List of Latin phrases (Q) facts for kids

This page lists direct English translations of Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. Some of the phrases are translations of older Greek phrases, because Greek rhetoric and literature reached its peak centuries before that of ancient Rome.

This list covers the letter {{{1}}}. For the main list, see: List of Latin phrases.

Welcome to a special list of Latin phrases starting with the letter 'Q'! Latin is an ancient language that was spoken by the Romans. Even today, many Latin words and phrases are used in English. They can be found in mottos, books, and even in everyday conversations.

Learning these phrases can help you understand where many English words come from. It also shows how ideas from ancient times are still important today. Let's explore some cool Latin phrases!

Latin Phrases Starting with Q

Qua Definitione

• Latin: qua definitione
• Meaning: "by virtue of definition"
• What it means: This phrase is like saying "by definition." It means something is true because of what it is. For example, a square qua definitione has four equal sides.

Qua Patet Orbis

• Latin: qua patet orbis
• Meaning: "as far as the world extends"
• What it means: This is the motto of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. It shows their readiness to serve anywhere in the world.

Quae Non Posuisti, Ne Tollas

• Latin: quae non posuisti, ne tollas
• Meaning: "do not take away what you did not put in place"
• What it means: This wise saying comes from the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It reminds us not to mess with things we didn't create or contribute to.

Quae Non Prosunt Singula Multa Iuvant

• Latin: quae non prosunt singula multa iuvant
• Meaning: "what alone is not useful helps when accumulated"
• What it means: This phrase from the Roman poet Ovid means that many small things, when put together, can become very helpful. Think of building blocks: one block isn't much, but many can build a castle!

Quaecumque Sunt Vera

• Latin: quaecumque sunt vera
• Meaning: "whatsoever is true"
• What it means: This phrase is often used as a motto. It comes from the Bible, specifically from the book of Philippians (4:8). It encourages people to focus on what is true and honest.

Quaere

• Latin: quaere
• Meaning: "to seek" or "you might ask..."
• What it means: This word is used to suggest doubt or to ask someone to think if something is right. It often introduces a question that makes you think deeply.

Quaerite Primum Regnum Dei

• Latin: quaerite primum regnum Dei
• Meaning: "seek ye first the kingdom of God"
• What it means: This is a famous motto, for example, for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It means to put spiritual or moral values first in life.

Qualis Artifex Pereo

• Latin: qualis artifex pereo
• Meaning: "As what kind of artist do I perish?" or "What a craftsman dies in me!"
• What it means: This famous quote is said to have been spoken by the Roman Emperor Nero as he was dying. It shows his belief in his own artistic talent.

Qualitas Potentia Nostra

• Latin: Qualitas potentia nostra
• Meaning: "Quality is our might"
• What it means: This is the motto of the Finnish Air Force. It means that their strength comes from the high quality of their work and equipment.

Quam Bene Non Quantum

• Latin: quam bene non quantum
• Meaning: "how well, not how much"
• What it means: This is the motto of Mount Royal University in Canada. It teaches that the quality of what you do is more important than the quantity.

Quam Bene Vivas Refert, Non Quam Diu

• Latin: quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu
• Meaning: "it is how well you live that matters, not how long"
• What it means: This wise saying comes from the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger. It means that a good and meaningful life is more important than a long one.

Quamdiu Se Bene Gesserit

• Latin: quamdiu (se) bene gesserit
• Meaning: "as long as he shall have behaved well"
• What it means: This is a legal phrase. It means that someone can hold a position or privilege as long as they act properly. For example, judges in some countries keep their jobs "during good behavior."

Quantocius Quantotius

• Latin: quantocius quantotius
• Meaning: "the sooner, the better" or "as quickly as possible"
• What it means: This phrase means to do something as fast as you can.

Medical Shorthand Phrases

Latin is often used in medicine for short instructions. Here are a few examples:

• Quantum Libet (q.l.): "as much as pleases" – meaning "as much as you wish."
• Quantum Sufficit (qs): "as much as is enough" – meaning "as much as needed."
• Quaque Hora (qh): "every hour" – other similar phrases include quaque die (qd) for "every day," quaque mane (qm) for "every morning," and quaque nocte (qn) for "every night."
• Quater in Die (qid): "four times a day."

Quem Deus Vult Perdere, Dementat Prius

• Latin: quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius
• Meaning: "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad"
• What it means: This saying suggests that before someone faces a downfall, they first act foolishly or lose their good sense.

Quem Di Diligunt Adulescens Moritur

• Latin: quem di diligunt adulescens moritur
• Meaning: "he whom the gods love dies young"
• What it means: This phrase comes from the Roman playwright Plautus. It's a bit sarcastic in its original context, but it's often used to mean that those who are special or favored might have shorter lives.

Qui Audet Adipiscitur

• Latin: qui audet adipiscitur
• Meaning: "Who Dares Wins"
• What it means: This is the famous motto of the Special Air Service (SAS), a special forces unit of the British Army. It means that success comes to those who are brave enough to try.

