Many Latin expressions are used in books and in everyday English speech, and you will certainly find most those phrases listed and translated on my site. However, the existing body of Latin literature, both Classical and Medieval is extremely vast. There are many undiscovered gems of wit and wisdom, so I encourage you to study Latin :) The source for a quote is sometimes indcated, but one must remember that Latin quotations are often used as if they were anonymous maxims of universal wisdom. Unlike the collections of quotes that you will find on some other websites, these lines have been actually looked at more than once by someone who knows Latin. I am sure, however, that some typos have not been fixed, so do not assume that anything you find here is safe and good enough to be tattooed on your person! Always ask a Latinist before using a Latin quote for any permanent purpose.
This site also hosts a plethora of imporant resources about Latin, as well as some other languages. Most notably, there a list of legal Latin maxims. Elsewhere on this site there are Latin phrases used in medicine, heraldry, jewelry engravings, sundials and Latin love poems. There is even a motto generator that lets you create Latin phrases without knowing Latin!
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Ibidem (Ib.) - In the same place. (in a book)
Id certum est quod certum reddi potest - That is certain that can be made certain
Id est (i.e.) - That is to say
Idem quod (i.q.) - The same as
Idem - The same
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (INRI) - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews
Ignis aurum probat, miseria fortes viros - Life is not a bowl of cherries, or, literally, Fire tests gold; adversity tests strong men
Ignis fatuus - Foolish fire
Ignorantia juris neminem excusat - Ignorance of the law excuses no one
Ignoratio elenchi - An ignorance of proof
Ignotus (ign.) - Unknown
Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet - He mourns honestly who mourns without witnesses. (Martialis)
Ille mi par esse deo videtur - He seems to me to be equal to a god. (Catullus)
Imitatores, servum pecus! - Imitators, you slavish crowd! (Horace)
Imperator/Imperatrix (Imp.) - Emperor/Empress
Imperium et libertas - Empire and liberty. (Cicero)
Imperium in imperio - An empire within an empire, i.e. A fifth column, a group of people within an nation's territory who owe allegiance to some other leader
Imperium - Absolute power
Impossibilium nulla obligatio est - Nobody has any obligation to the impossible. (Corpus Iuris Civilis)
Imprimatur - Let it be printed
Imprimis - In first place
In absentia - In one's absence
In actu - In practice
In aere aedificare - Build (castles) in the air. (St. Augustine)
In aeternum - For eternity
In alio pediculum, in te ricinum non vides - You see a louse on someone else, but not a tick on yourself. (Petronius)
In articulo mortis - At the moment of death
In banco - On the bench
In camera - In private chamber
In capite - In chief
In cauda venenum - In the tail [is the] poison. Watch out for what you don't see
In curia - In court
In distans - At a distance
In dubiis non est agendum - In dubious cases, you should not act
In dubio pro reo - In doubt in favor of the accused. If there is a doubt about guiltiness, the judgement has to be in favour of the accused
In dubio - In doubt
In esse - In existence
In excelsis - In the highest
In extenso - At full length
In extremis - In extremity
In fine - At the end
In flagrante delicto - In the very act of committing an offence
In forma pauperis - In the form of a poor person; in a humble or abject manner
In futuro - In the future
In gremio legis - In the protection of the law
In his ordo est ordinem non servare - In this case the only rule is not obeying any rules
In hoc signo vinces - In this sign, you will be victorious. (Eusebios)
In infinitum - To infinity; without end
In libris libertas - In books (there is) freedom
In limine - On the threshold, at the very outset
In loco parentis - In the place of a parent
In loco - In the place of
In magnis et voluisse sat est - To once have wanted is enough in great deeds. (Propertius)
In media res - In or into the middle of a sequence of events. (Horace)
In medias res - Into the midst of things
In medio stat virtus - Virtue stands in the middle. Virtue is in the moderate, not the extreme position. (Horace)
In medio tutissimus ibis - In the middle of things you will go most safe. (Ovid)
In memoriam - In memory (of)
