| Word or Phrase |
Abbreviation |
Meaning |
| a fortiori |
|
with stronger reason |
| a latere |
|
(of a legate sent by the Pope) confidential, (literally) from the side |
| a majori |
|
from the greater |
| a majori ad minus |
|
from the greater to the less |
| a minori |
|
from the less |
| a minori ad majus |
|
from the less to the greater |
| a natura rei |
|
from the nature of the case |
| ab extra |
|
from the outside |
| ab initio |
ab init |
from the beginning |
| ab intra |
|
from the inside |
| ab origine |
|
from the very first, from the source |
| ab ovo |
|
literally, from the egg, from the beginning |
| ab urbe condita |
AUC |
from the founding of the city (of Rome) 753BC |
| absente reo |
abs re / abse re |
in the absence of the accused |
| Academiae Americanae Socius |
AAS |
Fellow of the American Academy |
| Acherontis pabulum |
|
(of a bad person) food for Acheron |
| acta |
|
official minutes of proceedings |
| acta sanctorum |
|
deeds of the saints |
| ad hanc vocem |
ahv |
at this word |
| ad hunc locum |
ahl |
at this place |
| ad initium |
ad init |
at or to the beginning |
| ad locum |
ad loc |
at the place |
| ad majorem Dei gloriam |
AMDG |
to the greater glory of God |
| ad aperturam libri |
|
as the book opens |
| ad arbitrium |
|
at pleasure |
| ad astra |
|
to the stars |
| ad avizandum |
|
for further consideration |
| ad Calendas Graecas |
|
at the Greek calends, i.e. never, as the Greeks had no calends |
| ad captandum / ad captandum vulgus |
|
with the intention of pleasing or appealing to the emotions of the crowd |
| ad clerum |
|
to the clergy |
| ad crumenam |
|
to the purse |
| ad eundem |
|
to or at the same level or status (as already attained, esp at another university) |
| ad finem |
ad fin |
at, to, or towards the end |
| ad hoc |
|
for this special purpose |
| ad hominem |
|
addressed to the feelings or prejudices of the hearer or reader |
| ad infinitum |
ad inf |
to infinity |
| ad libitum |
ad lib |
extempore, impromptu |
| ad litem |
|
(of a guardian, etc) appointed for a lawsuit |
| ad manum |
|
at or to hand, ready |
| ad misericordiam |
|
(of an argument, etc) appealing to pity |
| ad modum |
|
after the manner (of) |
| ad nauseam |
|
to the point of producing disgust |
| ad patres |
|
(gathered) to his or her fathers, dead |
| ad referendum |
|
to be further considered |
| ad rem |
|
to the point, to the purpose |
| ad summum |
|
to the highest point |
| ad unguem |
|
to a nicety, (literally, to the nail) |
| ad unum omnes |
|
everyone to the last man |
| ad valorem |
ad val |
according or in proportion to value |
| ad verbum |
|
word for word (literally, to a word) |
| ad vivum |
|
to the life, lifelike |
| adsum |
|
I am present, here |
| adversus |
adv. |
against |
| advocatus diaboli |
|
the devil’s advocate |
| aequo animo |
|
with an equable mind |
| aes alienum |
|
debt, (literally) another’s copper or brass |
| aes triplex |
|
a strong defence, (literally) triple brass |
| aetatis / aetatis suae |
ae. / aet. |
of his or her age, aged (so many years) |
| Albanensis |
Alban. |
of St Albans |
| alma mater |
|
benign mother, applied by alumni to their university, school or college |
| alternis vicibus |
|
alternately |
| alterum tantum |
|
as much more |
| altum silentium |
|
profound silence |
| amor patriae |
|
love of country |
| ancile |
|
in ancient Rome, the shield believed to have fallen from heaven in the reign of Numa Pompilius, on the safety of which the prosperity of Rome depended |
| Anglice |
Ang. |
in English |
| anima mundi |
|
the soul of the world |
