This table was compiled from multiple sources on the Internet; in other words, it's guaranteed to be inaccurate. Caveat lector!
| Saepe creat molles aspera spina rosas | Often the prickly thorn produces tender roses. (Ovid) |
| Saepe ne utile quidem est scire quid futurum sit | Often it is not even advantageous to know what will be. (Cicero) |
| Saepe stilum vertas | May you often turn the stylus (You should make frequent corrections.) |
| Saepeque multum ridere | To laugh often and much |
| Saltus in demonstrando | Leap in demonstration. |
| Salus populi suprema lex esto | The welfare of the people is the highest law. Motto of the state of Missouri. John Locke used the phrase in his Second Treatise (On Civil Government) to describe the proper organization of government. |
| Salus publica salus mea | The good of the people is my good |
| Salva veritate | With truth preserved, or "saved by the truth". |
| Salvator Mundi | The Saviour of the World - usually refers to Christ, and is the title of paintings by Albrecht Dürer and Leonardo da Vinci |
| Salve (plural salvete) | Hail; welcome |
| Salve sis | May you be well |
| Salve veritate | Saving the truth |
| Salve, (name)! Crepidas meas per clavos ad solum adfixinte? | Hey (name)! Did you nail my sandals to the floor? |
| Salvo errore et omissione (s.e.e.o.) | Except for errors and omissions -- appears on statements of "account currents". |
| Salvo honoris titulo (SHT) | Excluding the title -- used in writings to unfamiliar persons, as an excuse for not using the correct title. |
| Sancta sedes | The Holy Chair -- i.e., the Papacy or the Holy See. |
| Sancta Simplicitas | Blessed Simplicity or "Holy Simplicity" |
| Sanctum sanctorum | The holy of holies |
| Sane ego te vocavi. forsitan capedictum tuum desit | I did call. Maybe your answering machine is broken |
| Sane, paululum linguae Latinae dico. | Sure, I speak a little Latin. |
| Sapere aude | Dare to be wise -- motto of the Manchester Grammar School and other institutions; originally from Horace, Epistle II; quoted by Immanuel Kant to define Enlightenment. |
| Sapiens nihil affirmat quod non probat | A wise man states as true nothing he does not prove (don't swear to anything you don't know firsthand) |
| Sapienta et doctrina stabilis | Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times |
| Sapienti sat (est), also dictum sapienti sat est or sat sapienti. | Enough for the wise -- understandable for a wise one without the need for explanations. Source: Plautus. |
| Sapientia vino obumbratur | Wisdom is overshadowed by wine |
| Sartor resartus | The tailor patched |
| Sat sapienti | Enough for a wise man. (Plautus) |
| Satis | Enough |
| Satius est impunitum relinqui facinus nocentis, quam innocentem damnari | It is better that a crime is left unpunished than that an innocent man is punished. (Corpus Iuris Civilis) |
| Scala naturae | The ladder of nature |
| Scandalum magnatum | Scandal of magnates |
| Schola cantorum | School of singers |
| Scientae cedit mare | To give knowledge of the sea |
| Scientia est potentia | Knowledge is power |
| Scientia non habet inimicum nisp ignorantem | Science has no enemies but the ignorants |
| Scientia terras irradumus | We irradiate the earth with knowledge |
| Scientia, sollertia, Servitium | Knowledge, Skills and Service |
| Scilicet (Sc.) | That is to say |
| Scio cur summae inter se dissentiant! Numeris Romanis utor! | I know why the numbers don't agree! I use Roman numerals! |
| Scio me nihil scire | I know that I know nothing. Certain knowledge cannot be obtained. (Socrates) |
| Scio vos esse molestissimos | I know that you are very troublesome |
| Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter | Your knowledge is nothing when no one else knows that you know it |
| Sciri facias | Cause (him) to know |
| Scito te ipsum | Know yourself |
| Scribere est agere | To write is to act |
| Scripsit | He/she wrote it |
| Scrutantibus gehennas parabat. | He prepared Hell for those who ask such questions. (Augustin, when asked what God did before He created the World) |
| Se dedere mihi dedi pudari | I have devoted myself to honor |
| Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes? | Who watches the watchmen? (Juvenal) |
| Sede vacante | The seat (i.e., the Holy See) being vacant -- the interregnum between two popes. |
