List of Latin phrases: R
Encyclopedia
R
| Latin | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| radix malorum est cupiditas Radix malorum est cupiditas Radix malorum est cupiditas is a Biblical quotation in Latin that means "greed is the root of evils" ↑.... |
the root of evils is desire | Or "greed is the root of all evil Root of all evil -Money:* First Epistle to Timothy in the New Testament , which contains the phrase, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil"... ". Theme of the Pardoner's Tale The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale "The Pardoner's Tale" is one of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. The story is in the form of an exemplum: the Pardoner first explains the theme he will address, then tells his story and finally draws the conclusion he had already mentioned in his introduction.-Summary:The tale is based on... from The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at... . |
| rara avis (Rarissima avis) | rare bird (very rare bird) | An extraordinary or unusual thing. From Juvenal Juvenal The Satires are a collection of satirical poems by the Latin author Juvenal written in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD.Juvenal is credited with sixteen known poems divided among five books; all are in the Roman genre of satire, which, at its most basic in the time of the author, comprised a... 's Satires: rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygno ("a rare bird in the lands, and very like a black swan"). |
| rari nantes in gurgite vasto | Rare survivors in the immense sea | Virgil Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid... , Aeneid Aeneid The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter... , I, 118 |
| ratio decidendi Ratio decidendi Ratio decidendi is a Latin phrase meaning "the reason" or "the rationale for the decision." The ratio decidendi is "[t]he point in a case which determines the judgment" or "the principle which the case establishes."... |
reasoning for the decision | The legal, moral, political, and social principles used by a court to compose a judgment's rationale. |
| ratio legis | reasoning of law | A law's foundation or basis. |
| ratione personae | because of the person involved | Also "Jurisdiction Ratione Personae" the personal reach of the courts jurisdiction. |
| ratione soli Ratione soli Ratione soli is a Latin phrase meaning "according to the soil". In property law, it is a justification for assigning property rights to landowners over resources found on their own land.In Pierson v... |
by account of the ground | Or "according to the soil". Assigning property rights to a thing based on its presence on a landowner's property. |
| re | More literally, "by the thing". From the ablative Ablative case In linguistics, ablative case is a name given to cases in various languages whose common characteristic is that they mark motion away from something, though the details in each language may differ... of res ("thing" or "circumstance"). It is a common misconception that the "Re:" in correspondence is an abbreviation for regarding or reply; this is not the case for traditional letters. However, when used in an e-mail subject, there is evidence that it functions as an abbreviation of regarding rather than the Latin word for thing. The use of Latin re, in the sense of "about, concerning", is English usage. |
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| rebus sic stantibus | with matters standing thus | The doctrine that treaty Treaty A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms... obligations hold only as long as the fundamental conditions and expectations that existed at the time of their creation hold. |
| recte et fideliter | Upright and Faithful | Also "just and faithful" and "accurately and faithfully". Motto of Ruyton Girls' School Ruyton Girls' School Ruyton Girls' School , is a non-denominational, independent, day school for girls, located in the inner-eastern Melbourne suburb of Kew, Victoria, Australia.... |
| reductio ad absurdum Reductio ad absurdum In logic, proof by contradiction is a form of proof that establishes the truth or validity of a proposition by showing that the proposition's being false would imply a contradiction... |
leading back to the absurd | A common debate technique, and a method of proof in mathematics and philosophy, that proves the thesis by showing that its opposite is absurd or logically untenable. In general usage outside mathematics and philosophy, a reductio ad absurdum is a tactic in which the logic of an argument is challenged by reducing the concept to its most absurd extreme. Translated from Aristotle Aristotle Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology... 's "ἡ εις άτοπον απαγωγη" (hi eis atopon apagogi, "reduction to the impossible"). |
| reductio ad infinitum | leading back to the infinite | An argument that creates an infinite series of causes that does not seem to have a beginning. As a fallacy, it rests upon Aristotle's notion that all things must have a cause, but that all series of causes must have a sufficient cause, that is, an unmoved mover. An argument which does not seem to have such a beginning becomes difficult to imagine. |
