| A | B |
|---|
| ab absurdo | from the absurd |
| ab aeterno | since the beginning of time |
| ab asino lanam | wool from a donkey (AKA blood from a stone) |
| ab extra | from the outside |
| ab imo pectore | from the heart |
| ab incunabulis | from infancy |
| ab initio | from the beginning |
| ab intra | from within |
| ab irato | unfair, unprovoked |
| ab origine | from the first |
| ab ovo | from the very beginning |
| ab ovo usque ad mala | from start to finish |
| absit invidia | no offense intended |
| absit omen | may this not be an omen |
| absolvo | I acquit |
| ab uno disce omnes | from one example learn about all |
| ab urbe condita | from the founding of the city |
| abusus non tollit usum | misuse does not nullify proper use |
| abyssus abyssum invocat | one misstep leads to another |
| a capite ad calcem | thoroughly |
| accessit | honorable mention |
| Acheruntis pabulum | food for the gallows |
| a cruce salus | salvation (comes) from the cross |
| acta est fabula | it's all over |
| acta sanctorum | deeds of the saints |
| ad absurdum | to absurdity |
| ad arbitrium | at pleasure |
| ad astra per aspera | to the stars through difficulties (motto of Kansas) |
| ad augusta per angusta | to honors through difficulties |
| ad calendas graecas | never |
| ad captandum vulgus | in order to win over the masses |
| ad clerum | to the clergy |
| a Deo et Rege | from God and the King |
| Adeste Fideles | O come, all ye faithful |
| ad eundem gradum | to the same degree |
| ad gloriam | for glory |
| ad gustum | to one's taste |
| ad hoc | for this (purpose) |
| ad hominem | against the man |
| adhuc sub iudice lis est | the case is still before the court |
| ad infinitum | without limit |
| ad interim | in the meantime |
| ad kalendas graecas | never |
| ad libitum (ad lib.) | extemperaneously |
| ad limina apostolorum | to the highest authority |
| ad litem | for the suit or action |
| ad litteram | precisely; to the last jot |
| ad locum | at or to the place |
| ad maiorem Dei gloriam | for the greater glory of God (motto of the Society of Jesuits) |
| ad nauseam | to the point of (causing) nausea |
| ad patres | dead |
| ad perpetuam rei memoriam | for the perpetual remembrance of the thing (words traditionally used to open papl bulls) |
| ad populum | to the people |
| ad praesens ova cras pullis sunt meliora | eggs today are better than chickes tomorrow (AKA a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush) |
| ad quem | for (or to) which (or whom) |
| ad quod damnum | to what damage |
| ad referendum | for further consideration |
| ad rem | to the matter at hand; relevant; in a straightforward manner |
| adsum | present! (answer to roll call) |
| ad unguem | perfectly |
| ad unum omnes | unanimously |
| ad usum Delphini | expurgated |
| ad utrumque paratus | prepared for the worst |
| ad valorem | in proportion to value |
| ad verbum | verbatim; word-for-word |
| adversa | things noted |
| adversaria | a journal |
| adversus solem ne loquitor | don't speak against the sun (AKA don't waste your time arguing the obvious) |
| ad vitam | for life |
| ad vitam aeternam | forever |
| ad vitam aut culpam | for life or until a misdeed |
| advocatus diaboli | devil's advocate |
| aeger | sick |
| aegrescit medendo | the remedy is worse than the disease |
| aegri somnia | a sick man's dreams; an hallucination |
| aegrotat | a note from the doctor |
| aequam servare mentem | to keep an unruffled mind (to keep one's cool) |
| aequo animo | calmly |
| aere perennius | everlasting |
| aetatis suae | of his (or her) age |
| aeternum vale | farewell forever |
| a fortiori | with stronger reason |
| a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi | a precipice in front, wolves behind (AKA between a rock and a hard place) |
| age quod agis | do what you are doing (pay attention to way you are doing) |
| Agnus Dei | Lamb of God (epithet applied to Christ by John the Baptist) |
| a latere | from the side |
| albae gallinae filius | son of a white hen (AKA lucky devil!) |
| albo lapillo notare diem | to mark a day with a white stone |
| alea iacta est | the die is cast |
| alere flammam | to feed the flame |
| alias dictus | otherwise called |
| alieni generis | of a different kind |
| alieni iuris | subject to another's authority |
| aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus | sometimes even good Homer dozes (AKA you can't win 'em all!) |
| alis volat propriis | she (he) flies on her (his) own wings |
| alma mater | nourishing mother |
| alter ego | bosom pal, best friend |
| alter idem | another self |
| altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi | the deepest rivers flow with the least sound (AKA still waters run deep) |
| alumnus | nurslin, foster child |
| amantes sunt amentes | lovers are lunatics |
| amantium irae amoris integratio est | lovers' quarrels are the renewal of love |
| a maximis ad minima | from the greatest to the least |
| a mensa et toro | a legal separation |
| amicus curiae | an impratial spokesman in a court of law |
| amicus humani generis | a philanthropist |
| amicus usque ad aras | a friend to the end |
| amor | love |
| amor nummi | love of money |
| amor patriae | patriotism |
| amor proximi | love of one's neighbor |
| amor vincit omnia | love conquers all |
| anguis in herba | a hidden danger |
| animal bipes implume | a human being |
| animis opibusque parati | ready for anything |
| anno aetatis suae | in the year of his (or her) birth |
| anno Domini | in the year of the Lord |
| anno hegirae | in the year of the hegira |
| anno mundi | in the year of the world |
| anno regni | in the year of the reign |
| anno urbis conditae | i the year since Rome was founded |
| annuit coeptis | He (God) has favored our undertaking |
| annus mirabilis | a remarkable year |
| ante bellum | before the war |
| ante Christum | before Christ |
| ante meridiem | before noon |
| ante mortem | before death |
| ante partum | before childbirth |
| apage Satanas | away with thee, Satan |
| apologia pro vita sua | a defense of his life |
| a posteriori | from effect to cause (inductive reasoning) |
| apparatus criticus | critical matter |
| a priori | from what is already known (deductive reasoning) |
| aqua et igni interdictus | banished |
| aqua pura | distilled water |
| aqua vitae | whiskey |
| a quo | from which |
| arbiter bibendi | a toastmaster |
| arbiter elegantiae | an authority in matters of taste |
| Arcades ambo | two of a kind |
| arcanum arcanorum | secret of secrets |
| argumentum | an argument or proof or appeal |
| argumentum ab auctoritate | a proof dervied from authority |
| argumentum ab inconvenienti | an appeal based on the hardship or inconvenience involved |
| argumentum ad absurdum | an appeal pointing out the absurdity of one's opponent's point of view, rather than establishing the merits of one's own position |
| argumentum ad captandum | an appeal based primarily on arousing popular passions |
| argumentum ad crumenam | an appeal based on money or the promise of profit |
| argumentum ad hominem | an argument against the man |
| argumentum ad invidiam | an appeal to envy or other undesirable human traits |
| argumentum ad rem | a relevant argument |
| argumentum baculinum | an appeal to force |
| arma virumque cano | arms and the man I sing |
| arrectis auribus | on the alert |
| ars amandi | the art of love |
| Ars Amatoria | The Art of Love (a book by Ovid) |
| ars artium | logic |
| ars est celare artem | true art conceals the means by which it is achieved |
| ars gratia artis | art for art's sake |
| ars longa, vita brevis | art is long, but life is short |
| ars moriendi | the art of dying |
| ars poetica | the art of poetry |
| arte perire sua | to trip oneself up |
| artes perditae | lost arts |
| artes, scientia, veritas | arts, science, truth (motto of the University of Michigan) |
| Artium Baccalaureus | Bachelor of Arts |
| Artium Magister | Master of Arts |
| asinus asinum fricat | the donkey rubs the donkey (AKA one fool rubs the other's back) |
| a tergo | from behind |
| auctor ignotus | an unknown author |
| audaces fortuna iuvat | fortune favors the bold |
| audemus iura nostra defendere | we dare defend our rights (motto of Alabama) |
| audi alteram partem | hear the other side (there are two sides to every question) |
| aura popularis | temporary celebrity |
| aurea mediocritas | the golden mean (moderation in all things) |
| aureo hamo piscari | money talks |
| auri sacra fames | money-mad |
| Aurora | goddess of the morning |
| auspicium melioris aevi | an omen of a better time |
| Austriae est imperare orbi universo | it is Austria's destiny to rule the world (motto of Emperor Frederick III) (notice it abbreviates to AEIOU!) |
| aut bibat aut abeat | you're either for us or against us |
| aut Caesar aut nihil | all or nothing |
| aut disce aut discede | either learn or leave |
| aut viam inveniam aut faciam | where there's a will there's a way |
| aut vincere aut mori | victory or death |
| ave atque vale | hail and farewell |
| ave Caesar, morituri te salutant | hail, Caesar, those who are about to die salute you |
| ave Maria | hail Mary |
| a verbis ad verbera | from words to blows |
| Ave Regina Caelorum | Hail, Queen of Heaven |
| a vinculo matirmonii | an absolute divorce |