| Sedes apostolica | The Apostolic Chair -- i.e., the Papacy or the Holy See. |
| Sedit qui timuit ne non succederet | He who feared he would not succeed sat still. (For fear of failure, he did nothing.) (Horace) |
| Semper cogitatio | Always thinking |
| Semper eadem | Always the same |
| Semper fidelis | Always faithful -- motto of the United States Marine Corps, often abbreviated Semper Fi. |
| Semper Heraldica | Always Heraldry (Heraldry Forever) |
| Semper idem | Always the same thing. (Cicero) |
| Semper in excremento sum, solum profunditas mutat | I am always in the excrement, only the depth varies |
| Semper inops quicumque cupit | Whoever desires is always poor. (Claudian) |
| Semper litteris mandate | Always required in writing |
| Semper paratus | Always prepared -- the motto of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Cavalry's 12th Regiment. |
| Semper Primus | Always first (US Army Pathfinder motto) |
| Semper reformanda | Always reforming - a shortened form of a motto of the Protestant Reformation: Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est ("The reformed church must always be reforming"), which refers to the Protestant argument that the church must continually re-examine itself, reconsider its doctrines, and be prepared to accept change. (The shortened form, semper reformanda, literally means "always about to be reformed", and the usual translation, "always reforming", is taken from sentence where it is used in a passive periphrastic construction.) |
| Semper scriptum capere | Always get it in writing |
| Semper ubi sub ubi | Always where under where -- a Latin translation joke. Nonsensical, but the English translation is a pun of "Always wear underwear" |
| Semper ubi sub ubi ubique | Always wear underwear everywhere |
| Semper ubi sububi in caput tuum | Always wear underwear on your head |
| Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) | The Senate and the People of Rome -- i.e., "The Aristocrats and the Commoners", the official name of the Roman Republic. "SPQR" was carried on battle standards by the Roman Legions. |
| Senito aliquos togatos contra me conspirare | I think some people in togas are plotting against me |
| Sensu lato | Broadly speaking |
| Sensu stricto, nullo metro compositum est | Strictly speaking, it doesn't rhyme |
| Sentio aliquos togatos contra me conspirare. | I think some people in togas are plotting against me. |
| Sequare me | Follow me |
| Sequens (seq.) | The following (one) |
| Sequens mirabitur aetas | The following age will be amazed |
| Sequentia (seqq.) | The following (ones) |
| Sequitur patrem non passibus aequis | He follows his father with unequal steps |
| Seriatim | One after another in order |
| Sero sed serio | Late but in earnest |
| Serva me, servabo te | Save me and I will save you. (Petronius Arbiter) |
| Servus servorum Dei | Servant of the servants of God -- a title for the Pope. |
| Sesquipedalia verba | Words a foot and a half long -- long and complicated words that are used without |
| Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? | If God is for us, who can be against us? |
| Si erro, reduc me ad [NAME] | If I wander, lead me back to [NAME] |
| Si fallatis officium, quaestor infitias eat se quicquam scire de factis vestris | If you fail, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your activities |
| Si fecisti nega! | If you did it, deny it (stonewall!) |
| Si finis bonus est, totum bonum erit | If the end is good, everything will be good (all's well that ends well) |
| Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere. | If it ain't broke, don't fix it. |
| Si hoc adfixum in obice legere potes, et liberaliter educatus et nimis propinquus ades | If you can read this bumper sticker, you are both very well educated and much too close |
| Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes | If you can read this, you are overeducated |
| Si hoc non legere potes tu asinus es | If you can't read this, you're an ass |
| Si hoc signum legere potes, operis boni in rebus Latinus alacribus et fructuosis potiri potes! | If you can read this sign, you can get a good job in the fast-paced, high-paying world of Latin! |
| Si hostes visibilis, etiam tu. | If the enemy is in range, so are you. |
