Humanities › History & Culture Latin Words in English Share Flipboard Email Print Ababsolutum / Getty Images History & Culture Ancient History and Culture Ancient Languages Figures & Events Greece Egypt Asia Rome Mythology & Religion American History African American History African History Asian History European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By N.S. Gill Ancient History and Latin Expert M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota B.A., Latin, University of Minnesota N.S. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. our editorial process N.S. Gill Updated May 27, 2019 Interested in increasing your vocabulary? Here are some English words from Latin directly or from Latin via French or Spanish. These words are thought to have come from newspaper articles from around 1923. One of the words on the list, mattoid, does not appear to be used any longer, so it is not included. acumen - ability to make good judgments agenda - list of things to be done altruism - selfless concern for others ambiguous - having a double meaning aplomb (Fr.) - self-confidence atrocity - cruel act avarice - greed bibulous - excessively fond of drinking alcohol celibate - abstaining from sex or marriage chivalrous (Fr.) - gallant condign - worthy, appropriate conglomerate - parts put together to form a unit while remaining separate identities crepuscular - pertaining to twilight cull - select from a variety of sources debilitate - weaken dirigible - capable of being guided facsimile - exact copy ferrous - made of iron flux - in the process of flowing futile - in vain garrulity - loquaciousness impecunious - poor incalculable - too great to be counted incommunicado (Sp.) - not in communication with others indefatigability - tireless insipid - lacking flavor introspection - looking within at one's mental or emotional state languid - slow, relaxed lucubration - meditation malfeasance (Fr.) - wrongdoing modicum - small amount moribund - near death mundane - worldly as opposed to spiritual naive - exhibiting lack of experience obeisance - respect obvious - clear (from the Latin for "in the way") parvenu - celebrity from obscure origins perpetuate - preserve perturb - make anxious plausible - probable precarious - uncertain puerile - childishly silly pulchritude - beauty pusillanimity - showing a lack of courage rapport - close relationship rapprochement (Fr.) - establishment of a harmonious relationship recalcitrant - obstinate renegade - a rebellious person reprisal - retaliation sacrosanct - very important or holy and not to be messed with simulacrum - image stipend - fixed allowance stultify - make appear foolish, cause to loose enthusiasm succumb - fail to resist taunt (Fr.) - provoke tentative - provisional turpitude - depravity ubiquity - found everywhere Source: "Learn a Word Every Day" by Lillian B. Lawler. The Classical Journal, Vol. 18, No. 5. (Feb. 1923), pp. 299-301. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Gill, N.S. "Latin Words in English." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/latin-words-in-english-118438. Gill, N.S. (2020, August 27). Latin Words in English. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/latin-words-in-english-118438 Gill, N.S. "Latin Words in English." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/latin-words-in-english-118438 (accessed April 17, 2021). copy citation