Latin

1 of 2

adjective

Lat·​in ˈla-tᵊn How to pronounce Latin (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or composed in Latin
b
2
: of or relating to Latium or the Latins
3
: of or relating to the part of the Catholic Church that until recently used a Latin rite and forms the patriarchate of the pope
4
: of or relating to the peoples or countries using Romance languages
specifically : of or relating to the peoples or countries of Latin America

Latin

2 of 2

noun

1
: the Italic language of ancient Latium and of Rome and until modern times the dominant language of school, church, and state in western Europe see Indo-European Languages Table
2
: a member of the people of ancient Latium
3
: a Catholic of the Latin rite
4
: a member of one of the Latin peoples
specifically : a native or inhabitant of Latin America
5

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Tropical Foods on Melnea Cass Boulevard offers products for Latin American, African American, West Indian, and African cuisine, and International Halal Market on Tremont Street advertises beef, goat, chicken, fish, and lamb. Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 17 May 2023 Villa Pantheon Villa Pantheon is one of the most affordable four-star properties in the Latin Quarter. Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2023 Axie Infinity: Origins is rolling out in Latin America and Asia on Apple’s App Store. Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 17 May 2023 Senior McCabe Millon scored his third goal of the game with 1:54 to play in overtime, lifting McDonogh to an 8-7 win over No. 4 Boys’ Latin at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2023 The eight-episode series will be available on Channel 4 in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland and will stream exclusively on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ in all other territories. Breanna Bell, Variety, 16 May 2023 You’re also set to headline a bunch of international festivals: Sueños, Baja Beach Fest and the Milano Latin Festival in Italy. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 May 2023 There are many factors that cause migrants to make the dangerous journey north, including high levels of violence and economic instability across Latin America. Quinn Owen, ABC News, 15 May 2023 Earlier this month, Shakira accepted the honor of Woman of the Year at the first Billboard Latin Women in Music event in Miami, Florida. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 15 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Latin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin Latinus, from Latium, ancient country of Italy

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Latin was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near Latin

Cite this Entry

“Latin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Latin. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

Latin

1 of 2 adjective
Lat·​in ˈlat-ᵊn How to pronounce Latin (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or composed in Latin
Latin grammar
b
: romance
Latin languages
2
: of or relating to that part of the Catholic Church that formerly used a Latin rite
3
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the countries or peoples of Latin America

Latin

2 of 2 noun
1
: the Italic language of ancient Rome
2
: an ancient Roman
3
: a member of one of the peoples speaking Romance languages
especially : a person born or living in Latin America

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