As part of their studies students inevitably find themselves reading many academic research papers and books. Often these are littered with opaque Latin phrases and abbreviations which only make understanding the text more difficult. The alphabetical list of colloquial translations below, compiled by Daniel Austin, makes a handy reference to consult if you encounter one you don't know.
a fortiori | with even stronger reason |
a posteriori | reasoning from the data to infer the causes |
a priori | reasoning by logic without reference to data |
ad hoc | created solely for this purpose |
ad infinitum | to infinity, and so on forever |
ad rem | to the point |
addendum / addenda | addition, to be added |
bona fide | genuine |
ceteris paribus | other things being equal |
cf. (confer) | compare to, contrast with |
cp. (comparare) | compare to |
cum | combined with |
de facto | in fact, in reality |
e.g. (exempli gratia) | for example |
erratum / errata | corrections of error(s) |
et al. (et alii) | and others |
etc. (et cetera) | and the rest, and so on |
ex nihilo | from out of nothing |
i.e. (id est) | that is |
ibid. (ibidem) | in the same place (page, book) |
idem | the same (book, word, author) |
in situ | in its (original) place |
in toto | entirely |
in vacuo | in isolation, without reference to context |
inter alia | among other things |
ipso facto | by that very fact |
loc. cit. (loco citato) | in the place cited |
mutatis mutandis | having made the necessary alterations |
nota bene (NB) | take note |
op. cit. (opere citato) | in the mentioned work |
per se | in itself, as such |
prima facie | on first impression |
q.v. (quod vide) | cross-reference (literally: which see) |
QED (quod erat demonstrandum) | and that is what was to be proved |
qua | in the capacity of |
quod hoc | on this matter |
rebus sic stantibus | whilst things remain as they now stand |
sc. (scilicet) | namely, that is to say |
seq. / seqq. (sequens / sequentes) | the following pages (or lines) |
sic | quoted exactly as in the original |
sine qua non | an essential requirement |
status quo | the existing state of affairs |
v.i. (vide infra) | see below |
v.s. (vide supra) | see above |
via | by way of |
vice versa | the other way round |
viva voce | by word of mouth, an oral exam |
viz. (videlicet) | namely |
vs. (versus) | in contrast with |