medieval | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

21 entries found.

"western Palestine, Judaea," late 13c., translating Medieval Latin terra sancta (11c.).

from Medieval Latin ex postfacto, "from what is done afterwards." From facto, ablative of factum "deed, act" (see fact). Also see ex-, post-.

Anno Hegirae

Medieval Latin, "in the year of the hegira," the flight of Muhammad from Mecca, 622 C.E., from which Muslims reckon time; from ablative of annus "year" (see annual (adj.)) + genitive of hegira. Abbreviated A.H.

pro bono

short for Medieval Latin pro bono publico "for the public good;" from pro (prep.) "on behalf of, for" (see pro-) + ablative of bonum "good" (see bene-).

lapis lazuli (n.)

"azure-stone, rich ultramarine silicate stone," early 15c., from Middle Latin lapis lazuli, literally "stone of azure," from Latin lapis "a stone" (see lapideous) + Medieval Latin lazuli, genitive of lazulum, from Arabic lazuward (see azure).

vox populi (n.)

1540s, Latin, literally "voice of the people." The full maxim (first attested in Medieval Latin) is vox populi, vox Dei "the voice of the people is the voice of God." Short form vox pop attested by 1964.

ignis fatuus (n.)

"will o' the wisp, jack-o-lantern," 1560s, Medieval Latin, literally "foolish fire;" see igneous + fatuous. "It seems to have been formerly a common phenomenon; but is now exceedingly rare" [OED].

cum laude

1872, originally at Harvard, from Medieval Latin, literally "with praise," from Latin cum "with" + laude, ablative of laus (genitive laudis) "praise" (see laud). Probably from earlier use (in Latin) at Heidelberg and other German universities.

pro rata

"in proportion," from Medieval Latin pro rata (parte) "according to the calculated (share)," from pro "for, in accordance with" (see pro-) + rata, ablative singular of ratus, past participle of reri "to count, reckon" (see rate (n.)).

Magna Carta

also Magna Charta, 1560s, Medieval Latin, literally "great charter" (of English personal and political liberty). The thing was obtained from King John, June 15, 1215; the name is attested in Anglo-Latin by 1218. See magnate, card (n.).

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