscere(in Italian). Caviglione, Carlo (Rist. anast ed.). Lanciano: R. Carabba.ISBN978-88-6344-038-6.OCLC849482905.
- ^Copenhaver, Brian P.;Copenhaver, Rebecca,eds. (2012).From Kant to Croce: Modern Philosophy in Italy, 1800–1950.Toronto: University of Toronto Press.ISBN978-1-4426-9448-4.OCLC794619866.
- ^ImageatYork University,Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics.ArchivedFebruary 3, 2014, at theWayback Machine
- ^Covington, Michael A. (December 31, 2005)."Latin Pronunciation Demystified"(PDF).Program in Linguistics.University of Georgia.
- ^Evans, Richard."Latin Mottoes in South African Universities".
- ^"Home".sggs.co.za.
Additional references
- Adeleye, Gabriel G. (1999). Thomas J. Sienkewicz; James T. McDonough Jr. (eds.).World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions.Wauconda, Illinois: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers.ISBN0865164223.
- Stone, Jon R. (1996).Latin for the Illiterati.London & New York: Routledge.ISBN0415917751.