Latin-Based Words for Colors and Other Things

English has a lot of  words of Latin origin. In fact,  60  percent  of the English language comes from Latin. Here are some Latin words—in this case, adjectives—for colors: prasinus, -a, - um:  greenpurpureus, -a, -um:  purple (purple)caeruleus, -a, -um:  blue (cerulean)lividus, -a, -um:  black and blue (livid)niger:  black (denigrate)ater, atra, atrum:  black (dark) (atrabilious)fuscus, -a, -um:  dark (obfuscate)ravus, -a, -um:  graycanus, -a, -um:  gray or white (hair)albus, -a, -um:  white (alb)flavus, -a, -um:  yellow (pale) (riboflavin)fulvus, -a, -um:  golden yellowcroceus, -a, -um:  saffron (crocus)ruber, rubra, rubrum:  red (rubella)roseus, -a, -um:  rose-red (rose) Other Latin Words Imported Into English Some Latin words are changed to make them more like English words, often  by changing the ending (e.g., office from the Latin officium), but other Latin words are kept intact in English. Of these words, some are unfamiliar and are generally italicized or placed in quotation marks to show that they are foreign, but others are used with nothing to set them apart as imported. You may not even be aware that they are from Latin. Here are some such words: Latin Word Definition English Derivatives villa villa, house villa, village, villager alta tall, high, deep altitude, altimeter, alto antiqua antique, old antique, antiquity, ancient longa long longitude, longevity, long magna large, great magnify, magnificent, magnitude pictura picture picture, picturesque, pictorial nova new novice, novel, novelty, nova, Nova Scotia terra land, earth terrier, terrace, terrestrial, terrain prima first prime, primary, primitive, primeval sub under subway, subterranean, suburban corna horn cornucopia, cornet, clavicorn est is estate, establish, essence habere have have, habit, habitual casa small house casino via street via parva small parval, parvanimity lata wide, broad latitude, lateral, latitudinal bona good bonus, bonanza, bona fide copia plenty copious, cornucopia, copiously fama fame fame, famous, infamous provincia province province, provincial, provincialism multa many multitude, multiple, multiplex nominare to name nominate, nominal, name, nominative postea later postlude, postgraduate, posthumous non not nonfction, nonmetal, nonexistent in in in aqua water aquatics, aquarium, aqueduct, aqueous agricola farmer agriculture bestia beast bestial, bestiality figura figure, shape figure, figurine, figment, figurative flamma flame flame, flamboyant, flambeau herba herb herb, herbivorous, herbage insula island insular, insulate, insularity lingua language language, lingual, linguistics nauta sailor nautical, nautilus pirata pirate pirate, piratical schola school scholar, school, scholastic alba white albino, albinism albumen amica friendly amicable, amicability, amity beata happy beatific, beatify, beatitude maritima sea maritime mea me me, my mira strange miracle, miraculous, mirage nota noted noted, note, notice, notable, noticeable obscura dark obscure, obscured, obscurity periculosa dangerous perilous, peril propinqua near to propinquity pulchra beautiful pulchritude quieta quiet quiet, quietude, disquiet circum around circumstance, circumnavigate, circumspect filia daughter filly, filial folium leaf foliage, foliaceous, foliar aureus golden aurorial, aurorean, aurous plumbeus leaden plumbing, plumbous, plumbic, plumbeous mutare to change mutation, commute, transmute vulnerare to wound vulnerable, invulnerable, vulnerary vitare to avoid inevitable, inevitably, inevitability morbus disease morbid, morbidity, morbific populus people populous, population, popular radius ray radius, radial, radiation arma arms (weapons) arms, armed, armament, army saxum rock saxatile, saxicoline, saxifrage evocare call forth evoke, evocable, evocator femina woman feminine, effeminate, femme densa thick dense, densely, density territa frightened terrified, terrific Translating Latin Into English Whether you want to translate a short English phrase into Latin or a Latin phrase into English, you cant just plug the words into a dictionary and expect an accurate result. You cant with most modern languages, either, but the lack of one-to-one correspondence is even greater between Latin and English.