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Sixty percent of the English language comes from Latin. In this section of Enhance My Vocabulary, you'll find many examples of Latin words and the English words derived from them. This is not an exhaustive list but will give you a good feel for the Latin roots of English.

Challenge yourself to think of more English words that may have come from these Latin roots, and then check a dictionary to confirm the derivation. In her memoir, When All the World Was Young, Barbara Holland wrote that Latin was "the scalpel in my hand for dissecting English."

Editor's note: This section would not be possible without the instruction of David L. Rhody, retired high-school Latin teacher.

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

Go to the next page of English words derived from Latin.

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