| Term | Definition |
| *ad hoc | a temporary committee formed for a special purpose |
| ad infinitum | to infinity; forever; the sky's the limit |
| ad nauseam | repeating or continuing to the point of boredom |
| alias | a pseudonym or false name that hides one’s true identity |
| alibi | a legal defense where the accused shows that he was elsewhere at the time the crime was committed |
| alma mater | refers to the university or high school one attended |
| Anno Domini (A.D.) | abbreviation commonly used in calendars to mark years since the birth of Jesus of Nazareth |
| alumni | the graduates of a school or college |
| bona fide | genuine; legit; real |
| carpe diem | literally "seize the day" - a piece of advice to live each moment to the fullest |
| caveat emptor | literally "let the buyer beware" - a legal principal that the buyer is responsible for checking the quality of goods before sale (it may be a clunker). |
| circa | (for dates) around; approximately |
| compos mentis | sane; thinking clearly |
| cum laude | literally "with praise"; it's a cumulative award for academic success for graduates |
| curriculum vitae | a resumé |
| de facto | in fact; real |
| e.g. | for example |
| ergo | therefore |
| *errata | errors |
| et cetera (etc.) | and so on |
| ex post facto | literally, "after the fact" - laws that punish crimes that were legal when committed |
| i.e. | "that is", in other words |
| in re | about; concerning; regarding |
| in vitro | taking place outside a living organism (especially in petri dishes or test tubes); artificial |
| inter alia | among other things |
| magnam opus | masterpiece |
| mea culpa | "my fault”; “my bad"; used in apologies or in prayers for forgiveness |
| per annum | for each year |
| per capita | for each person |
| per se | in itself; intrinsically, not for other reasons or causes |
| persona non grata | an unacceptable or unwelcome person |
| post-mortem | an examination of a dead body; autopsy |
| pro rata | proportional(ly); at the given rate |
| quid pro quo | something (usually favors) given for something else; similar to "this for that," “tit for tat,” or “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours" |
| requiescat in pace; (R.I.P.) | literally, “may he rest in peace” - a benediction for the dead often inscribed on tombstones or other grave markers |
| semper fidelis | literally, “always faithful” - the motto of several institutions, including the U.S. Marine Corps |
| (sic) | Used to point out deliberate errors in quoted text, when those errors also appeared in the original source |
| status quo | the existing “state of affairs” |
| tabula rasa | literally a "blank slate" - a term used for a new beginning |
| terra firma | literally “solid land” - the Earth; the ground (not sea or sky) |
| verbatim | word for word; in exactly the same words |
| versus; vs.; v. | against |
| vice versa | opposite; the other way round |
| a.m./p.m. (ante/post meridiem) | before noon / after noon |
| interim | the time between two events |
| memorandum; memo | A brief note serving as a reminder |
| p.s.; post scriptum | a brief note added to an already finished letter |
| pro/contra | for/against |
