Latin
0 antonyms and opposites of Latin, grouped by meaning.
Name — The classical language of ancient Rome, ancestor of French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.
We haven't recorded synonyms for Latin yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.
How to use Latin
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin Latīnus, "of Latium", the region of Italy where Rome was founded.
Full origin of Latin →Frequently asked questions
What does “Latin” mean?
The word “Latin” means the classical language of ancient Rome, ancestor of French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian. In plain terms, the ancient Roman language, or an adjective/noun describing people and cultures descended from it.
How do you pronounce “Latin”?
“Latin” is pronounced LAT-ihn (/ˈlæt.ɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “Latin” in a sentence?
Here is “Latin” used in a sentence: “She studied Latin at school for three years.”
What part of speech is “Latin”?
Depending on how it is used, “Latin” can be a name, an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “Latin” come from?
The word “Latin” comes from Latin. From Latin Latīnus, "of Latium", the region of Italy where Rome was founded.
Is “Latin” a common word?
“Latin” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Latin” have?
“Latin” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the classical language of ancient Rome, ancestor of French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.
Is Latin a dead language?
Latin is called a dead language because it has no native speakers who learn it from birth, and it stopped changing as an everyday spoken tongue. It is not extinct, though: it survives in the Romance languages descended from it, in scientific and legal terms, in the Catholic Church, and in scholarship, where it is still read and written.
What languages come from Latin?
The languages descended from Latin are called the Romance languages. The main ones are French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian, along with Catalan and several others. They evolved from the everyday spoken Latin of the Roman Empire, which is why they share so much vocabulary and grammar with one another and with their Latin parent.
Is Latin still used today?
Yes, in many specialised ways. It remains an official language of Vatican City and the Catholic Church, and it fills science, medicine, and law with terms and phrases. Countless English words derive from it, mottoes are written in it, and it is still taught in schools and universities to aid the study of language and history.
Why do people learn Latin?
Studying Latin sharpens understanding of grammar and expands English vocabulary, since a large share of English words have Latin roots. It unlocks the literature and history of ancient Rome in the original, eases the learning of Romance languages, and supports work in law, medicine, and science, where Latin terms remain in daily use.