Foreign Words and Phrases

LATIN

ab initio - from the beginning
ad absurdum - to the point of absurdity

ad hoc - made or done for a particular purpose (literally ‘to this’) 

ad infinitum - endlessly; forever (literally ‘to infinity’) 

ad interim - for the meantime

ad nauseam - to a tiresomely excessive degree (literally ‘to sickness’) 

a fortiori - more conclusively (literally ‘from a stronger [argument]’) 

annus mirabilis - a remarkable or auspicious year 

a posteriori - based on reasoning from known facts or past events rather than on assumptions or predictions (literally ‘from what comes after’) 

a priori - based on deduction rather than experience (literally ‘from what is before’) 

bona fide - genuine; real (literally ‘with good faith’) 

carpe diem - make the most of the present time (literally ‘seize the day!’) 

caveat emptor - the buyer is responsible for checking the quality of goods before purchasing them (literally ‘let the buyer beware’) 

compos mentis - sane; in full control of one's mind 

cui bono?  - who stands to gain? (implying that whoever does may have been responsible for a crime; literally ‘to whom (is it) a benefit?’) 

de facto - in fact, whether by right or not 

Dei gratia - by the grace of God 

de jure - rightful; by right (literally ‘of law’) 

Deo gratias - thanks be to God 

Deo volente - God willing 

de profundis - expressing one's deepest feelings (literally ‘from the depths’) 

deus ex machina - an unexpected event that saves an apparently hopeless situation (literally ‘god from the machinery’) 

dramatis personae - the characters in a play (literally ‘persons of the drama’) 

ex gratia - (of payment) given as a favour rather than because of any legal obligation (literally ‘from favour’) 

ex officio - by virtue of one's position or status (literally ‘out of duty’) 

in absentia - while not present (literally ‘in absence’) 

in camera - in private (literally ‘in the chamber’) 

in extremis - in an extremely difficult situation; at the point of death 

in loco parentis - in the place of a parent 

in medias res - in or into the middle of things 

in propria persona - in his or her own person 

in situ - in the original or appropriate position 

inter alia - among other things 

in toto - as a whole 

ipso facto - by that very fact or act 

locum tenens - a temporary deputy or stand-in (literally ‘one holding a place’) 

locus classicus - the best known or most authoritative passage on a subject (literally ‘classical place’) 

magnum opus - the most important work of an artist, writer, etc. (literally ‘great work’) 

mea culpa - an acknowledgement that something is one's fault (literally ‘by my fault’) 

memento mori - something kept as a reminder that death is inevitable (literally ‘remember (that you have) to die’) 

modus operandi - a way of doing something (literally ‘way of operating’) 

modus vivendi - an arrangement that allows conflicting parties to coexist peacefully (literally ‘way of living’) 

ne plus ultra the best example of something (literally ‘not further beyond’) 

nil desperandum - do not despair 

nolens volens - whether one wants or likes something or not (literally ‘not willing, willing’) 

non sequitur - a conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous statement (literally ‘it does not follow’) 

per annum - for each year 

per capita - for each person (literally ‘by heads’) 

per diem - for each day 

per se - by or in itself or themselves 

persona non grata - a person who is not welcome somewhere 

prima facie - accepted as so until proved otherwise (literally ‘at first face’) 

primus inter pares - the senior or representative member of a group (literally ‘first among equals’) 

pro rata - proportional; proportionally (literally ‘according to the rate’) 

proxime accessit - the person who comes second in an examination or is runner-up for an award (literally ‘came very near’) 

quid pro quo - a favour or advantage given in return for something (literally ‘something for something’) 

reductio ad absurdum - a method of disproving a premise by showing that its logical conclusion is absurd (literally ‘reduction to the absurd’) 

sine die (of proceedings) adjourned indefinitely (literally ‘without a day’) 

sine qua non - a thing that is absolutely essential (literally ‘without which not’) 

sub judice - being considered by a court of law and therefore not to be publicly discussed elsewhere (literally ‘under a judge’) 

sub rosa happening or done in secret (literally ‘under the rose’) 

sui generis - unique (literally ‘of its own kind’) 

terra firma - dry land; the ground (literally ‘firm land’) 

terra incognita - unknown territory 

via media - a compromise (literally ‘middle way’) 

victor ludorum - the overall champion in a sports competition (literally ‘victor of the games’) 

vox populi - public opinion (literally ‘the voice of the people’) 

Oxford Dictionaries
Common Foreign Words and Prases (Quizlet: stury and play)
Quizzes: Borrowed Words and Prases
Latin Dictionary
Latin Phrases & Quotes
List of Latin Phrases