This is a list of Latin words with derivatives in English (and other modern languages).
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.
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The citation form for nouns (the one normally shown in Latin dictionaries) is the Latin nominative singular, but this typically does not exhibit the root form from which English nouns are generally derived.
| Latin Nouns and Adjectives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation form | Declining stem | Meaning | English derivative |
| acerbus | acerb- | bitter | acerbic |
| acētum | acēt- | vinegar | acetic |
| aedificium | aedifici- | building | edifice |
| alacer | alacr- | quick | alacrity |
| albus | alb- | white | album, albino |
| alius | ali- | other | alien |
| anima | anim- | soul, life | animate, animal |
| animus | anim- | mind, anger | animosity |
| annus | ann- | year | annual |
| ānser | ānser- | goose | anserine |
| aqua | aqu- | water | aquamarine, aquatic |
| audāx | audāc- | brave, bold | audacious |
| auris | aur- | ear | aural |
| avis | avi- | bird | avian, aviary |
| bellum | bell- | war | bellicose, belligerence, antebellum |
| bonus – melior – optimus |
bon- – melior- – optim- |
good – better – best |
bonus – ameliorate – optimist |
| bōs | bov- | cow | bovine |
| canis | can- | dog | canine |
| cervīx | cervīc- | neck | cervix |
| cīvis | cīv- | citizen | civil, civilian |
| clāvicula | clāvicul- | little key | clavicle |
| coniūnx | coniug- | spouse | conjugal |
| cornū | corn- | horn | unicorn, capricorn |
| deus | de- | god | deity, deification |
| diēs | diē- | day | diary, quotidian |
| discipulus | discipul- | student | disciple |
| dominus | domin- | lord | dominion, dominate, domain |
| domus | dom- | house | domestic, domicile |
| equus | equ- | horse | equestrian |
| falx | falc- | sickle | falcate |
| fēlēs (or fēlis) | fēl- | cat | feline |
| fēmina | fēmin- | woman | feminine, effeminate |
| fīlius | fīli- | son | filial, affiliation |
| fīnis | fīni- | limit | infinite, final |
| flōs | flōr- | flower | floral, florist |
| folium | foli- | leaf | folio, foliage, portfolio |
| fōrma | fōrm- | form, shape, beauty | formal, information |
| fors | fort- | luck | fortuitous |
| fortis | fort- | strength | fortitude, fortify, effort |
| frāter | frātr- | brother | fratricide, fraternity |
| frōns | front- | forehead | front,frontal |
| frūx | frūg- | fruit | frugal |
| fūmus | fūm- | smoke | fume |
| genus | gen- | birth, offspring, creation | generation, genuine |
| homō | homin- | man (human being) | hominid |
| ignis | ign- | fire | ignite |
| īnsula | īnsul- | island | insulate, peninsula |
| iūdex | iūdic- | judge | judge, judicial, adjudicate |
| iūs | iūr- | right, law | justice, jurisdiction |
| lacrima | lacrim- | tear | lachrymose |
| lēx | lēg- | law | legal, alleged |
| lūna | lūn- | moon | lunar, lunatic |
| lupus | lup- | wolf | lupine |
| magister | magistr- | master | magistrate |
| magnus – māior – maximus |
magn- – māior- – maxim- |
big – bigger – biggest |
magnitude – major – maximum |
| malus – peior –pessimus |
mal- – peior- – pessim |
bad – worse – worst |
malevolence, malice, malignant –pejorative –pessimist |
| manus | manu- | hand, band of men | manual |
| mare | mar- | sea | marine, maritime |
| māter | mātr- | mother | matron, maternal |
| mora | mor- | delay | moratorium |
| nihil | nihil- | nothing | nil, nihilism, annihilate |
| nox | noct- | night | nocturnal |
| oculus | ocul- | eye | inoculate, ocular |
| onus | oner- | load | exonerate, onus |
| pater | patr- | father | patron, paternal |
| pavīmentum | pavīment- | ground | pavement |
| pēs | ped- | foot | pedestrian |
| prior – prīmus |
prior- – prīm- |
former – first |
priority – prime |
| pulcher | pulchr- | beautiful | pulchritude |
| punctum | pun(c)t- | point | punctuation, punctual, contrapuntal |
| rēx | rēg- | king | regal |
| rūs | rūr- | farm | rural, rustic |
| sinister | sinistr- | left | sinister |
| terra | terr- | land | terrain, terrestrial |
| unda | und- | wave | undulate, inundate |
| urbs | urb- | city | urban, suburb |
| ursus | urs- | bear | ursine |
| vehiculum | vehicul- | wagon | vehicle |
| vērus | ver- | truth | veracity, verify |
| vīlla | vill- | country house | village, villa |
| vir | vir- | man (male person) | virile |
| vulpēs | vulp- | fox | vulpine |
In some Latin verbs, a preposition caused a vowel change in the root of the verb. For example, "capiō" becomes "incipio".
