TriviaBug | Quiz on Latin Phrases

Latin Phrases

	Clue	Latin Phrase
Many latin phrases have become such a part of our life that we use them without knowing it. Now try to pick these gems. Click here to flip columns.
64.	"what for what". Also translated "this for that" or "a thing for a thing". Signifies a favor exchanged for a favor.	quid pro quo
63.	"person not pleasing". An unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person. In diplomatic contexts, a person rejected by the host government.	persona non grata
62.	"you may have the body". A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge.	habeas corpus
61.	"veteran". Also "worn-out". Retired from office. Often used to denote a position held at the point of retirement, as an honor.	emeritus
60.	"course of life". A résumé.	curriculum vitae
59.	"under the rose". "In secret", "privately", "confidentially" or "covertly". In the Middle Ages, a rose was suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber to indicate that what was said in the "under the rose" was not to be repeated outside.	sub rosa
58.	"it does not follow". In general, it is a comment which is absurd due to not making sense in its context.	non sequitur
57.	"at first sight". Used to designate evidence in a trial which is suggestive, but not conclusive, of something (e.g., a person's guilt).	prima facie
56.	"things to be done". Originally comparable to a to-do list, an ordered list of things to be done.	agenda
55.	"the state to which". The current condition or situation.	status quo
54.	"nourishing mother". Term used for the university one attends or has attended.	alma mater
53.	"I forbid". The right to unilaterally stop a certain piece of legislation.	veto
52.	"The Work of God". It is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá.	Opus Dei
51.	"toward pleasure" Loosely, "according to what pleases" or "as you wish".	ad libitum (ad lib)
50.	"solid land". Often used to refer to the ground.	terra firma
49.	"we have a pope". Used after a Roman Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful ballot to elect a new pope.	habeas papam
48.	"let the buyer beware". The purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need.	caveat emptor
47.	"higher". "Ever upward!" The state motto of New York. Also a catch phrase used by Marvel Comics head Stan Lee.	excelsior
46.	"scraped tablet". Thus, "blank slate". Romans used to write on wax-covered wooden tablets, which were erased by scraping with the flat end of the stylus. John Locke used the term to describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any knowledge.	tabula rasa
45.	"Roman Peace". A period of relative prosperity and lack of conflict in the early Roman Empire.	Pax Romana
44.	"My Fault". Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently flawed nature of mankind.	Mea Culpa
43.	"From many, (comes) One."	e pluribus unum
42.	"towards". Literally "in the direction". Mistakenly used in English as "against".	versus
41.	"guilty act". The actual crime that is committed, rather than the intent or thought process leading up to the crime.	actus reus
40.	"other I". Another self, a second persona or alias.	alter ego
39.	"in the Year of the Lord".	anno domini (A.D.)
38.	"royal water". refers to a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid.	aqua regia
37.	"Greatest High Priest". Or "Supreme Pontiff". Originally an office in the Roman Republic, later a title held by Roman Emperors, and later a traditional epithet of the pope.	Pontifex Maximus
36.	"the law of retaliation". Retributive justice (cf. an eye for an eye).	lex talionis
35.	"around". In the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a date.	circa
34.	"from the former". Used in mathematics and logic to denote something that is known or postulated before a proof has been carried out.	a priori
33.	"burden of proof"	opus probandi
32.	"spirit of place". The unique, distinctive aspects or atmosphere of a place, such as those celebrated in art, stories, folk tales, and festivals.	genius loci
31.	"to infinity". Going on forever. Used to designate a property which repeats in all cases in mathematical proof.	ad infinitum
30.	"lawfully". A legal term describing a "forced share", the portion of a deceased person's estate from which the immediate family cannot be disinherited.	legitime
29.	"Body of Christ". The name of a feast in the Roman Catholic Church commemorating the Eucharist.	Corpus Christi
28.	"in the place of a parent". A legal term meaning "assuming parental (i.e., custodial) responsibility and authority".	in loco parentis
27.	"to the man". Typically used on the mistaken assumption that the validity of an argument is to some degree dependent on the qualities of the proponent.	ad hominem
26.	"to this". Generally means "for this", in the sense of improvised on the spot or designed for only a specific, immediate purpose.	ad hoc
25.	"prime mover". Or "first moving one". A common theological term, such as in the cosmological argument, based on the assumption that God was the first entity to "move" or "cause" anything.	primum movens
24.	"a god from a machine". A contrived or artificial solution, usually to a literary plot.	deus ex machina
23.	"seize the day". An exhortation to live for today.	carpe diem
22.	"through a day". A specific amount of money an organization allows an individual to spend per day, typically for travel expenses.	per diem
21.	"where are they?". Nostalgic theme of poems yearning for days gone by.	ubi sunt
20.	"under penalty". Said of a request, usually by a court, that must be complied with on pain of punishment.	sub poena
19.	"I think, therefore I am.". A rationalistic argument used by French philosopher René Descartes to attempt to prove his own existence.	cogito ergo sum
18.	"always faithful". Motto of Exeter and several other cities; more recently has become the motto of United States Marine Corps and the Swiss Grenadiers.	semper fidelis
17.	"water of life". "Spirit of Wine" in many English texts. Used to refer to various native distilled beverages.	aqua vitae
16.	"Great Paper". A set of documents between Pope Innocent III, King John, and English barons.	Magna Carta
15.	"first among equals". A title of the Roman Emperors (cf. princeps).	primus inter pares
14.	"from the beginning". In literature, refers to a story told from the beginning rather than in medias res (from the middle).	ab initio
13.	"with a turned thumb". Used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator.	pollice verso
12.	"method of operating". Usually used to describe a criminal's methods.	modus operandi
11.	"I came, I saw, I conquered". The message sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate to describe his battle against King Pharnaces II near Zela in 47 BC.	veni, vidi, vici
10.	"great work". Said of someone's masterpiece.	magnum opus
9.	"voice of the people".	vox populi
8.	"by the fact itself".	ipso facto
7.	"word for word". Refers to perfect transcription or quotation.	verbatim
6.	"he asserted". A legal term from Medieval Latin referring to a sworn statement.	affidavit
5.	"for the good". Said of work undertaken voluntarily at no expense, such as public services. Often used of a lawyer's work that is not charged for.	pro bono
4.	"Where are you going?". According to Vulgate translation of John 13:36, Saint Peter asked Jesus Domine, X ("Lord, where are you going?") on the Appian Way in Rome. The King James Version has the translation "Lord, whither goest thou?"	quo vadis
3.	"stiffness of death". The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the limbs to stiffen about 3–4 hours after death.	rigor mortis
2.	"before the war"	ante bellum
1.	"in good faith". In other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly".	bona fide
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