| Si hostibus difficile incedere facias tu quoque male extricabis. | If you make it tough for the enemy to get in, you won't be able to get out. |
| Si id memini non potes, scutula dirumpens semper at te collineata est. | If you can't remember, the claymore is always pointed at you. |
| Si impetus bene it, in laqueum incessistis. | If your attack is going well, you have walked into an ambush. |
| Si locum inexpugnabilis facias, memento hostibus de hoc profiteri. | If you have secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy. |
| Si me perdis, te perdam | If you waste me, I'll waste you. A sundial motto. |
| Si minor plus est ergo nihil sunt omnia | If less is more, then nothing is everything |
| Si monumentum requiris circumspice | If you seek a monument, look around |
| Si nequis sanare, neca | If you can’t heal it, kill it |
| Si nihilo carueris nisi hostibus loco pugnae es. | If you are short of anything but the enemy you are in a combat zone. |
| Si post fata venit gloria non propero | If glory comes after death, I'm not in a hurry (if one must die to be recognised, I can wait) |
| Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice | If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you -- the motto of the U.S. state of Michigan. |
| Si sapis, sis apis | If you are wise, be a bee |
| Si tacuisses, philosophus manisses | If you had kept quiet, you would have remained a philosopher. (Boethius) |
| Si tu id aeficas, ei venient. Ager Somnia | If you build it, they will come. Field of Dreams |
| Si vis amari, ama | If you wish to be loved, love. (Seneca) |
| Si vis pacem para bellum. | If yuo wish for peace, prepare for war. (Vegetius) |
| Sic | Thus, "just so" -- states that the preceding quoted material appears exactly that way in the source, usually despite errors of spelling, grammar, usage, or fact. |
| Sic ad nauseam | And so on to the point of causing nausea |
| Sic biscuitus disintegratum | That's the way the cookie crumbles |
| Sic erat in fatis | So it was fated |
| Sic faciunt omnes. | Everyone is doing it. |
| Sic friatur crustum dulce | That's the way the cookie crumbles |
| Sic hoc adfixum in obice legere potes, et liberaliter educatus et nimis propinquus ades | If you can read this bumper sticker, you are both very well educated, and much too close |
| Sic itur ad astra | Such is the path to the stars (i.e. gain reputation) (Vergil) |
| Sic passim | Thus in various places -- used when referencing books; see passim. |
| Sic semper tyrannis | Thus always to tyrants. -- state motto of Virginia. |
| Sic transit gloria mundi | So passes the glory of the world -- meaning nothing on Earth lasts forever. |
| Sic vita est | Such is life -- That's how life is. |
| Sic volo, sic iubeo | I want this, I order this. (Juvenalis) |
| Signetur (sig or S/) | Let it be labeled (medical shorthand) |
| Signum Fidei | Sign of our faith |
| Silent enim leges inter arma | Laws are silent in times of war. (Cicero) |
| Simia quam similis, turpissimus bestia, nobis! | How like us is that very ugly beast the monkey. (Cicero) |
| Simplex munditiis | Unaffected by manners. (Horace) |
| Simpliciter | Naturally; without qualification |
| Sine anno (s.a.) | Without year -- used in bibliographies to indicate that the date of publication of a document is unknown. |
| Sine cura | Without a care |
| Sine die | Without a (set) day -- originally from old common law texts, where it indicates that a final, dispositive order has been made in the case: there is nothing left for the court to do, so no date for further proceedings is set. |
| Sine ira et studio | Without anger or bias -- impartially. From Tacitus, Annals 1.1 |
| Sine loco (s.l.) | Without place -- used in bibliographies to indicate that the place of publication of a document is unknown. |
| Sine nobilitatis | Without nobility (SNOB) |
| Sine nomine (s.n.) | Without name -- used in bibliographies to indicate that the publisher of a document is unknown. |
| Sine prole (Sp) | Without issue |
| Sine qua non | Without which not, an indispensable condition, a prerequisite |
| Sine scientia ars nihil est | Art without knowledge is nothing. A skill (ars) and knowledge (scientia) are tigthly intervowen and could not exist one without the other. |
| Sine sole sileo | Without the sun I'm silent. (sundial inscription) |
