LATIN NOTES ETYMOLOGY

QUID PRO QUO Something for something An even exchange; You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours

QUORUM Of whom Minimum number of people required in order to conduct official business

RARA AVIS Rare bird One of a kind

REQUIESCAT IN PACE (R.I.P.) May s/he rest in peace Check out some old timey tombstones

SANCTUM SANCTORUM Holy of Holies Place of inviolable privacy; where no one should interrupt you

SEMPER FIDELIS Always faithful Motto of US Marine Corps (often abbreviated as “semper fi”)

SEMPER PARATUS Always prepared/ready Motto of US Coast Guard

SI QUAERIS PENINSULAM AMOENAM CIRCUMSPICE If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you Motto of the State of Michigan

SIC Thus I found it thus; used when using a direct quote from text to denote misspellings i.e. Her note said “I left because their (sic) was no one home.”

SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS Thus even to tyrants John Wilkes Boothe’s alleged words when killing Lincoln; motto of the State of Virginia

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI Thus/so passes the glory of the world Everything passes/is transitory; used during the coronation of the Pope

SINE QUA NON Without which not An absolute necessity; indispensable

SUB ROSA Under the rose What’s said in a meeting is confidential; roses suspended above Roman tables to remind guests to keep silent; “what’s said under the rose, stays under the rose”

SUI GENERIS Of its own kind Unique; in a class of its own

SUMMUM BONUM Highest good The supreme good from which all others are derived

TABULA RASA Clean slate Starting over from scratch; newborns are tabula rasa

TEMPUS FUGIT Time flies ‘nuff said

TERRA FIRMA Solid earth To be on solid ground

TERRA INCOGNITA Unknown land Often written on maps before it was “discovered”

VENI, VIDI, VICI I came, I saw, I conquered Julius Caesar quote after crossing the Rubicon in 49 bc in defiance of Roman law, resulting in civil war

VERSO Left Left (side of a page)

RECTO Right Right (side of a page)

VICE VERSA With the order changed Conversely; reversed

VALE (SALVE) Farewell (Hail) Roman greeting

NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM New order of the ages Motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the US; also on dollar bill

VOX POPULI Voice of the people Popular opinion