| regnat populus | the people rule | State motto of Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... , adopted in 1907. Originally rendered in 1864 in the plural, regnant populi ("the peoples rule"), but subsequently changed to the singular. |
| Regnum Mariae Patrona Hungariae | Kingdom of Mary, the Patron of Hungary | Former motto of Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... . |
| rem acu tetigisti | You have touched the point with a needle | i.e., "You have hit the nail on the head" |
| repetita juvant | repeating does good | Usually said as a jocular remark to defend the speaker's (or writer's) choice to repeat some important piece of information to ensure reception by the audience. |
| repetitio est mater studiorum | repetition is the mother of study | |
| requiescat in pace (R.I.P.) | let him rest in peace | Or "may he rest in peace". A benediction for the dead. Often inscribed on tombstones or other grave markers. "RIP" is commonly mistranslated as "Rest In Peace", though the two mean essentially the same thing. |
| rerum cognoscere causas | to learn the causes of things | Motto of the University of Sheffield University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities... , the University of Guelph University of Guelph The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College... , and London School of Economics London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London... . |
| res gestae Res gestae Res gestae is a term found in substantive and procedural American jurisprudence and English law. In American substantive law, it refers to the start-to-end period of a felony. In American procedural law, it refers to an exception to the hearsay rule for statements made spontaneously or as part of... |
things done | A phrase used in law representing the belief that certain statements are made naturally, spontaneously and without deliberation during the course of an event, they leave little room for misunderstanding/misinterpretation upon hearing by someone else ( i.e. by the witness who will later repeat the statement to the court) and thus the courts believe that such statements carry a high degree of credibility. |
| res ipsa loquitur Res ipsa loquitur In the common law of negligence, the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur states that the elements of duty of care and breach can be sometimes inferred from the very nature of an accident or other outcome, even without direct evidence of how any defendant behaved... |
the thing speaks for itself | A phrase from the common law Common law Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action... of tort Tort A tort, in common law jurisdictions, is a wrong that involves a breach of a civil duty owed to someone else. It is differentiated from a crime, which involves a breach of a duty owed to society in general... s meaning that negligence can be inferred from the fact that such an accident happened, without proof of exactly how. A clause sometimes (informally) added on to the end of this phrase is sed quid in infernos dicit ("but what the hell does it say?"), which serves as a reminder that one must still interpret the significance of events that "speak for themselves". |
| res judicata Res judicata Res judicata or res iudicata , also known as claim preclusion, is the Latin term for "a matter [already] judged", and may refer to two concepts: in both civil law and common law legal systems, a case in which there has been a final judgment and is no longer subject to appeal; and the legal doctrine... |
judged thing | A matter which has been decided by a court. Often refers to the legal concept that once a matter has been finally decided by the courts, it cannot be litigated again (cf. non bis in idem and double jeopardy Double jeopardy Double jeopardy is a procedural defense that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same, or similar charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction... ). |
| res, non verba | actions speak louder than words | From rēs ("things, facts") the plural of rēs ("a thing, a fact") + nōn ("not") + verba ("words") the plural of verbum ("a word"). Literally meaning "things, not words" or "facts instead of words" but referring to that "actions be used instead of words". |
| res nullius Res nullius Res nullius is a Latin term derived from Roman law whereby res is not yet the object of rights of any specific subject. Such items are considered ownerless property and are usually free to be owned... |
nobody's property | Goods without an owner. Used for things or beings which belong to nobody and are up for grabs, e.g., uninhabited and uncolonized lands, wandering wild animals, etc. (cf. terra nullius, "no man's land"). |
| respice adspice prospice | look behind, look here, look ahead | i.e., "examine the past, the present and future". Motto of CCNY. |
| respice finem | look back at the end | i.e., "have regard for the end" or "consider the end". Generally a memento mori Memento mori Memento mori is a Latin phrase translated as "Remember your mortality", "Remember you must die" or "Remember you will die". It names a genre of artistic work which varies widely, but which all share the same purpose: to remind people of their own mortality... , a warning to remember one's death. Motto of Homerton College, Cambridge Homerton College, Cambridge Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.With around 1,200 students, Homerton has more students than any other Cambridge college, although less than half of these live in the college. The college has a long and complex history dating back to the... |
