name Common

Latin

LAT-ihn

Latin (name) means the classical language of ancient Rome, ancestor of French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian. Example: “She studied Latin at school for three years.”

name

The classical language of ancient Rome, ancestor of French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.

"She studied Latin at school for three years."

adj

Relating to Latin, ancient Rome, or the languages and cultures descended from it.

"The countries of Latin America share a Latin linguistic heritage."

noun

A person from a country or culture whose language descends from Latin, especially in Latin America.

"The film celebrated Latin musicians from across the Americas."

How to use Latin

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe ancient Roman language, or an adjective/noun describing people and cultures descended from it.

Common pairings

Latin America Latin roots speak Latin

Word forms

Latins plural, Latins plural, Latins plural

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She studied _____ at school for three years.

Etymology

From Latin Latīnus, "of Latium", the region of Italy where Rome was founded.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for Latin

satin gratin keratin gelatin

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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.

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