In the book The 4000 English Words Essential for an
Educated Vocabulary you can see how thousands of English words that native
speakers consider to be part of an educated person’s vocabulary are descended
from Latin. As a native Spanish speaker this means that from the day you begin
to study English you already possess a vocabulary that most university-educated
English speakers would envy.
Generally, the first word
of choice for native speakers would be of Anglo-Saxon origin. The more eloquent
synonym in many cases comes from French and ultimately Latin. Here are a few
examples from the book.
ambient surrounding,
environment
appellation title
arduous hard Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin arduus steep, difficult
avarice greed Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French, from Latin avaritia, from avārus covetous, from avēre to crave
annual
yearly
serpent
snake
terrestrial earthly
verdant green,
lush
vainglorious conceited
vivacious lively,
high-spirited
enamored charmed,
captivated
envoy messenger
(enviar) Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French messagier, from message
facile easy
jargon
slang
(argot)
gracious kindness,
politeness
culpable
guilty
lachrymose tearful Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin lacrimōsus, from lacrima a tear
masticate chew Etymology: 17th Century: from Late Latin masticāre, from Greek mastikhan to grind the teeth
There are thousands of words in English that come directly
from Latin, making English much easier for Spanish speakers to learn than
people from other language groups.
Latin
Word
|
Definition
|
English
Derivatives
|
villa
|
villa,
house
|
villa,
village, villager
|
alta
|
tall,
high, deep
|
altitude,
altimeter, alto
|
antiqua
|
antique,
old
|
antique,
antiquity, ancient
|
longa
|
long
|
longitude,
longevity, long
|
magna
|
large,
great
|
magnify,
magnificent, magnitude
|
pictura
|
picture
|
picture,
picturesque, pictorial
|
nova
|
new
|
novice, novel, novelty, nova, Nova Scotia
|
terra
|
land,
earth
|
terrier,
terrace, terrestrial, terrain
|
prima
|
first
|
prime,
primary, primitive, primeval
|
sub
|
under
|
subway,
subterranean, suburban
|
corna
|
horn
|
cornucopia,
cornet, clavicorn
|
est
|
is
|
estate,
establish, essence
|
habere
|
have
|
have,
habit, habitual
|
casa
|
small
house
|
casino
|
via
|
street
|
via
|
parva
|
small
|
parval,
parvanimity
|
lata
|
wide,
broad
|
latitude,
lateral, latitudinal
|
bona
|
good
|
bonus,
bonanza, bona fide
|
copia
|
plenty
|
copious,
cornucopia, copiously
|
fama
|
fame
|
fame,
famous, infamous
|
provincia
|
province
|
province,
provincial, provincialism
|
multa
|
many
|
multitude,
multiple, multiplex
|
nominare
|
to
name
|
nominate,
nominal, name, nominative
|
postea
|
later
|
postlude,
postgraduate posthumous
|
non
|
not
|
nonfction,
nonmetal, nonexistent
|
in
|
in
|
in
|
aqua
|
water
|
aquatics,
aquarium, aqueduct, aqueous
|
agricola
|
farmer
|
agriculture
|
bestia
|
beast
|
bestial,
bestiality
|
figura
|
figure,
shape
|
figure,
figurine, figment, figurative
|
flamma
|
flame
|
flame,
flamboyant, flambeau
|
herba
|
herb
|
herb,
herbivorous, herbage
|
insula
|
island
|
insular,
insulate, insularity
|
lingua
|
language
|
language,
lingual, linguistics
|
nauta
|
sailor
|
nautical,
nautilus
|
pirata
|
pirate
|
pirate,
piratical
|
schola
|
school
|
scholar,
school, scholastic
|
alba
|
white
|
albino,
albinism albumen
|
amica
|
friendly
|
amicable,
amicability, amity
|
beata
|
happy
|
beatific,
beatify, beatitude
|
maritima
|
sea
|
maritime
|
mea
|
me
|
me,
my
|
mira
|
strange
|
miracle,
miraculous, mirage
|
nota
|
noted
|
noted,
note, notice, notable, noticeable
|
obscura
|
dark
|
obscure,
obscured, obscurity
|
periculosa
|
dangerous
|
perilous,
peril
|
propinqua
|
near
to
|
propinquity
|
pulchra
|
beautiful
|
pulchritude
|
quieta
|
quiet
|
quiet,
quietude, disquiet
|
circum
|
around
|
circumstance,
