From inspirational quotes to remembrances of death, I have collected the most beautiful Latin tattoos for you to choose from!
As an art history major, I have had to wade through my fair share of Latin. And, while it is considered a dead language, I have always found it so powerful and beautiful. So, it is always nice to design these tattoos for my clients.
Not only have I included the top Latin tattoo ideas for you, but I have also added some explanations and translations for these various phrases.
Here are the top tattoos for you to choose from:
It seems only right that I start off this list with one of the better-known phrases of this ancient language - carpe diem. Now, the literal meaning of the actual words is pluck the day. However, as its meaning is to seize the day, this is what most people directly translate this phrase to.
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This Latin phrase can be a great option if you are someone who lets chances or moments pass you by. This tattoo can remind you to make the most of whatever opportunities come your way. It can also be a good reminder for you to be brave and bold and not always worry about the consequences of your actions.
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For this kind of tattoo, you can choose to simply use a flowing script if you wish for an elegant tattoo. However, if you want to make a statement with these Latin words, then you may want to consider block text styles.
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And, remember, there are a lot of different ways to elevate such a tattoo. You can choose to have the tattoo pictured next to an image that really drives home the point of this quote.
Now, this can be a pretty common tattoo so you may want to put a unique twist on your Latin tattoo design. If this is the case, then you may want to consider a carpe noctem tattoo instead! It roughly translates to seize the night.
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This can be a great tattoo to get if you are more of a night owl. At the same time, this tattoo can also be a motivator to always work harder or better than others. After all, the night is when most people stop working, relax, and go to sleep.
So, if you work when others rest, you may have a better chance of getting ahead of them.
If you are looking for more unique tattoo styles or phrases, then you may want to consider this one - acta non verba. It translates to action, not words.
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One of the things that I love about Latin tattoos such as this one is that even though it is a short phrase, it is an incredibly powerful one. After all, at the end of the day, your words only really hold any meaning when they are backed up by your actions.
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This tattoo can be a reminder to you to stand by your words and to always see your promises through to the end. It can also be a declaration to others that you are a person of your word.
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It can also tell others that they should act accordingly when dealing with you and to hold up their end of the bargain.
This tattoo translates to remember death. Now, you can use this tattoo to depict a lot of things. For instance, memento mori can be a reminder that everyone's days are numbered and, so, you should try to live life to the fullest.
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This Latin-style tattoo can also be a reminder to respect death. This can be an especially meaningful thing if you have a dangerous job or have high-risk hobbies. Such a tattoo can remind you to always follow the necessary safety measures and take care of yourself as well as possible.
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I have to say that of all the Latin tattoos, this may be my favorite. This is because you usually have the coolest imagery accompanying this Latin phrase. One of the more common ones is where a human hand and a skeletal hand are reaching out to one another.
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At the same time, such Latin phrases work well with a wide variety of imagery. While symbols of death such as skulls are used with this kind of tattoo, you can use images of life too.
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Now, if remember death seems like it is a bit too bleak of a message for you, then this tattoo below may be a better fit. It spells out memento mori, memento vivre. This translates to remember death, remember to live.
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This tattoo can be a reminder that although you should remember death, it is just as important to remind yourself to take full advantage of what life has to offer you each day.
These words are a rather popular choice among Latin tattoos. They translate to I came, I saw, I conquered.
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On the surface, this tattoo can simply be a depiction of your success. It could be a sign that you are someone who works hard at everything in life and, as such, achieves everything that they put their mind to.
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This Latin design can also be a symbol of how you can be a bit ruthless in your endeavors. That you aren't satisfied with breaking new ground but rather that you need to conquer any field that you work in.
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At the same time, this kind of tattoo can have a deeper meaning. It can be a symbol of how you have spread your own wings and go to places that others may not go. And, that this bravery and courage has paid off in you achieving your own fortune.
Are you looking for a more romantic saying in Latin? Then this may be the perfect one for you - amor vincit omnia translates to the English phrase love conquers all.
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This can be a beautiful Latin phrase for matching tattoos. If you and your spouse and your partner have been through a lot and have fought to be together, then this tattoo can be a wonderful symbol of your love and commitment.
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Of course, you don't have to use this as a romantic phrase if you don't want to, it can also be a general or platonic phrase. This tattoo can be a great reminder to love those around you rather than resorting to hate. It is through love that you - and the world - can move forward.
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The word tempus can be translated to time. And, so, there are actually quite a few tattoos that include the word tempus in them. This includes tempus fugit which means time flies. Then you have tempus cuncta revelat which means time reveals everything.
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In case you are looking for a more healing tattoo, then there is the tempus vincit omnia which translates to time conquers all. And, tempus infinituum which translates to infinite time.
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The cool thing about these tattoos is that there are several different ways that you can use the word tempus in a phrase. If you want to symbolize that each person has a limited amount of time, then something like tempus observat nemo can work as it translates to time waits for no one.
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On the other hand, you can also consider time a solution to problems, a broken heart, etc. In this case, a phrase like tempus vincit omnia is more appropriate.
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So, think about what you would like your tattoo to mean in relation to time and choose a suitable phrase to go along with it.
Now, you may have heard of the phrases fortune favors the bold or fortune favors the brave. In the English language, these phrases are rather similar. In Latin, though, there are a few different ways to say this.
This includes audentis fortuna iuvat and fortis fortuna adiuvat although it is believed that the former version expresses the sentiment more accurately.
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Now, some people may be more familiar with fortis fortuna adiuvat as it was a tattoo on John Wick's back in the movies. So, if the character or the franchise is your inspiration for the tattoo, then you can certainly use this phrase.
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Now, this tattoo is a bit different but I think that it is really cool nonetheless. It reads out praeparata anima fortuna - a soul prepared for fortune. This can be a great tattoo if you want to welcome positive things and success into your life. It is a way of telling the universe, I am ready.
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I always like to offer this advice for any foreign language: make sure that you are using a proper translator for your tattoo. Free online translators aren't always the best options as there is no guarantee that they are accurate.
Now, this is especially true when it comes to Latin. Classical Latin is a dead language and it can be tricky to find people who are fluent in this language. So, the risk of getting a mistranslation is higher.
At the same time, there is less of an issue if you do accidentally ink the wrong word or phrase on your body as there is a smaller risk of you meeting anyone who can translate it properly!
The Latin word that you can use to describe unbreakable in word tattoos is either indissolubilis or infragilis.
The Latin translation for this phrase is vivet vita ad plenissimam.
Well, by itself, the word tempus as a word tattoo may not mean much. Tempus translates to time. Some people may get a tattoo that says tempus fugit - this means time flies. Some people may choose to get tempus observat nemo or time waits for no one.
In these cases, such a tattoo would remind everyone that time is limited and that it is continuously counting down. As such, you shouldn't waste your time or, at least, not take things for granted and make the most of the time that you have.
In reality, there are a lot of Latin sayings and phrases that include the word tempus. Due to this, you can choose a Latin phrase that suits you or your circumstances in particular.
There are actually a number of badass Latin phrases for you to choose from in the Latin language! In fact, there are far too many to list them all here, but here are some ideas that may inspire you:
It doesn't matter if you are making sweeping statements about life or declarations of love, you are sure to find the right Latin tattoo for you here! So, go ahead and pick the perfect design and phrase for you so that you can make the impact that you want.
