List of Latin words with English derivatives
This is a list of Latin words with derivatives in English (and other modern languages).
Note that ancient orthography did not distinguish between i and j or between u and v. Many modern works distinguish u from v but not i from j. In this article both distinctions are shown as they are helpful when tracing the origin of English words. See also Latin spelling and pronunciation.
Contents
Nouns and adjectives
The citation form for nouns (the one normally shown in Latin dictionaries) is the nominative singular, but this typically does not exhibit the root form from which English derivatives from Latin nouns are generally derived.
| Latin Nouns and Adjectives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation form | Root form | Meaning | English Derivative |
| alius | alio-<td>other | alien | |
| bonus – melior – optimus |
bono- – melior- – optimo- |
good – better – best |
bonus ameliorate optimist |
| bōs | bov- | cow | bovine |
| canis | can- | dog | canine |
| cīvis | civ- | citizen | civil civilian |
| diēs | diē- | day | diet |
| dominus | domino- | lord | dominion |
| domus | domu- | house | domestic |
| fēmina | fēmina- | woman | feminine |
| homō | homin- | man (human being) | hominid |
| lex | lēg- | law | legal |
| lūna | lūna- | moon | lunar |
| lupus | lup- | wolf | lupine |
| magnus – mājor – maximus |
magno- – mājor- – maximo- |
big – bigger – biggest |
magnitude major maximum |
| mare | mar- | sea | marine |
| māter | mātr- | mother | matron maternal |
| nihil, nīl | nihil | nothing | nil nihilism |
| onus | oner- | load | exonerate onus |
| opus | oper- | work | operation opera |
| pater | patr- | father | patron paternal |
| rex | rēg- | king | regal |
| rūs | rūr- | farm | rural rustic |
| terra | terra- | land | terrestrial |
| urbs | urb- | city | urban |
| villa | villa- | country house | village villa |
| vir | viro- | man (male person) | virile |
| vīrus | vīro- | slime, poison | virus viral |
| vulpa | vulpa- | fox | vulpine |
Verbs
The citation form for verbs is the first person singular, present indicative active, for instance sum meaning I am. English derivatives from Latin verbs are generally based on the present stem or the past stem. Many Latin verbs change the vowel of the first paragraph when combined with a preposition, as shown in the examples given below starting with a hyphen. For instance the word capiō (take) when combined with the preposition in gives the compound verb incipiō. In some cases the compound forms show features lost from the simple verb, for instance the initial consonant cluster gn was simplified in the Latin verb gnōscō just as the k is no longer pronounced in the English equivalent know.
| Latin Verbs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation form | Present stem | Perfect stem | Meaning | Typical derivative |
| agō | ag- | āct- | do | agent, action |
| audiō | aud- | aud- | hear | audible |
| capiō -cipiō |
capi- -cipi- |
capt- -cept- |
take | capable, captive recipient, reception |
| cēdō | cēd- | cess- | yield, depart | recede, recession |
| claudō -clūdō |
claud- -clūd- |
claus- -clūs- |
close | conclude, conclusive |
| faciō -ficiō |
faci- -fici- |
fact- -fect- |
make | efficient, effective |
| ferō | fer- | lāt- | bring | reference, relation |
| fīgō | fīg- | fīx- | fix | crucifixion |
| fingō | fing- | fict | fashion, invent | fiction |
| gradior -gredior |
gradi- -gredi- |
gress- -gress- |
step | ingredient, progressive |
| jaciō -(j)iciō |
jaci- (j)ici- |
jact- -ject- |
throw | projectile |
| lūdō | lūd- | lūs- | play | collude, collusion |
| mergō | merg- | mers- | dip | emerge, immerse |
| mittō | mitt- | mīs- | send | commit, missive |
| nōscō -gnōscō |
nōsc- -gnōsc- |
nōt- -gnōt-, -gnit- |
know | notable cognitive |
| pōnō | pōn- | posit- | put | component; position |
| premō | prem- | press- | push | pressure, oppress |
| rumpō | rump- | rupt- | break | rupture |
| scrībō | scrīb- | scrīpt- | write | scripture |
| sequor | seq- | seq- | follow | sequence |
| sum | es- | fut- | be | essence, future |
| vertō | vert- | vers- | turn | reverse |
| videō | vidē- | vīs- | see | vision |
| volvō | volv- | volūt- | roll | revolve, revolution |
Prepositions used to form compound words
| Latin Preposition | ||
|---|---|---|
| Latin word | Meaning | Compound Form |
| ā, ab | from | ab- |
| ad | up to, near | ad-, ac-, ar-, al- |
| ante | before | ante- |
| cum | with, together | con-, coll- |
| dē | down from, about | de- |
| ē, ex | out of | ex, e-, ec- |
| in | in, into | in-, im-, ill- |
| inter | between | inter-, intell- |
| juxtā | near, close to | juxtā |
| ob | towards | ob-, occ- |
| prae | before | prae-(pre-) |
| re | again | re-, red- |
| se | away from | sē- |
| prō | in front of, on behalf of | prō- |
| post | after, behind | post- |
| sub | under | sub-, sus-, succ- |
| super | above, on top of | super- |
| trāns | across | trāns- |
Other parts of speech
| Latin Nouns and Adjectives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin word | Meaning | ||
| cur? | why? | ||
| et | and | ||
| in | in, on | ||
| is | he, she, it | ||
| id | it, that | ||
| quis | who | ||
| quid | what | ||
External link
See also
- Classical compound
- Greek and latin roots
- Latin
- List of Greek words with English derivatives
- List of Latin phrases
- List of Germanic and Latinate equivalents
- List of French phrases
- List of French proverbs
- List of Greek phrases
- List of German expressions in English
- List of German words and phrases
- French phrases used by English speakers
- List of Spanish expressions in common English