circumnavigate, circumspect
|
filia
|
daughter
|
filly,
filial
|
folium
|
leaf
|
foliage,
foliaceous, foliar
|
aureus
|
golden
|
aurorial,
aurorean, aurous
|
plumbeus
|
leaden
|
plumbing,
plumbous, plumbic, plumbeous
|
mutare
|
to
change
|
mutation,
commute, transmute
|
vulnerare
|
to
wound
|
vulnerable,
invulnerable, vulnerary
|
vitare
|
to
avoid
|
inevitable,
inevitably, inevitability
|
morbus
|
disease
|
morbid,
morbidity, morbific
|
populus
|
people
|
populous,
population, popular
|
radius
|
ray
|
radius,
radial, radiation
|
arma
|
arms
(weapons)
|
arms,
armed, armament, army
|
saxum
|
rock
|
saxatile,
saxicoline, saxifrage
|
evocare
|
call
forth
|
evoke,
evocable, evocator
|
femina
|
woman
|
feminine,
effeminate, femme
|
densa
|
thick
|
dense,
densely, density
|
territa
|
frightened
|
terrified,
terrific, teresy
|
invidiosa
|
jealous
|
invidious,
invidiously
|
superba
|
proud
|
superb,
superbly
|
desidare
|
to
want
|
desire,
desirable, desirability
|
laudare
|
to
praise
|
laudable,
laud, laudability
|
servare
|
to
save
|
serve,
conserve, preserve
|
nympha
|
nymph
|
nymph,
nymphal, nymphalia, nymphomaniac
|
grata
|
pleasing
|
grateful,
gratitude, gratuity
|
libera
|
free
|
liberal,
liberator, liberate
|
postulare
|
to
demand
|
postulate,
postulant, postulation
|
sola
|
alone
|
solo,
sole, solace
|
janua
|
door
|
January,
janitor, janitress
|
temptare
|
to
try
|
tempt,
temptation, attempt
|
trans
|
across
|
transport,
transmit, transact
|
pecunia
|
money
|
pecuniary,
pecuniarily, impecunious
|
ripa
|
river
bank
|
riparian,
Ripuarian
|
umbra
|
shade,
ghost
|
umbrella,
penumbra, umbra, umbrage
|
annus
|
year
|
annual,
annually, annuity
|
bellum
|
war
|
belligerent,
belligerency, bellicose
|
initium
|
beginning
|
initial,
initially, initiation
|
mortuus
|
dead
|
mortuary,
mortician, mortality
|
occupare
|
to
occupy
|
occupy,
occupation, occupational
|
pugnare
|
fight
|
pugnacious,
pugilist, pugnacity
|
vigilare
|
to
stand watch
|
vigilant,
vigil, vigilance
|
post
|
after
|
postmortem,
postnatal, postpone
|
ala
|
wing
|
alate,
alated, alary
|
patria
|
native
country
|
patriotic,
expatriate, patriotism
|
porta
|
gate
|
port,
portal, porthole
|
discipulus
|
pupil
|
disciple,
discipleship, discipline
|
locus
|
place
|
locus,
location, locate
|
magister
|
teacher
|
magistrate,
magisterial, magistracy
|
lucere,
luxi
|
to
shine
|
translucent,
lucid, luciferous
|
fluere,
fluxi
|
to
flow
|
fluent,
fluid, fluency
|
regare,
rexi
|
to
rule
|
regal,
rex, regency, regulation
|
egregius
|
excellent
|
egregious
|
docere
|
teach
|
docent,
doctrine, document, documentary
|
quaerere
|
seek
|
inquiry,
inquire, inquisitive
|
fumus
|
smoke
|
fume,
fumigate, fumatory
|
proximus
|
nearest
|
proximity,
approximate, proximal
|
currere
|
to
run
|
current,
occurring, occurrence
|
extra
|
beyond
|
extra,
extramural, extraneous
|
legatus
|
representative
|
legate,
legacy, legislate
|
navis
|
ship
|
navy,
naval, navigate
|
pars,
partis
|
part
|
part,
partial, partiality
|
pax,
pacis
|
peace
|
pacifist,
pacifier, pacifistic
|
urbs
|
city
|
urban,
urbane, suburb
|
quinque
|
five
|
quintet,
quinquagesima, quintuplets
|
augere
|
to
increase
|
augment,
augmentative, augmentation
|
obtinere
|
to
obtain
|
obtain,
obtainable, obtainment
|
committere
|
entrust
|
commit,
commission, commissioner, committee
|
satis
|
enough
|
satisfy,
satisfaction, satisifiable
|
caput,
capitis
|
head
|
decapitate
|
corpus
|
body
|
corpse,
corporeal, corperation, incorporate
|
eques,
equitis
|
horseman
|
equestrian,
equitation
|
miles,
militis
|
soldier
|
military,
militarize, militarism
|
tempus
|
time
|
tempo,
temporal, temporary
|
pratiuosus
|
precious
|
precious,
preciosity
|
firmiter
|
firmly
|
firm,
firmly, affirmative
|
dolor
|
grief
|
dolor,
dolorous
|
finis
|
limit,
end
|
finis,
finish, finite
|
munire
|
fortify
|
munition,
ammunition, muniment
|
tyrannus
|
tyrant
|
tyrant,