| Sint ut sunt aut non sint. | It shall be as it is or not be at all. (Clemens XIII [Carlo Rezzonico], when asked to make extensive changes to the statutes of the Jesuit Order.) |
| Siste, viator | Wait, traveler. Inscription on Roman tombstones. |
| Sit tibi terra levis | May the earth be light upon you. Tombstone inscription |
| Sit venia verbo | With apologies for the word -- i.e., "pardon my French." |
| Sit vis nobiscum. | May the force be with you |
| Sobria inebrietas | Sober intoxication |
| Sol iustitiae nos illustra | Sun of righteousness shine upon us |
| Sol omnibus lucet | The sun shines upon us all. (Petronius) |
| Sol tibi signa dabit | The sun will give you signs. A sundial motto from Virgil's Georgics |
| Sola Fide | By Faith Alone - the material principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the Five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that men are saved by faith apart from works. |
| Sola Gratia | By Grace Alone - a motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the Five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches salvation is unearned. |
| Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua. | The only good language is a dead language. |
| Sola petit ardea | The heron soars alone |
| Sola Scriptura | By Scripture Alone - the formal principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the Five solas, referring to the Protestant idea that the Bible alone is ultimately authoritative, not the Pope or Tradition. |
| Solem quis dicere falsum audeat | Who will dare to say that the sun is wrong? A sundial motto from Virgil's Georgics. |
| Soli Deo Gloria | To God Alone [be] the Glory - a motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the Five solas, referring to the idea that God is the author of all good things and deserves all the praise for them. (Johann Sebastian Bach often signed his manuscripts with the abbreviation S.D.G. to invoke this phrase.) |
| Solitudinem fecerunt, pacem appelunt | They made a desert and called it peace. (Tacitus) |
| Solum potestis prohibere ignes silvarum. | Only you are can prevent forest fires. |
| Solus Christus (or Solo Christo) | Christ Alone (or "By Christ Alone") - a motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the Five solas, referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the only mediator between God and mankind. |
| Somnia sunt surculos vertatis | Dreams are the seedlings of reality |
| Somnium somnia quasi semper vives. Vive quasi hodie moriebar | Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. |
| Sona si Latine loqueris. | Honk if you speak Latin. |
| Sotto voce | In soft voice |
| Spectaculorum procedere debet | The show must go on |
| Spectatum veniunt, veniunt spectentur ut ipsae | They come to see, they come that they themselves be seen 'to see and be seen |
| Spectemur agendo | Let us be judged by our actions |
| Spem reduxit | Hope restored |
| Spemque metumque inter dubiis | Hover between hope and fear. (Vergil) |
| Spero melior | I hope for better things |
| Spero nos familiares mansuros | I hope we'll still be friends |
| Spiritus asper | Rough breathing |
| Spiritus lenis | Smooth breathing |
| Splendide mendax | Splendidly false. (Horace) |
| Splendor sine occasu | Splendor without diminishment |
| Stabat Mater | The mother was standing |
| Stamus Contra Malo | Supposed to be "We fight against the evil" -- the motto of the Jungle Parol in The Phantom where there actually is a mistranslation to the Latin -- it should be "Stamus Contra Malum". |
| Stante pede | On standing foot -- immediately. |
| Stare decisis | To stand by things decided. The doctrine that previous court decisions establish binding precedent for future cases of similar situations; that is, that courts will abide by previously decided cases. Stare decisis is inapplicable to the I.C.J. See article 59 of the Statute of the ICJ. |
| Statim (stat) | Immediately (medical shorthand) |
| Status quo | The State in which. The present state of affairs. |
| Status quo (ante) | The state that was (before) -- the status of affairs or situation prior to some upsetting event. |
| Stercus accidit | Shit happens. |
| Stercus tauri | Bull shit. |