| Latin Verbs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation form | Present stem | Perfect stem | Participial stem | Meaning | Typical derivative |
| agō | ag- | eg- | āct- | do | action, agenda, agent |
| amō | am- | amav- | amat- | like, love | amateur, enamor |
| audiō | aud- | audiv- | audit- | hear | audible |
| capiō -cipiō |
cap- | cep- -cip- |
capt- -cept- |
take | capable, captive, recipient, reception |
| cēdō | cēd- | cess- | yield, depart | recede, recession | |
| cogitō | cogit- | cogitav- | cogitat- | think, ponder | cogitate |
| colligo | collig- | collegi | collect- | collect | collect |
| claudō -clūdō |
claud- -clūd- |
claus- -clūs- |
close | conclude, conclusive | |
| clinō | clin- | clinat- | lean | inclination, recline | |
| cubō | cub- | cubat- | lie | incubator | |
| currō | curr- | cucurr- | curs- | run | current, recursion |
| dō | d- | dat- -dit- |
give | add, dative, editor | |
| doleō | dol- | dolui | dolit- | grieve | dolor, condolence |
| dubitō | dubit- | dubitav- | dubitat- | doubt | indubitable |
| eō | e- | i- | it- | go | ambition, obituary |
| faciō -ficiō |
fac- | fec- -fic- |
fact- -fect- |
make | effective, facile, factory |
| ferō | fer- | tul- | lāt- | bring | fertile, refer, relate |
| fīgō | fīg- | fīx- | fix- | fix | crucifixion |
| findō | find- | fiss- | cleave, split | fission | |
| fingō | fing- | fict- | fashion, invent | fiction | |
| flectō | flect- | flex- | bend | deflect, reflex | |
| flō | fl- | flat- | blow | inflate | |
| fluō | flu- | flux- | flow | effluent, influx | |
| for | f- | fat- | say, speak | affable, infant | |
| gradior -gredior |
gradi- -gredi- |
gress- -gress- |
none | step | ingredient, progressive |
| gustō | gust- | gustav- | gustat- | taste | gustation |
| iaciō -iciō |
iac- | iec- (j)ic- |
jact- -ject- |
throw | inject, projectile |
| laudō | laud- | laudav- | laudat- | praise | laud, laudable |
| linquō | linqu- | liqu- | lict- | abandon | derelict, relinquish |
| locō | loc- | locav- | locat- | place, put | location |
| lūdō | lūd- | lūs- | play | collude, collusion | |
| mergō | merg- | mers- | dip | emerge, immerse | |
| mittō | mitt- | mīs- | miss- | send | commit, missive |
| moveō | mov- | mov- | mot- | move | motion, motive, motor, move |
| nascor | nasci | natus | none | be born | nascent, natal, prenatal |
| necō | nec- | necav- | necat- | dead | |
| nōscō -gnōscō |
nōsc- -gnōsc- |
nosc- | nōt- -gnōt-, -gnit- |
know | notable cognitive |
| nuntiō | nunt- | nuntiav- | nuntiat- | bring news of, announce | announce |
| petō | pet- | petiv- | petit- | seek, attack | compete, petulant |
| pōnō | pōn- | posu- | posit- | put | component, position |
| portō | port- | portat- | carry | deport, portage | |
| premō -primō |
prem- | press- | press- | push | imprimatur, oppress, pressure |
| pugnō | pugn- | pugnav- | pugnat- | fight | pugnacious |
| putō | put- | putav- | putat- | think | compute, putative |
| rideō | ris- | laugh, smile | derision, ridiculous | ||
| rumpō | rump- | rup- | rupt- | break | interrupt, rupture |
| sciō | sci- | sciv- | scit- | know | science |
| scrībō | scrīb- | scrips- | scrīpt- | write | describe, scripture, scribble |
| sedeō | sede- | sed- | sess- | sit | sedentary, sediment, session |
| sequor | sequ- | secut- sum | follow | consecutive, sequence | |
| sum | es- | fu- | futur- | be | essence, future |
| veniō | ven- | vent- | come | convene, prevention | |
| vertō | vert- | vers- | vers- | turn | reverse, revert, version |
| videō | vidē- | vid- | vīs- | see | video, vision |
| vivō | viv- | vix- | vict- | live | vivacity, victim, victorious |
| volō | vell- | volu- | wish | benevolent, malevolent, volition | |
| volvō | volv- | volūt- | roll | evolve, revolution | |
| voveō | vov- | vot- | vow | votive | |
| Latin Prepositions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Word | Meaning | Prefixes |
| ā, ab | away from | ab-, a-, abs-, as- |
| ad | to, toward | ad-, a-, ac-, af-, ag-, ar- |
| (ambi) | around | ambi-, amb- |
| ante | before | ante-, anti- |
| circum | around | circum- |
| cis | this side of | cis- |
| contrā | against, opposite to | contra-, contro- |
| cum | together, with | con-, co-, col-, com-, cor- |
| dē | down from | de- |
| dis- | apart | dis-, di-, dif-, dir- |
| ex, ē | from, out of | ex-, e-, ef- |
| extrā | outside | extra- |
| in | in, into | in-, il-, im-, ir- |
| īnfrā | below | infra- |
| inter | among, between | inter-, intel- |
| intrā | within | intra-, intro- |
| iuxtā | beside | juxta- |
| ob, obs | by reason of | ob-, oc-, of-, op- |
| paene | almost | pen- |
| per | thorough, through | per- |
| post | after, behind | post- |
| prae | before | pre- |
| praeter | past | preter- |
| prō | for, in front of | pro-, por-, prod- |
| (re) | again, back | re-, red- |
| sē | without | se-, sed- |
| sub | below, under | sub-, su-, suc-, suf-, sug-, sum-, sup-, sus- |
| subter | beneath | subter |
| super | above, over | super- |
| suprā | above, more than | supra- |
| trāns | across | trans-, tra-, tran- |
| ultrā | beyond | ultra- |
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