Genealogy Latin Dictionary
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Latin terms appear often when looking through ancestral records. In particular wills, parish records and land records tend to be full of Latin terms. Our Genealogy Latin Dictionary helps you navigate all those unfamiliar terms.
As far as we know, GenealogyInTime Magazine maintains the largest online resource devoted to Latin words and phrases in genealogy. This is a good resource to bookmark.
Click on the letter below that corresponds to the first letter in the Latin word.
A | B C | D | E | F | G H | I J | K | L M | N O | P | Q R | S | T - Z
| Latin Phrase | Abbreviation |
English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ab initio | from the beginning | |
| absente reo | in the absence of the defendant | |
| a contrario | from a contrary position | |
| a cruce salus | from the cross comes salvation | |
| addendum | something to be added | |
| ad hoc | for this particular purpose, improvised | |
| ad interim | in the meantime | |
| ad libitum | ad lib |
at one’s pleasure or to improvise |
| ad locum | at the place | |
| ad maiorem Dei gloriam | A.M.D.G. |
to the greater glory of God |
| ad nauseum | to the point of making one sick | |
| ad rem | pertaining to the matter in hand | |
| aetas / aetatis | aet |
age / at the age of |
| a me infrascripto parocho vel vicario | I the undersigned vicar | |
| aetatis suae | at his/her age of | |
| anno aetatis suae | AAS |
in the year of his/her age |
| agenda | things to be done | |
| Agnus Dei | lamb of God | |
| agricola | farmer | |
| alias | otherwise called, an assumed name | |
| alibi | elsewhere, in another place | |
| alma mater | a student’s former University | |
| altera die | on the next day | |
| Alumni Oxonienses | Univesity of Oxford alumni records, date back to 1500 | |
| alumnus | a former student of a university | |
| A mari usque ad mare | from sea to sea (motto of Canada) | |
| ambo | stranger, foreigner | |
| amor caecus est | love is blind | |
| Anno Domini | A.D. |
in the year since the birth of Christ |
| anno regni | in the year of reign | |
| annus | an |
year |
| annus bisextus | leap year | |
| annus horribilis | a horrible year | |
| annus mirabilis | a wonderful year | |
| anonymus, anonyma | stillborn son or daughter | |
| anti, ante | before | |
| ante meridiem | A.M. or a.m. |
before midday |
| ante prandium | a.p. |
before a meal |
| a posteriori | from what comes after | |
| a priori | from what comes before | |
| aqua vitae | a distilled spirit, such as brandy or whisky | |
| arcularius | carpenter | |
| artium baccalaureus | B.A. |
Bachelor of Arts degree |
| atrium magister | M.A. |
Master of Arts degree |
| aurora australis | the southern lights | |
| aurora borealis | the northern lights | |
| avator | farmer | |
| ave atque vale | hello and goodbye | |
| Ave Maria | Hail Mary | |
| avia | grandmother | |
| avus | grandfather |