| respondeat superior Respondeat superior Respondeat superior is a legal doctrine which states that, in many circumstances, an employer is responsible for the actions of employees performed within the course of their employment... |
let the superior respond | Regarded as a legal maxim in agency law, referring to the legal liability of the principal with respect to an employee. Whereas a hired independent contract acting tortiously may not cause the principal to be legally liable, a hired employee acting tortiously will cause the principal (the employer) to be legally liable, even if the employer did nothing wrong. |
| restitutio in integrum Restitutio in integrum Restitutio in integrum is a Latin maxim which means restoration to original condition. It is one of the primary guiding principles behind the awarding of damages in common law negligence claims... |
restoration to original condition | Principle behind the awarding of damages in common law negligence claims |
| rex regum fidelum et | king even of faithful kings | Latin motto that appears on the crest of the Trinity Broadcasting Network Trinity Broadcasting Network The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New... of Paul Paul Crouch Paul Franklin Crouch is a religious broadcaster and, along with his wife Jan, co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network .-Biography:... and Jan Crouch. |
| rigor mortis Rigor mortis Rigor mortis is one of the recognizable signs of death that is caused by a chemical change in the muscles after death, causing the limbs of the corpse to become stiff and difficult to move or manipulate... |
stiffness of death | The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the limbs to stiffen about 3–4 hours after death. Other signs of death include drop in body temperature (algor mortis Algor mortis Algor mortis is the reduction in body temperature following death. This is generally a steady decline until matching ambient temperature, although external factors can have a significant influence.... , "cold of death") and discoloration (livor mortis Livor mortis Livor mortis , postmortem lividity , or hypostasis is one of the signs of death... , "bluish color of death"). |
| risum teneatis, amici? | Can you help laughing, friends? | An ironic or rueful commentary, appended following a fanciful or unbelievable tale. |
| Roma invicta Roma invicta Roma invicta is a Latin phrase, meaning "Unconquerable Rome", inscribed on the Statue of Rome.It was an inspirational motto used until the Fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. This symbolic statement was later printed on to gold coins, to help boost the morale of the failing Empire.... |
Unconquerable Rome | Inspirational motto inscribed on the Statue of Rome. |
| Romanes eunt domus | Romanes go the house | An intentionally garbled Latin phrase from Monty Python's Life of Brian Monty Python's Life of Brian Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team... . Its intended meaning is "Romans, go home!", but is actually closer to "'People called Romanes they go the house'", according to a centurion Centurion A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy... in the movie. When Brian is caught vandalizing the palace walls with this phrase, rather than punish him, the centurion corrects his Latin grammar Latin grammar The grammar of Latin, like that of other ancient Indo-European languages, is highly inflected; consequently, it allows for a large degree of flexibility in choosing word order... , explaining that Romanus is a second declension Latin declension Latin is an inflected language, and as such has nouns, pronouns, and adjectives that must be declined in order to serve a grammatical function. A set of declined forms of the same word pattern is called a declension. There are five declensions, which are numbered and grouped by ending and... noun and has its plural in -i rather than -es; that ire or eo ("to go") must be in the imperative mood Imperative mood The imperative mood expresses commands or requests as a grammatical mood. These commands or requests urge the audience to act a certain way. It also may signal a prohibition, permission, or any other kind of exhortation.- Morphology :... to denote a command; and that domus takes the accusative case Accusative case The accusative case of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb. The same case is used in many languages for the objects of prepositions... without a preposition as the object. The final result of this lesson is the correct Latin phrase Romani ite domum. |
| rosa rubicundior, lilio candidior, omnibus formosior, semper in te glorior | redder than the rose, whiter than the lilies, fairer than all things, I do ever glory in thee | From the Carmina Burana's song "Si puer cum puellula". |
| rus in urbe | A countryside in the city | Generally used to refer to a haven of peace and quiet within an urban setting, often a garden, but can refer to interior decoration. |