| animal bipes |
|
a two-footed animal, man |
| animal implume |
|
a featherless animal |
| animal rationale |
|
a reasoning animal |
| animal risibile |
|
an animal able to laugh |
| animo et fide |
|
by courage and faith |
| anno |
a / an. |
in the year |
| anno ante Christum |
AAC |
in the year before Christ |
| anno Christi |
|
in the year of Christ |
| anno Domini |
AD |
in the year of the Lord |
| anno Hegirae |
AH |
(in dates) in the year of Hegira (i.e. from the flight of Mohammed on 13 September in 622AD) |
| anno humanae salutis |
AHS |
in the year of human salvation |
| anno mundi |
AM |
in the year of the world |
| anno post Romam conditam |
APRC |
in the year after the founding of Rome (753BC) |
| anno regni |
|
in the year of the reign |
| anno regni regis (or reginae) |
ARR |
in the year of the king’s (or queen’s) reign |
| anno salutis |
AS |
in the year of redemption / salvation |
| anno urbis conditae |
AUC |
in the year from the building of the city (of Rome) 753BC |
| annos vixit |
av |
lived (so many) years |
| annus |
a |
year |
| annus horribilis |
|
a year of horrors |
| annus mirabilis |
|
a year of wonders |
| anta / antae |
|
a pilaster / pilasters at either side of a doorway or the corner of a flank wall |
| ante |
a / an. |
before |
| Ante Christum |
AC |
before Christ |
| ante cibum |
ac |
in medical prescriptions etc., before food… |
| ante diem |
ad |
before the day |
| ante prandium |
ap |
before a meal (on prescriptions) |
| ante lucem |
|
before light |
| ante meridiem |
a.m. |
before noon, i.e. in the morning |
| ante mortem |
|
before death |
| aqua |
aq. |
water, solution, liquid (chemistry and pharmacy) |
| arbiter elegantiarum |
|
a judge on matters of taste |
| arbitrium |
|
power of decision |
| ardentia verba |
|
words that burn, glowing language |
| argumenti causa |
|
for the sake of argument |
| argumentum |
|
argument, proof |
| argumentum ad baculum |
|
the argument of the stick or rod, i.e. of force |
| argumentum ad crumenam |
|
argument addressed to the purse (i.e. to the desire for money) |
| argumentum ad hominem |
|
an appeal to the known prejudices and preferences or previous admissions of an opponent |
| argumentum ad ignorantiam |
|
argument founded on the ignorance of an opponent |
| argumentum ad invidiam |
|
an appeal to prejudices |
| argumentum ad judicium |
|
an appeal to common sense or judgement |
| argumentum ad rem |
|
argument to the purpose, directed at the real issue |
| argumentum ad verecundiam |
|
an appeal to awe or reverence (towards a prestigious or authoritative name or figure) |
| argumentum baculinum |
|
the argument of the stick or rod, i.e. of force |
| argumentum per impossibile |
|
the proof from the absurdity of a contradictory supposition |
| arrectis auribus |
|
with ears pricked up |
| Artium Baccalaureus |
AB |
Bachelor of Arts (US) |
| Artium Magister |
AM |
Master of Arts |
| aspersorium |
|
a holy-water vessel |
| audax et cautus |
|
bold and cautious |
| audita querela |
|
the name of a writ giving leave to appeal (literally, the suit having been heard) |
| aula |
|
a hall |
| aura popularis |
|
popular favour (literally, the popular breeze) |
| aurea mediocritas |
|
the golden (or happy) mean |
| aurum potabile |
|
a former medicine or cordial containing a small quantity of gold, (literally, drinkable gold) |
| ave atque vale |
|
hail and farewell |
| Ave Maria |
AM |
hail Mary |
| avizandum / avisandum |
|
private consideration of a case by a judge before giving judgement |
| axioma medium |
|
a generalization from experience |
