anno Domin? (A.D.)
in the year of the Lord
ante meridiem (a.m.)
before noon
post meridiem (p.m.)
afternoon
ad infinitum
to infinity, endlessly
alter ego
the other I, the other self
circa (c.)
about (N.B. used with dates)
de facto
from, or according to, fact; actually
de jure
according to right, by lawful title
bona fide
in good faith, genuine, without decite
sui generis
of its own kind, unique
deo volente
with God willing
per se
by itself
nolens volens
willingly or unwillingly (willy nilly)
ex libris
from the books of (used on bookplates in the front of books to indicate owner)
ex officio
from the office of, because of his office
caveat emptor
let the buyer beware, he buys for his own risk
subpoena
under punishment
quod est demonstrandum (Q.E.D)
(the thing) which must be shown
lapsus linguae
a slip of the lounge
mirabile dictu
strange to say, wonderful to relate
(N.B.) nota bene
note well
ne plus ultra
(no more beyond) perfection
per capita
(by heads) for each individual
prima facie
(at first appearance) before investigation
quid pro quo
(something for something) one thing for, or in place of another
pro tem. (pro tempore)
(for the time) temporary
extempore
(according to the time) without preparation
sic!
(so!) used in parentheses right after some mistake in a direct quotation (shows that one recognizes the mistake)
sine qua non
(without which not) a necessity
sub rosa
(under the rose) in secret (from the ancient use of the rose at meetings as a symbol of the sworn confidence of the participants
veto
(I forbid) an official's way of stopping the action of a bill
status quo
(the condition in which) the situation in which it was before
vice versa
(with the order changed) reversed
viva voce
(the live voice) orally
viz.
(videlicet for videre licet: it is permitted to see) namely (abbreviation was once v.i. but the z was used after the invention for the printing press, as the symbol for the period.)
vs.
(versus -- turned) against
S.P.Q.R.
Senatus Populusque Romanus; The Senate and The Roman People (not only on all official Roman inscriptions, but on all offical documents of the Italian government today.)
annuit coeptis
(God) has approved [nodded to] the things (we have) begun
novus ordo seclorum
a new order of the ages
e pluribus unum
out of many (is made) one
e.g.
exepli gratia - for (the sake of) example
cf.
confer - compare; look up
etc.
et cetera - and other things; and so forth
ibid.
ibidem - in the same place (as the precious foot note)
et al.
et alia - and other things
et alii - and other people
op. cit.
opere citato - in the work already cited
q.v.
quod vide - which see (used to suggest consulting another source)
v.
vide - see
i.e.
id est - that is
supra
above (referring to something discussed earlier in the book)
infra
below (referring to something later in the book)
p.s.
post scriptum - written after (used at the end of a letter)