Latin Nouns Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sword

The gladius is a short sword, used by the Romans for fighting at close quarters. They didn't invent the weapon, though - it originated in Iberia, where the modern countries of Spain and Portugal lie. Having encountered it when fighting against Hannibal, the Romans adopted the sword for their own armies.

English words deriving from gladius include gladiator (a fighter with a sword, but now used more generally) and the plant gladiolus, named for the shape of its leaves. The swordfish has the scientific name Xiphias gladius, with both parts of the name meaning sword-shaped - the first part is Greek and the second part Latin.

Answer: Friend

Amicus refers to a friend and is used in the legal expression amicus curiae, which means 'friend of the court'. It has the same roots as 'amo', the rather stronger feeling of love. The plural form, amici, has been used by a group of singers who call themselves Amici Forever.

Common English words from amicus include amicable and amiable, which both refer to someone who is friendly, and amity which is often used to describe a cordial relationship between countries.

Answer: Eye

This can refer literally to the eye or, in architecture, to an opening that is shaped like an eye, such as a window or the top of a dome.

Words derived from oculus include ocular, meaning related to the eye or to vision, oculist, an optician or ophthalmologist, and binoculars, a pair of eyeglasses used to see things at a distance.

Answer: Boundary

In Latin, terminus referred to the limit or boundary line of something, and could also mean the end, which is the sense in which the word is used in modern English.

The most common English usage is in the transport system where we're used to hearing or reading about a bus or train terminus, referring to the end of the route. Other words with the same root are termination and terminal, both referring to the end of something, but also exterminate, to kill something or somebody, and interminable, meaning never ending.

Answer: Companion

Socius refers to an ally, comrade or companion - someone who shares your beliefs in general. They could be a friend too, but the relationship is often more of civility than close friendship.

English has many words derived from socius, including society, referring to people as a whole and social. It is also found in words like association and associate, a group of like minded people or a member of such an organisation. You can also be antisocial, refusing to mix with society.

Answer: Danger

Periculum means danger, peril or risk. It can also refer to an attempt or experiment. In a legal sense, it can mean an unavoidable accident where nobody can be held responsible.

The link to English words such as peril, perilous, meaning dangerous, and imperil, to put someone or something in danger, is easy to see.

Answer: War

'Si vis pacem para bellum' is an expression still seen occasionally, meaning 'if you want peace prepare for war'. Bellum means war or warfare, something the Romans were particularly good at.

In modern English, words like belligerent, meaning warlike, and bellicose, describing someone who is prone to fighting, are derived from bellum. Antebellum means 'before the war' and the words rebel and rebellion also have their roots in bellum.

Answer: Sailor

Nauta means a sailor, mariner or seaman - anyone who goes to sea.

Words in common use which are derived from nauta include nautical, relating to sailors or the sea, and nautilus, a sea creature. It also appears in words like astronaut and aeronaut, travellers in space and air.

Answer: Silver

Argentum is the Latin word for silver and the symbol for the metal on the periodic table is derived from this, being Ag.

The most famous name derived from this is for the country of Argentina, believed by the Spanish conquistadors to be rich in the precious metal. An early use of the name is attributed to a Portuguese explorer named Lopo Homem, who marked a map showing the area as Terra Argentea as long ago as 1554. The word argent is used in heraldry to refer to a silvery white colour.

Answer: Wood

Lignum refers to wood in general rather than a specific tree in Latin. It is sometimes translated as firewood or timber.

The name is used for some American trees, Lignum vitae being the name given to the wood derived from them and literally meaning 'wood of life'. Ligneous is used as an adjective, meaning 'woody' and lignite is a type of low quality coal derived from plant matter.