Qui Bene Cantat Bis Orat

• Latin: qui bene cantat bis orat
• Meaning: "he who sings well praises twice"
• What it means: This quote from St. Augustine of Hippo means that singing praises joyfully is a powerful form of prayer.

Qui Tacet Consentire Videtur

• Latin: qui tacet consentire videtur
• Meaning: "he who is silent is taken to agree"
• What it means: This legal principle means that if you don't speak up when you should, your silence can be seen as agreement.

Qui Prior Est Tempore Potior Est Jure

• Latin: qui prior est tempore potior est jure
• Meaning: "Who is first in point of time is stronger in right"
• What it means: This is a rule in law, especially about property. It means that the person who had a right or claim first usually has a stronger claim.

Qui Totum Vult Totum Perdit

• Latin: qui totum vult totum perdit
• Meaning: "he who wants everything loses everything"
• What it means: This phrase suggests that being too greedy or trying to get everything can lead to losing even what you already have.

Qui Transtulit Sustinet

• Latin: qui transtulit sustinet
• Meaning: "he who transplanted still sustains"
• What it means: This is the state motto of Connecticut in the USA. It means that God, who brought the early settlers across the ocean, continues to support them.

Quia Suam Uxorem Etiam Suspicione Vacare Vellet

• Latin: quia suam uxorem etiam suspicione vacare vellet
• Meaning: "because he should wish his wife to be free even from any suspicion"
• What it means: This famous quote is attributed to Julius Caesar. He said this when he divorced his wife, Pompeia. Even though there was no strong proof, he wanted his wife to be completely above any doubt.

Quid Agis

• Latin: quid agis
• Meaning: "What are you doing?" or "What's up?"
• What it means: This is a common way to ask someone how they are or what's going on.

Quid Est Veritas

• Latin: quid est veritas
• Meaning: "What is truth?"
• What it means: This question was asked by Pontius Pilate to Jesus in the Bible (John 18:38). It's a deep question about the nature of truth itself.

Quid Novi Ex Africa

• Latin: quid novi ex Africa
• Meaning: "What's new from Africa?"
• What it means: This phrase is used to ask for news or updates, especially from a distant or unknown place.

Quid Nunc

• Latin: quid nunc
• Meaning: "What now?"
• What it means: This phrase can also refer to a "quidnunc," which is a person who is very curious and likes to gossip or know everyone's business.

Quid Pro Quo

• Latin: quid pro quo
• Meaning: "what for what" or "this for that"
• What it means: This phrase is commonly used in English. It means an exchange of favors, where one thing is given in return for another.

Quidquid Latine Dictum Sit Altum Videtur

• Latin: quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur
• Meaning: "whatever has been said in Latin seems deep"
• What it means: This is a funny, modern Latin phrase! It pokes fun at how people sometimes use Latin just to sound smart or important, even if the meaning isn't that profound.

Quieta Non Movere

• Latin: quieta non movere
• Meaning: "don't move settled things"
• What it means: This means it's often best not to disturb things that are already calm or working well.

Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?

• Latin: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
• Meaning: "Who will guard the guards themselves?" or "Who watches the watchmen?"
• What it means: This famous question is about who will make sure that those in power or those who are supposed to protect us are doing their job correctly. It's about accountability.

Quis Quid Ubi Quibus Auxiliis Cur Quomodo Quando

• Latin: quis, quid, ubi, quibus auxiliis, cur, quomodo, quando?
• Meaning: "Who, what, where, by what means, why, how, when?"
• What it means: This is a list of questions that are important for understanding any event or situation. They are similar to the "Five Ws" (Who, What, Where, When, Why) plus "How."

Quis Separabit?

• Latin: quis separabit?
• Meaning: "Who will separate us?"
• What it means: This is the motto of Northern Ireland and the Order of St Patrick. It expresses a strong bond or unity that cannot be broken.

Quis Ut Deus

• Latin: quis ut Deus
• Meaning: "Who [is] as God?" or "Who is like unto God?"
• What it means: This phrase is a translation of the Hebrew name 'Michael'. It's a question that suggests no one can compare to a Supreme Being.

Quo Fata Ferunt

• Latin: quo fata ferunt
• Meaning: "where the fates bear us to"
• What it means: This is the motto of Bermuda. It means going wherever destiny or fate leads.

Quo Non Ascendam

• Latin: quo non ascendam
• Meaning: "to what heights can I not rise?"
• What it means: This is the motto of Army Burn Hall College. It expresses ambition and the belief that there are no limits to what one can achieve.

Quod Verum Tutum

• Latin: Quod verum tutum
• Meaning: "what is true is right"
• What it means: This is the motto of Spier's School. It suggests that truth and honesty lead to what is correct and safe.

Quo Vadis?

• Latin: quo vadis?
• Meaning: "Where are you going?"
• What it means: This famous question comes from the Bible. According to tradition, Saint Peter asked Jesus, Domine, quo vadis? ("Lord, where are you going?")

