List of 373 English Words That Originated From Latin
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The English language contains vocabulary originating from all over the world. Looking for words with specific etymological roots? Have a look at this list of English words that originated from Latin.
Latin was widely spoken in the Roman Empire, which spanned much of Europe and the Middle East. Latin had a particularly strong footing in modern-day Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal.
Word | Origin |
absent | absens |
accelerate | accelerātus |
accept | acceptāre |
acceptable | acceptābilis |
acervate | acervātus |
acid | acidus |
acrid | ācris |
adorn | adōrnāre |
agrarian | agrārius |
agriculture | agricultura |
alate | alatus |
albino | albus |
albumen | albus |
alter | alter |
altitude | altitūdō |
amatory | amātōrius |
amble | ambulāre |
ambulatory | ambulātōrius |
amiable | amīcus |
amicable | amīcābilis |
amity | amīcitia |
ancient | ante |
animal | animale |
announce | annuntiare |
annual | annus |
antecedent | antecēdēns |
antique | antiquus |
aperture | apertūra |
appeal | appellāre |
appear | appārēre |
aquatic | aquaticus |
aquiline | aquila |
arable | arare |
arboreal | arbor |
ardent | ardens |
arson | ārdēre |
associate | associatus |
audacious | audācia |
audition | audītiō |
auditorium | audītōrium |
auditory | audītōrius |
augment | augēre |
auxiliary | auxiliaris |
avian | avis |
aviary | aviarium |
aviation | avis |
avid | avidus |
baccalaureate | baccalaureus |
barbarian | barbarus |
beatific | beātificus |
beatitude | beātitūdō |
belligerent | belligerans |
benefit | bene factum |
bestial | bestia |
brevity | brevitas |
campus | campus |
candid | candidus |
candidate | candidatus |
canine | canis |
celerity | celeritās |
celestial | caelestis |
certain | certus |
circumspect | circumspectus |
circumstance | circumstantia |
civic | civis |
clamor | clamare |
clause | claudere |
colloquial | colloquium |
columbine | columba |
commission | committere |
commit | committere |
conceal | concēlāre |
concur | concurrere |
condition | condicio |
conflict | conflīctus |
conspicuous | conspicuus |
constitute | constitutus |
construct | constructus |
contend | contendere |
copious | copia |
corona | corōna |
corpse | corpus |
counsel | consilium |
crest | crista |
cruel | crudelis |
custody | custodia |
decapitate | decapitatus |
decay | decadere |
decedent | decedens |
deity | deus |
delegate | delegatus |
delete | deletus |
demonstrate | dēmonstrātus |
dense | densus |
deport | deportare |
desire | desiderare |
despair | desperare |
desperate | desperatus |
dexterous | dexter |
dictate | dictātus |
dictionary | dictiōnārius |
difficult | difficilis |
digit | digitus |
digital | digitalis |
diligent | diligens |
disciple | discipulus |
discipline | disciplīna |
dismiss | dimissus |
doctrine | doctrina |
document | documentum |
dominate | dominatus |
donation | donum |
dormitory | dormitorium |
doubt | dubitare |
dragon | draco |
durable | durabilis |
edible | edibilis |
edifice | aedificium |
effect | effectus |
egregious | egregius |
elate | elatus |
emperor | imperator |
epistle | epistula |
equestrian | equester |
equine | equinus |
error | errare |
evade | evadere |
evoke | evocare |
excite | excitare |
expect | expectare |
expire | expirare |
explore | explorare |
extra | extra |
facility | facilis |
fact | factum |
fame | fama |
felicity | felicitas |
feline | felinus |
feminine | femininus |
ferocious | ferox |
fidelity | fidēlitās |
fierce | ferus |
figure | figūra |
filial | filius |
finish | fīnis |
firm | firmus |
flame | flamma |
fluent | fluens |
focus | focus |
fortify | fortis |
fraternity | frāternitās |
frustrate | frustratus |
fugitive | fugitivus |
fume | fūmus |
gem | gemma |
generate | generatus |
genus | genus |
gladiator | gladius |
grateful | gratus |
gravity | gravitas |
gusto | gustus |
habit | habitus |
habitat | habitat |
herb | herba |
horticulture | hortus |
hostile | hostīlis |
hour | hora |
ignite | ignitus |
illuminate | illuminatus |
imperial | imperiālis |
in | in |
incantation | incantare |