tyranny, tyrannous
|
imperium
|
empire
|
imperial,
imperialism, empire
|
decemviri
|
group
of 10 magistrates
|
decemvir,
decemvirate
|
civis
|
citizen
|
civilian,
civil, civic
|
lex,
legis
|
law
|
legislate,
legal, legality
|
cupius
|
eager
|
cupidity
|
probare
|
test,
try
|
problem,
probe, prove
|
deponere
|
to
lay down
|
depone,
deponent
|
perficere
|
to
finish
|
perfect,
perfection, perfectible
|
lignum
|
wood
|
lignify,
lignose, ligneous
|
custos,
custodis
|
watchman
|
custodian,
custodial, custody
|
flumen
|
river
|
flume
|
homo
|
man
|
homunculus,
homo
|
hostis
|
enemy
|
hostile,
hostility
|
mons,
montis
|
mountain
|
monticule,
mountain, mount
|
alter
|
other
|
alter,
alternate, alter ego
|
flavus
|
yellow
|
flavescent,
flavin, flavine
|
deportare
|
to
remove
|
deport,
deportation
|
construere
|
to
build
|
construct,
construction, constructor
|
tremere
|
to
tremble
|
tremble,
tremor, tremulous
|
transire
|
to
go across
|
transport,
transit, transition
|
summus
|
highest
|
summit
|
agmen
|
marching
army
|
agminate
|
iter,
internis
|
trip
|
itinerary
|
| gemma |
jewel |
gem |
| luna |
moon |
luna, lunar, lunatic |
| stella |
star |
stellar, constellation |
| inter |
between, among |
interact, intermingle, interpose |
| celeriter |
accelerate |
accelerate accelerator, celerity |
| noctu |
night |
noctourne, nocturnal |
| regia |
palace |
regal, regalia, regality |
| ager |
field |
agrarian |
| deus |
god |
deity, deism, deist |
| fluvius |
stream, river |
fluent, fluvial, flux |
| focus |
hearth |
focal, focalize, focus |
| gladius |
sword |
gladiator, gladiola, gladiatorial |
| caelum |
sky |
celestial |
| donum |
gift |
donate, donation, donor |
| verbum |
word |
verbal, verbose, verb |
| apertus |
open |
aperture, apertive, aperient |
| audit |
hear |
audition, auditorium, auditory |
| meminsse |
remember |
remember, reminisce, memory |
| ambulare |
to walk |
amble, somnabulent, ambulatory |
| possum |
to be able |
posse, potent, impotent, omnipotent |
| amare |
to love |
amiable, amiably, amity |
| celare |
to hide |
conceal |
| clamare |
to shout |
clamor, exclaim, clammant |
| habitare |
to live |
habitat, habitable, habitation |
| laborare |
to work |
labor, laboratory, laborious |
| monstrare |
to show |
demonstrate, demonstration |
| narrare |
to tell |
narrate, narration, narrator, narrative |
| necare |
to kill |
necropolis, necrology |
| orare |
to ask for |
oracle, oral, oracular |
| portare |
to carry |
portable, porter, port |
| spectare |
to watch |
spectate, spectator, spectacular |
| vastare |
to destroy |
vast, waste, vastitude |
| vocare |
to call |
vocal, vocation, vocative, evoke, evocative |
| volare |
to fly |
volplane, volley |
| monere |
to warn |
admonish, admonition |
| timere |
to fear |
timid, intimidate, intimidation |
| valere |
to be well |
value, valuable |
| videre |
to see |
video, vision, visible |
| misera |
sad |
misery, miserable |
| irata |
angry |
irate, irritable |
| laeta |
happy |
elate, elation |
| saggita |
arrow |
Sagittarius |
| manere |
to stay |
remain, remainder |
| sedere |
to sit |
sediment, sedimentary |
| dicit |
says |
dictate, dictation, dictionary |
| errare |
to wander, err |
err, error, errant |
| expectare |
to expect |
expect, expectant, expectation |
| baca |
berry |
baccalaureate, baccate baccivirus |
| clava |
club |
clavicorn, clavate, claviform |
| galea |
helmet |
galeate, galeated
And then there are cognates
(cognados). These are words that are the same in two or more languages. Below
are words that entered into English from French and thus are often the same in
Spanish.
The list of French cognates is
incredibly long; the following list is only a small sample of the cognates
between English and French. If you thought learning French vocabulary was hard,
start with this list, you can learn hundreds of words at once!
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