Quo Warranto

• Latin: Quo warranto
• Meaning: "by what warrant?"
• What it means: This is a legal term. It refers to a court order that asks someone to prove what authority they have to do something.

Quod Abundat Non Obstat

• Latin: quod abundat non obstat
• Meaning: "what is abundant doesn't hinder"
• What it means: This means that having too much of something is not a problem.

Quod Cito Fit, Cito Perit

• Latin: quod cito fit, cito perit
• Meaning: "what is done quickly, perishes quickly"
• What it means: This phrase means that things done in a hurry might not last long or might fail faster than things done with care.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum (Q.E.D.)

• Latin: quod erat demonstrandum
• Meaning: "what was to be demonstrated"
• What it means: You often see the abbreviation Q.E.D. at the end of a mathematical proof. It means that the proof is complete and what needed to be shown has been shown.

Quod Erat Faciendum (Q.E.F.)

• Latin: quod erat faciendum
• Meaning: "which was to be done" or "which was to be constructed"
• What it means: This phrase was used in old geometry books, like Euclid's Elements. It marked the end of a problem where something needed to be built or drawn, not just proven.

Quod Est Necessarium Est Licitum

• Latin: quod est necessarium est licitum
• Meaning: "what is necessary is lawful"
• What it means: This legal principle suggests that if something is absolutely necessary, it is allowed or justified.

Quod Gratis Asseritur, Gratis Negatur

• Latin: quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur
• Meaning: "what is asserted without reason may be denied without reason"
• What it means: This means if someone makes a claim without any evidence, you don't need evidence to reject it.

Quod Licet Iovi, Non Licet Bovi

• Latin: quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi
• Meaning: "what is permitted to Jupiter is not permitted to an ox"
• What it means: This phrase means that important people might get away with things that ordinary people cannot. It points out a double standard.

Quod Me Nutrit Me Destruit

• Latin: quod me nutrit me destruit
• Meaning: "what nourishes me destroys me"
• What it means: This phrase suggests that something that seems to give you strength or motivation can also be the very thing that harms you from the inside.

Quod Natura Non Dat Salmantica Non Praestat

• Latin: quod natura non dat Salmantica non praestat
• Meaning: "what nature does not give, Salamanca does not provide"
• What it means: This refers to the famous University of Salamanca in Spain. It means that education can't give you natural talent or intelligence if you don't already have it.

Quod Non Fecerunt Barbari, Fecerunt Barberini

• Latin: quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini
• Meaning: "What the barbarians did not do, the Barberinis did"
• What it means: This was a famous satirical saying in Rome. It criticized Pope Urban VIII (from the Barberini family) for taking stones from ancient Roman buildings to build new ones. People felt he caused more damage than even the "barbarians" who invaded Rome.

Quod Periit, Periit

• Latin: quod periit, periit
• Meaning: "What is gone is gone"
• What it means: This means that what has happened cannot be changed. It encourages us to look to the future instead of dwelling on the past.

Quod Scripsi, Scripsi

• Latin: quod scripsi, scripsi
• Meaning: "What I have written I have written."
• What it means: This was said by Pontius Pilate in the Bible (John 19:22) when he refused to change the inscription on Jesus' cross. It means "I've made my decision, and it stands."

Quod Vide (q.v.)

• Latin: quod vide
• Meaning: "which see"
• What it means: This is used in books or documents to tell you to look up another term or topic somewhere else in the same text. If there are many terms, the plural is quae vide (qq.v.).

Quodcumque Dixerit Vobis, Facite

• Latin: Quodcumque dixerit vobis, facite.
• Meaning: "Whatever He tells you, that you shall do."
• What it means: These are the words of Mary to the servants at the Wedding at Cana in the Bible (John 2:5). It means to follow instructions completely.

Quomodo Vales

• Latin: quomodo vales
• Meaning: "How are you?"
• What it means: This is a simple greeting, asking about someone's well-being.

Quorum

• Latin: quorum
• Meaning: "of whom"
• What it means: In English, a "quorum" is the minimum number of members needed to be present at a meeting for it to be official and for decisions to be made.

Quos Amor Verus Tenuit Tenebit

• Latin: quos amor verus tenuit tenebit
• Meaning: "Those whom true love has held, it will go on holding"
• What it means: This phrase from Seneca the Younger means that true love lasts forever.

Quot Capita, Tot Sensus

• Latin: quot capita tot sensus
• Meaning: "as many heads, so many perceptions"
• What it means: This means that everyone has their own opinions and ways of seeing things.

Quot Homines Tot Sententiae

• Latin: quot homines tot sententiae
• Meaning: "as many men, so many opinions"
• What it means: Similar to the phrase above, this means that there are as many different opinions as there are people.

Quousque Tandem?

• Latin: quousque tandem?
• Meaning: "For how much longer?"
• What it means: This comes from a famous speech by the Roman statesman Cicero. He used it to express his frustration with a conspirator named Catiline, asking how much longer he would abuse their patience. It's used to show extreme impatience.