inception | inceptio |
inevitable | inevitabilis |
initial | initialis |
inquire | inquirere |
insidious | insidiosus |
insomnia | insomnis |
invade | invādere |
invent | inventus |
invincible | invincibilis |
judicial | judicialis |
just | justus |
juvenile | juvenilis |
labor | labor |
language | lingua |
latitude | latitudo |
laureate | laureatus |
legacy | legatus |
legal | legalis |
liberal | liberalis |
library | librarium |
longitude | longitudo |
lucid | lucidus |
lunar | lunaris |
magic | magice |
magistrate | magistratus |
magnify | magnificare |
major | major |
malevolent | malevolens |
manufacture | manu factus |
marine | marinus |
maternal | maternus |
me | me |
mediate | mediatus |
medicine | medicina |
mediocre | mediocris |
medium | medium |
memory | memoria |
meridian | meridianus |
mile | milia |
military | militaris |
minimum | minimum |
minor | minor |
minus | minus |
miracle | mīrāculum |
miserable | miserabilis |
mode | modus |
modern | modo |
morbid | morbidus |
mortal | mortalis |
mountain | montanus |
multitude | multitudo |
mundane | mundus |
mural | muralis |
mutate | mutatus |
narrate | narratus |
nautical | nauticus |
navigate | navigatus |
navy | navis |
necessary | necessarius |
neglect | neglēctus |
negotiate | negōtiātus |
nocturnal | nocturnus |
nominal | nominalis |
nominate | nominatus |
note | nota |
number | numerus |
numeral | numerus |
obscure | obscurus |
obtain | obtinēre |
occupy | occupāre |
ocular | oculus |
oppress | oppressus |
ovine | ovis |
partial | pars |
paternal | paternus |
pectoral | pectoral |
pen | penna |
penalty | poenalis |
peninsula | paeninsula |
people | populus |
perfect | perfectus |
perish | perire |
petulant | petulans |
picture | pictura |
placid | placidus |
plenty | plenus |
plus | plus |
popular | popularis |
porcine | porcus |
port | portus |
potent | potens |
potential | potentia |
precious | pretiosus |
premium | praemium |
prime | prīmus |
problem | problema |
proceed | procedere |
propinquity | propinquitas |
protect | protectus |
province | provincia |
provoke | provocare |
proximity | proximitas |
punish | punire |
quiet | quiētus |
radius | radius |
rational | rationalis |
recipient | recipiens |
reduce | reducere |
regal | regalis |
regulate | regula |
relinquish | relinquere |
remain | remanēre |
remember | rememorari |
resist | resistere |
respect | respectus |
retain | retinēre |
ridicule | ridiculum |
ridiculous | ridiculosus |
sacrament | sacramentum |
sacred | sacrare |
saline | salinus |
sapient | sapiens |
satisfy | satisfacere |
savage | silvaticus |
scholar | schola |
school | schola |
science | scientia |
second | secundus |
secret | secretus |
sediment | sedimentum |
semen | semen |
senator | senator |
sense | sentire |
serpent | serpens |
serve | servire |
significant | significans |
signify | significare |
sinister | sinister |
social | socialis |
solar | solaris |
solo | solus |
sorority | soror |
spatial | spatium |
spectator | spectare |
spelunker | spēlunca |
spine | spina |
stellar | stella |
subdue | subducere |
summit | summum |
superb | superbus |
tabernacle | tabernaculum |
tacit | tacitus |
taciturn | taciturnus |
tactile | tactilis |
taurine | taurus |
tempo | tempus |
tempt | temptare |
tenure | tenēre |
terrain | terrenum |
terrible | terribilis |
terrify | terrificare |
tertiary | tertiarius |
textile | textile |
texture | textura |
timid | timidus |
total | totus |
transit | transire |
translucent | translucens |
transmit | transmittere |
transport | transportare |
tremble | tremere |
tyrant | tyrannus |
ultimate | ultimus |
umbrella | umbella |
unctuous | unctus |
undulate | unda |
urban | urbanus |
valediction | valedīcere |
value | valēre |
vast | vastus |
vehement | vehemens |
venom | venēmum |
ventilate | ventilātus |
verbal | verbum |
verity | vēritās |
very | verax |
vex | vexare |
via | via |
vicinity | vicinitas |
video | vidēre |
vigilant | vigilans |
village | villa |
virile | virilis |
vision | visio |
vital | vitalis |
vivacious | vivax |
vivid | vividus |
vocal | vocalis |
vocation | vocatio |
voice | vox |
vulnerable | vulnerare |