Useful Latin Phrases

Still commonly used today:

ab ovo   - from the egg (from the very beginning)
ad hoc   - for this occasion, with regards to this
ad infinitum   - to the infinity
ad maiorem gloriam dei   - for the greater glory of God
ad nauseam   - to the point of disgust
ad valorem  - according to value
alma mater    - college (nourishing mother)
alter ego     - another I
ante bellum   - before the war
argumentum a contrario   - argument from the contrary
argumentum ad hominem - argument aimed at the person
argumentum ex silentio   - proof by lack of mention
ars gratia artis  - art for art's sake
bona fide  - in good faith
camera obscura    - dark chamber
carpe diem  - Seize the day
casus belli   - legitimate reason for war
cave canem   - beware of the dog
caveat     - one should beware
caveat emptor     - may the buyer beware
ceteris paribus    - other things being equal
condicio sine qua non    - necessary condition
corpus delicti      - the fact (body) of the crime
cum grano salis   - with a grain of salt
de facto   - in fact, actually
de iure  - by right, legally
et cetera (etc.)    - and other
et tu, Brute!    - even you, Brutus!
ex cathedra   - from the chair
ex officio   - by duty, from the office
ex post facto   - from after the fact
exit; exeunt   - (s)he goes out; they go out
ex libris   - from the books (of)
ex officio  - by virtue of office
ex post facto   - enacted after the fact; retroactive
ex tempore  - on the spur of the moment
ex prompto     - ready on the spot
expressis verbis   - in plain words
habeas corpus  - you must have the fact (body) of the crime
in absentia   - in absence
in loco parentis   - in the place of a parent
in medias res   - into the midst of things
in memoriam   - in memory (of)
in re   - in reality
in toto - entirely
in situ - in the original setting
ipso facto - by the very fact
lapsus linguae - a slip of the tongue
modus operandi - manner of operating
modus vivendi - way of life
multum in parvo - much in something small
mutatis mutandis - with necessary changes
ne plus ultra - no more beyond
non sequitur - doesn't follow
opus magnum - great work
orbis terrarum - the circle of lands, earth
pater patriae - father of his country
pax vobiscum - peace be with you
per annum - by the year
per capita - by heads
per diem - by the day
per se - by itself
persona non grata  - an unwelcome person
post mortem - after death
prima facie - on the first sight
pro and contra - for an against
pro bono publico - for the public welfare
pro rata - for a portion pro tempore - for the time being
quasi - as if
quid pro quo - something for something
quod erat demonstrandum (Q.E.D.) - which was to be demonstrated
quorum - "of whom', required number of present.
quota - what number
requiescat in pace (R.I.P.) - may rest in peace.
reductio ad absurdum - reduction to an absurdity
semper fidelis - always faithful
semper idem - always the same
semper p?ratus - always prepared
sic - so; thus
sine die - indefinitely, with no set date
sine ira et studio - without anger and bias
sine qua non - without which not (condition)
status quo - the present state of affairs
tabula rasa - blank record
tempus fugit - time flies
terminus ante (post) quem - the date before (or after) which
terra firma - solid ground
urbi et orbi - to the city and to the world
vade mecum - go with me (a constant companion)
veni, vidi, vici - I came; saw; conquered
verbatim - word for word
veto - I forbid
via - by way of
vice versa - the other way around

Handy Latin phrases: