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Lat·in (lătn)
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n.
1.
a. The Indo-European language of the ancient Latins and Romans and the most important cultural language of western Europe until the end of the 17th century.
b. The Latin language and literature from the end of the third century BC to the end of the second century AD.
2.
a. A member of a Latin people, especially a native or inhabitant of Latin America.
b. A Latino or Latina.
3. A native or resident of ancient Latium.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or composed in Latin: a Latin scholar; Latin verse.
2.
a. Of or relating to ancient Rome, its people, or its culture.
b. Of or relating to Latium, its people, or its culture.
3. Of or relating to the languages that developed from Latin, such as Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, or to the peoples that speak them.
4.
a. Of or relating to the peoples, countries, or cultures of Latin America.
b. Of or relating to Latinos or their culture.
5. Of or relating to the Roman Catholic Church.
[Middle English, from Old French and from Old English lǣden, both from Latin Latīnus, from Latium, an ancient country of west-central Italy.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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