Common Latin Phrases and Words Used in English

• A fortiori - adj. and adv. [literally, from the stronger]For a stronger reason; all the more.

• A posteriori - adj. and adv. [literally, from the latter] inductive; relating to or derived by reasoning from observed facts.

• A priori - adj. and adv. [literally, from the former] deductive; relating to or derived by reasoning from self-evident propositions; presupposed by experience; being without examination or analysis; presumptive; formed or conceived beforehand.

• Ad hominem - adj. [literally, to the man] appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect; marked by an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made.

• Ad infinitum - adv. or adj. [literally, to the infinite] without end or limit.

• Ad nauseam - adv. [literally, to sea-sickness] to a sickening or excessive degree.

• Camera obscura - n. [literally, dark chamber] a darkened enclosure having an aperture usu. provided with a lens through which light from external objects enters to form an image of the objects on the opposite surface.

• Carpe diem - n. [literally, pluck the day] the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future.

• Casus belli - n., sing. and pl. [literally, occasion of war] an event or action that justifies or allegedly justifies a war or conflict.

• Caveat - n. [literally, let him beware] a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices; an explanation to prevent misinterpretation; a legal warning to a judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition has a hearing.

• De facto - adv. [literally, from the fact] in reality; actually.

• De jure - adv. [literally, concerning the law] by right; of right.

• Dictum - n., pl. dicta, also dictums [literally, a thing said] a noteworthy statement: as a: a formal pronouncement of a principle, proposition, or opinion b: an observation intended or regarded as authoritative; a judicial opinion on a point other than the precise issue involved in determining a case.

• Et alii - [literally, and others] and others; abbreviated as et al.

• Et cetera [literally, and the rest] and others esp. of the same kind: and so forth; abbreviated as etc.

• Ex parte - adv. or adj. [literally, from part] on or from one side or party only--used of legal proceedings; from a one-sided or partisan point of view.

• Floruit - n. [literally, he flourished] a period of flourishing (as of a person or movement).

• Habitat - n. [literally, it inhabits] the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows; the typical place of residence of a person or a group; a housing for a controlled physical environment in which people can live under surrounding inhospitable conditions (as under the sea; the place where something is commonly found.

• In camera - adv. [literally, in a chamber] in private: secretly.

• In loco parentis - adv. [literally, in place of a parent] in the place of a parent. n. regulation or supervision by an administrative body (as at a university) acting in loco parentis.

• In medias res - adv. [literally, into the midst of things] in or into the middle of a narrative or plot.

• Ipse dixit - n. [literally, he himself said it] an assertion made but not proved.

• Ipso facto - adv. [literally, by the fact itself] by that very fact or act; as an inevitable result.

• Lingua franca - n., pl lingua francas or linguae francae [literally, Frankish language] a common language consisting of Italian mixed with French, Spanish, Greek, and Arabic that was formerly spoken in Mediterranean ports; any of various languages used as common or commercial tongues among peoples of diverse speech; something resembling a common language.

• Magna cum laude - adv or adj [literally, with great praise] with great distinction .

• Magnum opus - n. [literally, a great work] a great work, esp: the greatest achievement of an artist or writer.

• Memento - n., pl -tos or -toes [literally, remember!, imperative of meminisse, to remember] something that serves to warn or remind.

• Memento mori - n. [literally, remember that you must die] a reminder of mortality; esp: death's-head.

• Mirabile visu - [literally, wonderful to see] wonderful to behold.

• Mirabile dictu [literally, wonderful to say] wonderful to relate.

• Ne plus ultra - n. [literally, (go) no more beyond] the highest point capable of being attained: acme; the most profound degree of a quality or state.

• Noli me tangere - n. [literally, do not touch me; fr. Jesus' words to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:17)] a warning against touching or interference.

• Nolo contendere - n. [literally, I do not wish to contend] a plea in a criminal prosecution that without admitting guilt subjects the defendant to conviction but does not preclude denying the truth of the charges in a collateral proceeding.

• Non sequitur - n. [literally, it does not follow] an inference that does not follow from the premises; specif: a fallacy resulting from a simple conversion of a universal affirmative proposition or from the transposition of a condition and its consequent; a statement (as a response) that does not follow logically from anything previously said.

• Nota bene - [literally, mark well] used to call attention to something important.

• Pax - n. esp, cap: a period of general stability in international affairs under the influence of a dominant military power--usu. used in combination with a latinized name (Pax Americana, Pax Brittanica, Pax Romana).

• Per capita - adv. or adj. [literally, by heads] equally to each individual; per unit of population: by or for each person per capita of any state in the union.

• Per diem - adv. [literally, by the day] by the day; for each day; adj. based on use or service by the day: daily; paid by the day; n. pl per diems a daily allowance; a daily fee.

• Persona grata - adj. [literally, a pleasing person] personally acceptable or welcome.

• Persona non grata - adj. [literally, a not-pleasing person] personally unacceptable or unwelcome.

• Post mortem - [literally, after death] adj. occuring or done after death; pertaining to a post-mortem examination; n. a post-mortem examination, esp. an autopsy.

• Post partum - [literally, after birth] adj. of or occuring in the period shortly after childbirth.

• Prima facie - adv. [literally, at first appearance] at first view: on the first appearance; adj. true, valid, or sufficient at first impression: apparent ; self-evident; legally sufficient to establish a fact or a case unless disproved .

• Pro forma -adj [literally, for form] made or carried out in a perfunctory manner or as a formality; provided in advance to prescribe form or describe items .

• Quod erat demonstrandum - [literally, which had to be shown] which was to be proved.

• Rara avis - n. pl. rara avises or rarae aves [literally, rare bird] rarity.

• Res ipsa loquitur - [literally, the affair itself speaks] the affair speaks for itself.

• RIP - [acronym of requiescat in pace] abbreviation, may he rest in peace, may she rest in peace; requiescant in pace = may they rest in peace.

• Sine die - adv. [literally, without a day] without any future date being designated (as for resumption): indefinitely .

• Sine qua non - n., pl. sine qua nons; also sine quibus non [literally, without which not] something absolutely indispensable or essential.

• Sui generis - adj. [literally, of its own kind] constituting a class alone: unique, peculiar.

• Summa cum laude - adv. or adj. [literally, with highest praise] with highest distinction --compare cum laude, magna cum laude.

• Tabula rasa - n., pl. tabulae rasae [literally, smoothed or erased tablet] the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions; something existing in its original pristine state.

 source http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/classics/englatin.htm