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