| Stet | Let it stand -- marginal mark in proofreading to indicate that something previously deleted or marked for deletion should be retained. |
| Sto pro veritate | I stand for truth |
| Stricto sensu | In the strict sense. |
| Struit insidias lacrimis cum femina plorat | When a woman weeps, she is setting traps with her tears. (Dionysius Cato) |
| Studium discendi voluntate quae cogi non potest constat | Study depends on the good will of the student, a quality which cannot be secured by compulsion |
| Stulti timent Fortunam, sapientes ferunt | The foolish fear Fortune, the wise endure her |
| Stultorum calami carbones moenia chartae | Chalk is the pen of fools, walls (their) paper No Graffiti please. Showing that graffiti is nothing new |
| Stultorum infinitus est numerus | Infinite is the number of fools. (Bible) |
| Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes | It is foolish to fear that which you cannot avoid. (Publilius Syrus) |
| Stultus est sicut stultus facit. | Stupid is as stupid does. |
| Stupor mundi | Wonder of the world, the title by which Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, was known. |
| Sua cuique voluptas | Everyone has his own pleasures |
| Sua sponte | Of own accord. -- motto of the U.S. Army Rangers. Also a legal term |
| Sub Cruce Lumen | Under the Cross is the Light. -- motto of the University of Adelaide, Australia. |
| Sub dio | Under the open sky |
| Sub iudice or sub judice | Under a judge -- said of a case that cannot be publicly discussed until it is finished. |
| Sub judice | Before a court |
| Sub lite | In dispute |
| Sub poena (subpoena) | Under penalty -- of a request (usually by a court) that must be complied to on pain of punishment. |
| Sub poena duces tecum | Bring with you under penalty -- legal writ requiring appearance with documents, etc.. |
| Sub rosa | Under the rose -- secretly (a rose was placed above a door to indicate that what was said in the room beyond was not to be repeated outside). |
| Sub secreto | In secret |
| Sub silentio | In silence |
| Sub sole nihil novi est | There's nothing new under the sun |
| Sub specie aeternitatis | From eternity's point of view. (Spinoza, Ethics) |
| Sub voce (Sv) | Under the voice |
| Subucula tua apparet. | Your slip is showing. |
| Suggestio falsi | Suggestion of something false |
| Suggestio veri, suggestio falsi | An intimation of truth, an intimation of falcity |
| Sui generis | Of its own kind. Constituting a class alone: unique, peculiar. |
| Sui juris | Of one's own right -- capable of (legal) responsiblity; legal and ecclesiastical use. |
| Sum quod eris / Fui quod sis | I am what you will be / I was what you are -- gravestone incriptions that remind the reader of the inevitability of death. Also see Tu fui, ego eris. |
| Sum, ergo edo | I am, therefore I eat |
| Summa cum laude | With highest praise. with highest distinction --compare cum laude, magna cum laude. |
| Summam scrutemur | Let's look at the bottom line |
| Summum bonum | The highest good |
| Summum ius, summa iniuria | The extreme law is the greatest injustice. (Cicero) |
| Summum malum | The supreme evil. |
| Sumptus censum ne superet | Let not your spending exceed your income (live within your means) |
| Sumus grex agni. Agni dentati. | We are a flock of sheep. Sheep with teeth. |
| Sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt | These are the tears of things, and our mortality cuts to the heart. (Vergil) |
| Sunt lacrimae rerum | There are tears for things |
| Sunt omnes unum | They are all one. |
| Sunt pueri pueri, puerilia tractant. | Children are children, (therefore) children do childish things |
| Suntne vacci laeti | Are your cows happy? |
| Suo jure | In one's rightful place |
| Suo moto [alt. Suo motu] | Upon one's own initiative. Usually used when a court of law, upon its own initiative, (i.e. no petition has been filed) proceeds against a person or authority that it deems has committed an illegal act. [This phrase for some intriguing reason, seems to be used almost exclusively in South Asia - can someone shed further light on this?] |
| Suos cuique mos | Everyone has his customs. (Gellius) |
| Supra | Above or on an earlier page |
| Sursum corda | (Lift) up (your) hearts. |
| Suum cuique pulchrum est | To each his own is beautiful. (Cicero) |
| Suum cuique | To each his own |
