Latin Vocabulary Words for the Novice

While many say Latin is a dead language, the Latin vocabulary and its influence live on in English and many other dialects throughout the world. Many English words have their roots in Latin, and many scholars claim that you can dramatically improve your vocabulary (and your performance on the SAT's and other tests that have a vocabulary component) by learning Latin. In addition, certain fields, such as the law, make heavy use of Latin terms. For the Latin novice, here is a list of some Latin vocabulary words that might be useful.

List of Latin Vocabulary Words:

• abbas abbatis : father
• abbatia: monastery 
• abduco : to take away
• adduco: to lead,
• aegresco egresco : to fall ill, to become troubled. 
• bardus: slow, dull. 
• basium: kiss. 
• benevolentia: benevolence, good will. 
• benigne: kindly, generously. 
• brevis: short, brief. 
• caelum: sky, heaven. 
• calamitas: calamity, disaster. 
• campana: bell. 
• capto: to grab, try to get, 
• caput capitis : head, summit, top 
• carmen : poem, song
• comminuo: to scatter, weaken, damage. 
• comminus: in close combat. 
• commisceo: to intermingle, join, mix. 
• commissum: undertaking, that which is entrusted.
• decerno : to decide, to settle. 
• defaeco: to cleanse, to purify
• degusto : to taste. 
• deinde: next, thereafter,
• delectatio: delight, enjoyment. 
• disputo: discuss. 
• dormio: to sleep, nap, siesta, 
• dux ducis : leader, general, commander, duke. 
• ecclesia: church. 
• electus: chosen
• eminus: from a distance. 
• episcopus: bishop 
• epistula : letter, message. 
• eventus: consequence, result, experience. 
• exerceo: to train, to exercise, to practice. 
• exspecto: to look for, to await
• exstinguo: to extinguish, to put out. 
• extremus: last, extreme. 
• exulto: to exult, be joyful. 
• facio: to sacrifice, to help, be of service. 
• famulus: servant. 
• fides: promise, engagement, word of honor,
• flamma: flame, fire. 
• frigus: cold, winter, indolence. 
• fusus: spread out, wide, extend. 
• gaudium: joy, happiness, delight 
• gloria : fame, glory. 
• gusto: to taste.
• gravatus: sick,  ill. 
• gravis: heavy, serious, important, grievous. 
• gravitas: weight, importance. 
• graviter: seriously.
• hereditas: inheritance
• hodie: today. 
• hodiernus: of today. 
• honorabilis: respectful. 
• hora: hour, time. 
• hypocrita: hypocrite 
• ictus: blow, bite, thrust.
• idoneus: proper, fitting, capable. 
• igitur: therefore, consequently
• ignarus: ignorant, 
• ignavus: lazy, inert, sluggish, a coward. 
• ignis: fire. 
• ignoro: to be ignorant of, to not know, to neglect, to overlook. 
• ignosco: forgive, pardon. 
• ignotus: unknown, obscure, ignorant,
• ignis: fire. 
• imitor: to imitate. 
• immortalis: immortal. 
• inceptum: beginning, attempt
• incorruptus: genuine, pure. 
• inscribo: inscribe
• investigo: to track down, to investigate. 
• juvenis: youth, young man, 
• labor laboris : labor, work, 
• lacesso : to harass, to attack. 
• lego: to gather, choose, collect
• leto: to kill,
• libero: to liberate, set free.
• ligo: to bind
• lima: polishing, revision. 
• limen: threshold. 
• lingua: language, speech. 
• lino: to smear, to dirty. 
• linteum: linen, napkin. 
• liquidus: fluid, liquid, clear, certain 
• litigo: to quarrel, to have a dispute.
• ludio ludius : actor, player 
• ludo lusi lusum : to play, to imitate 
• ludus: game, sport
• lues: pestilence, calamity.
• lux lucis : light. 
• luxuria: luxury, opulence. 
• macto: to magnify, honor, punish, afflict. 
• maero: to grieve, sorrow. 
• mane: morning
• mare maris : sea. 
• maritus: husband. 
• mater matris : mother 
• materia: material, matter. 
• matertera: maternal aunt.
• matrimonium: marriage. 
• memoria: memory, remembrance, recall
• missa: holy mass 
• monachus: monk.
• mundus: world, universe. 
• natio: nation, people. 
• natura: nature 
• nefas : wrong, sin. 
• nego: to deny. 
• nihilum: nothing. 
• novitas: newness, novelty
• novo : to make anew, refresh, invent. 
• obligatus: under an obligation. 
• offero: to bring forward, place before, present, offer, expose. 
• opera: work, labor. 
• oratio: speech, oration. 
• oro: to speak, to plead, to entreat. 
• palma: palm. 
• pando: to spread out, extent. 
• pario: to bear, bring forth, to produce 
• pariter: equally , as well. 
• pater patris : father. 
• pax pacis : peace 
• placitum : judgment, case, plea
• pluvia : rain, shower.
• plorabilis: deplorable. 
• plorator: a lamenter. 
• ploratus: weeping, lamenting. 
• ploro: to lament, weep, 
• pluit pluvit: it is showering or raining
• pluma: feather, pen.
• prudens: prudent, wise. 
• pulpa: flesh. 
• quaeso queso : to seek for, ask for. 
• quoque: also, too. 
• quotiens: often. 
• re vera : in truth. 
• rectum: virtue, right 
• regius : royal, regal. 
• renuo: to deny, to refuse, to reject. 
• rusticus: rustic, rural, peasant. 
• sacrificum: sacrifice. 
• salvus: safe, sound. 
• sanctifico: to sanctify, make holy. 
• sapientia: wisdom. 
• semper: always, ever.
• sequor sequi secutus : to follow
• serio: seriously. 
• serius: serious, grave
• sermo: talk, report, discussion. 
• sermo: discussion, talk, conversation
• sero: to sow, to plant 
• servitus: slavery.
• simplex: simple, 
• spes: hope. 
• synagoga: synagogue.
• tabellae: letter, document. 
• tempestas: storm, weather. 
• tersus: clean, neat, 
• transeo: to go over, pass over, go past. 
• tutis: protected, safe, secure. 
• umbra: shade, shadow. 
• uxor: wife, spouse.
• vado: to hasten, to rush. 
• velociter: quickly, swiftly. 
• vero: in truth, indeed, to be sure
• vestigium: footstep, trace, mark. 
• vetus: old. 
• vita: life, 
• voluptas: pleasure. 
• xiphias: sword-fish.