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.
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- |
other |
alien |
bonus
– melior
– optimus |
bono-
– melior-
– optimo- |
good
– better
– best |
bonus
ameliorate
optimist |
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 |
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 |
opus |
oper- |
work |
operation |
pater |
patr- |
father |
patron, paternal |
rex |
rēg- |
king |
regal |
terra |
terra- |
land |
terrestrial |
urbs |
urb- |
city |
urban |
vir |
viro- |
man (male person) |
virile |
vīrus |
vīro- |
slime, poison |
virus, viral |
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- |
clūs- |
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 |
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-, 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- |
Some examples of compound words
The boundary between the prefix and verb is sometimes unclear to English speakers unfamiliar with linguistics and Latin. For example, for a long time, "descend" (de- + scend) was thought to be made of des- and cend, hence it was also spelled dis- and dys-.
Due to assimilation, the roots of some of the English verbs listed here are difficult to recognize. For example, ad- + ludo ("play") results in allude rather than *adlude. On the other hand, once a learner knows the rule they are less likely to make spelling mistakes: that the word aggressive is spelt with gg is due to the fact that it derives from ad + gredior, with -dg-, as it is more difficult to pronounce, having been turned into the easier -gg- (so that *agressive must be considered wrong).
Other parts of speech
Latin word |
meaning |
cur? |
why? |
et |
and |
in |
in, on |
is |
he, that |
id |
it, that |
quis |
who |
quid |
what |
External link
- http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/resolveform?lang=Latin
See also