carpe diem
noun
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The Origin of Carpe Diem
This Latin phrase, which literally means "pluck the day," was used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that we should enjoy life while we can. His full injunction, "carpe diem quam minimum credula postero,” can be translated as “pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one,” but carpe diem alone has come to be used as shorthand for this entire idea, which is more widely known as "seize the day."
The 1989 movie Dead Poets Society introduced late-20th-century audiences to the phrase, but the sentiment has been expressed in many literatures, perhaps most famously in 16th- and 17th-century English poetry. One of the best-known examples (and an example featured prominently in Dead Poets Society) is in the first stanza of Robert Herrick's 1648 "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time":
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
While the sentiment has long been expressed in English, the phrase carpe diem didn't begin appearing in print in English until the early 19th century. Two centuries later, the phrase is found on mugs and T-shirts and in the names of various enterprises and organizations.
Did you know?
Carpe diem, a phrase that comes from the Roman poet Horace, means literally "Pluck the day", though it's usually translated as "Seize the day". A free translation might be "Enjoy yourself while you have the chance". For some people, Carpe diem serves as the closest thing to a philosophy of life as they'll ever have.
Examples of carpe diem in a Sentence
Peter Marks, Washington Post, 25 May 2023
Chalk it up to a case of carpe diem, says one local guy who should know.
—Doug George, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2023
Aside from Noodle's inane ability to give us permission to carpe diem the heck out of our day or flop like a sack of potatoes, the 13-year-old pug has brought together a community of millions and given us yet another thing to look forward to when life seems bleak.
—Rasha Ali, USA TODAY, 22 Oct. 2021
The pandemic overlaid the natural nonchalance of Floridians with a carpe diem mentality, says Glaser, who recently became known for flipping Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach estate.
—Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2023
And now, with the addition of songs (music by Jeanine Tesori; lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire) that turn the carpe diem dial to maximum, the director Jessica Stone has turned up the hilarity dial as well, to keep all that emotion in balance.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2022
In this situation, the phrase carpe diem (seize the day) comes to mind.
—Bob MacDonald, Forbes, 2 June 2022
The Detroit Red Wings have a carpe diem and carpe Devils approach to the final game of the season.
—Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 29 Apr. 2022
The antidote to most existential woes is indeed gratitude, along with a healthy dose of carpe diem, and that comes across loud and clear.
—Zachary Lewis, cleveland, 25 Apr. 2022
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carpe diem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Latin, literally, pluck the day
1817, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Carpe diem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpe%20diem. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on carpe diem
Nglish: Translation of carpe diem for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carpe diem
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