In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas - In necessary things unity, in doubtful things liberty, in all things charity
In nomine Domini - In the name of the Lord
In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Santi - In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
In nubibus - In the clouds
In nuce - In a nutshell
In omnia paratus - Prepared for all things
In ovo - In the egg
In pace - In peace
In pace, ut sapiens, aptarit idonea bello - In peace, like a wise man, he appropriately prepares for war
In pari materia - Of like kind
In partibus infidelium - In parts inhabited by unbelievers
In parvo - In miniature
In perpetuum - For ever
In personam - Against the person
In pleno - In full
In pontificalibus - In the proper vestments of a pope or cardinal
in posse - In possibility
In posterum - Till the next day
In praesenti - At the present time
In principio - In the beginning
In propria persona - In person
In quaestione versare - To be under investigation
In re - Refering to
In rem - Against the matter (property)
In rerum natura - In the nature of things
In saecula saeculorum - For ages of ages forever
In se - In itself
In silvam ne ligna feras - Don't carry logs into the forest. (Horace)
In situ - In position
In specie - In kind; (a) in its own form and not in an equivalent (b) in coins and not in paper money
In spiritu et veritate - In spirit and truth. (Versio Vulgata)
In statu quo - In the same state
In terrorem - As a warning; in order to terrify others
In totidem verbis - In so many words
In toto - As a whole, absolutely, Completely
In transitu - In passing, on the way
In usu - In use
In utero - In the womb
In vacuo - In a vacuum or empty space
In vinculis etiam audax - In chains yet still bold (free)
In vino veritas - The truth is in wine. (A drunk person tells the truth)
In virtute sunt multi ascensus - There are many degrees in excellence. (Cicero)
In vitro - In a test tube (literally glass)
In vivo - In the living (thing)
Incipit - Begin here
Incredibile dictu - Incredible to say
Index librorum prohibitorum - Official list of forbidden books not to be read by Catholics
Indulgentiam quaeso - I ask your indulgence
Infinitus est numerus stultorum - Infinite is the number of fools
Infra dignitatem (dig.) - Undignified; beneath one's dignity
Infra - Below, underneath
Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est - Inhumanity is harmful in every age. (Cicero)
Iniqua nunquam regna perpetuo manent - Stern masters do not reign long. (Seneca Philosophus)
Iniuria non excusat iniuriam - One wrong does not justify another
Insanabile cacoethes scribendi - An incurable passion to write. (Juvenal)
Insculpsit - He/she engraved it
Integer vitae scelerisque purus - Blameless of life and free from crime
Intellectum valde amat - Love the intellect strongly. (St. Augustine)
Intelligenti pauca - Few words suffice for he who understands
Intelligo me intelligere - I understand that I understand. (St. Augustine)
Inter alia - Among other things
Inter alios - Amongst other people
Inter arma silent leges - In time of war, laws are silent
Inter caecos regnat strabo - Among blinds the squinting rules. (Erasmus)
Inter canum et lupum - Between a dog and a wolf
Inter nos - Between ourselves
Inter partes - Made between two parties
Inter se - Between themselves
Inter spem et metum - Between hope and fear
Inter vivos - Between living (people)
Interfice errorem, diligere errantem - Kill the sin, love the sinner. (St. Augustine)
Interregnum - Period between rules anarchy, lawlessnes
Intra muros - Within the walls
Intra vires - Within the power
Inventas vitam iuvat excoluisse per artes - Let us improve life through science and art. (Vergil)
Ipsa quidem pretium virtus sibi - Virtue is its own reward
Ipsa scientia potestas est - Knowledge itself is power. (Bacon)
Ipsissima verba - The exact words
Ipso facto - By that very fact
Ipso iure - By operation of the law
Ipsus dixit - He himself said it
Ira furor brevis est - Anger is a brief insanity. (Horace)
Ire fortiter quo nemo ante iit - To boldly go where no man has gone before. (Star Trek)
Ita est - Yes./It is so
Ite, missa est - Go, the Mass is finished
Iubilate Deo - Rejoice in God
Iunctis viribus - By united efforts
Iure divino - By divine law
Iure humano - By human law
Ius civile - Civil law
Ius est ars boni et aequi - Law is the art of the good and the just
Ius gentium - Right of tribes law of nations
Ius gentium - The law of nations
Ius primae noctis - The right of the first night
Iustitia omnibus - Justice for all