Latin Abbreviations and Phrases

Question 1

cf.

(also in English, cp.)

Answer 1

compare

[from Latin conferre “to bring together,” figuratively “to compare; consult, deliberate, talk over,” from com- “together” (see com-) + ferre “to bear”]

Question 2

et seq.

Answer 2

and following

[from Latin et sequentem,et “and” with present participle of sequi “to follow”]

Question 3

ibid.

Answer 3

from the same place

[Latin ibidem “in the same place,” from ibi “there,” pronomial adverb of place, + demonstrative suffix -dem]

Question 4

et al.

Answer 4

and others

[Latin et alii (masc.), et aliæ (fem.), or et alia (neuter), in any case meaning “and others.”]

Question 6

A.D.

Answer 6

in the year of the Lord

[1570s, from Latin Anno Domini “Year of the Lord.” First put forth by Dionysius Exiguus in 527 or 533 C.E., but at first used only for Church business. Introduced in Italy in 7c., France (partially) in 8c. In England, first found in a charter of 680 C.E. Ordained for all ecclesiastical documents in England by the Council of Chelsea, July 27, 816.

Used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The AD or the Christian calendar era is based on the traditionally reckoned year of the conception or birth of Jesus of Nazareth, with AD counting years after the start of this epoch, and BC denoting years before the start of the epoch.

Question 7

a.i.

Answer 7

temporarily

[from ad interim, from Latin ad “to, toward” in space or time; “with regard to, in relation to; from Latin interim (adv.) “in the meantime, meanwhile,” originally “in the midst of that,” from inter- “between” (see inter-) + im, ancient adverb from stem of pronoun is “this, that.”]

Question 8

a.m.

Answer 8

before midday

[Latin, ante meridiem, from ante “before” + accusative of meridies “midday, noon”]

Question 9

p.m.

Answer 9

after midday

[Latin, post meridiem, from post “after” + accusative of meridies “midday, noon”]

Question 10

c., ca., ca or cca.

Answer 10

approximately, around, about, near

[from Latin circa “around, round about, near; in the region of; about the time of,” alternative form of circum “round about”]

Question 11

Cap.

Answer 11

chapter

[Latin capitulus, literally “little head,” diminutive of caput “head,” also “leader, guide, chief person; summit; capital city; origin, source, spring,” figuratively “life, physical life;” in writing “a division, paragraph;” of money, “the principal sum,”]

Question 12

C.V. or CV

Answer 12

brief account of one’s life and work

[Latin curriculum vitae, from curriculum “a running, course, career”; and vita, plural vitae, literally “life”]

Question 13

DG, D.G. or DEI GRA

Answer 13

by the grace of God

[from Latin deus gratia, deus “god” and gratia “favor, esteem, grace”]

Question 14

etc.

Answer 14

and other things

[from Latin et cetera, literally “and the others,” from et “and” + neuter of ceteri “the others.”]

Question 15

e.g.

Answer 15

for example, for instance

[Latin exempli gratia, from exemplum “a sample,” literally “that which is taken out,” from eximere “take out, remove”; and from Latin gratis, contraction of gratiis “for thanks,” hence, “without recompense,” ablative of gratiae “thanks,” plural of gratia “favor”]

Question 16

f. (sing.) and ff. (plur.)

Answer 16

and following; This abbreviation is used in citations to indicate an unspecified number of following pages following

[Latin folio “leaf or sheet of paper,” from Latin folio, ablative of folium “leaf,” from PIE *bhulyom “leaf” (cf. Greek phyllon “leaf,” Gaelic bile “leaflet, blossom”), from root *bhel- (2) “to blow, inflate, swell”]

Question 17

i.a.

Answer 17

among other thigns

[Latin inter alia, from inter (prep., adv.) “among, between, betwixt, in the midst of,”; and alias “at another time, in another way,” from alius “(an)other,”]

Question 18

i.e.

Answer 18

that is, in other words

[Latin id est, from id “it”; and status “a station, position, place; way of standing, posture; order, arrangement, condition,”?]

Question 19

J.D.

Answer 19

teacher of law/rights

[Latin Juris Doctor, from doctor “religious teacher, adviser, scholar,” in classical Latin “teacher,” agent noun from docere “to show, teach, cause to know,” originally “make to appear right,” causative of decere “be seemly, fitting”; and iurista “jurist,” from Latin ius (genitive iuris) “law,”]

Question 20

cause celebre

Question 21

crux interpertum

Question 22

dramatis personae

Question 23

sub figura