Latinism
Classical language import
A Latinism is a word, phrase, or grammatical construction borrowed from or modeled on Latin.
English is full of Latinisms—some naturalized (et cetera, vice versa), others still feeling foreign (inter alia, mutatis mutandis).
The term sometimes carries mild criticism, suggesting unnecessary formality or pedantry: His prose was cluttered with Latinisms.
Excessively concerned with minor rules
- eruditeProfoundly knowledgeable
- academicRelating to education or theory
- formalFollowing strict protocol
- elevatedRaised above usual level
archaism · inkhorn · learned · literary · classical education · humanities · philology · lexicography
Writ challenging lawful custody
- subpoenaWrit requiring testimony
- affidavitSworn written statement
- pro bonoFree professional services
- de factoReal though not official
de jure · prima facie · quid pro quo · mens rea · ipso facto · vice versa · bona fide · caveat
Imported vocabulary item
- borrowingTemporary taking of another's
- derivationSource or origin tracing
- cognateWord sharing etymological origin
- etymonOriginal word form
root · affix · morpheme · neologism · calque · anglicization · Romance languages · lexical
Italy's capital city
- CiceroAncient Rome's greatest speaker
- VergilLatin epic poet
- CaesarRoman imperial title
- AugustusRome's inaugural emperor
Seneca · Ovid · Horace · Livy · Tacitus · Forum · Colosseum · toga
Taxonomic rank above species
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- nomenclatureSystem of specialized terms
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
- binomialExpression with two terms
specimen · hypothesis · in vitro · in vivo · post mortem · rigor mortis · et al · ibid
Formal worship structure
- MassCatholic worship service
- breviaryDaily prayer compilation
- encyclicalFormal papal circular letter
- VaticanPapal city-state
papal · ecclesiastical · scholasticism · Aquinas · seminary · missal · vespers · canonical
pedantic
Excessively concerned with minor rules
- eruditeProfoundly knowledgeable
- academicRelating to education or theory
- formalFollowing strict protocol
elevated · archaism · inkhorn · learned · literary · classical education · humanities · philology · lexicography · diction
habeas corpus
Writ challenging lawful custody
de facto · de jure · prima facie · quid pro quo · mens rea · ipso facto · vice versa · bona fide · caveat · versus
loanword
Imported vocabulary item
- borrowingTemporary taking of another's
- derivationSource or origin tracing
- cognateWord sharing etymological origin
etymon · root · affix · morpheme · neologism · calque · anglicization · Romance languages · lexical · substrate
Rome
Italy's capital city
Augustus · Seneca · Ovid · Horace · Livy · Tacitus · Forum · Colosseum · toga · consul
genus
Taxonomic rank above species
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- nomenclatureSystem of specialized terms
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
binomial · specimen · hypothesis · in vitro · in vivo · post mortem · rigor mortis · et al · ibid · sic
liturgy
Formal worship structure
- MassCatholic worship service
- breviaryDaily prayer compilation
- encyclicalFormal papal circular letter
Vatican · papal · ecclesiastical · scholasticism · Aquinas · seminary · missal · vespers · canonical · sacrament
Latinismvernacular
Everyday regional speech
plain English · colloquialism · everyday language · common speech · informal language