LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
phrase

carpe diem

carpe diem
Classical[ˈkar.pɛ ˈdi.ẽː]Ecclesiastical[ˈkar.pe ˈdiː.em]

Meaning

  1. carpe diem, enjoy the day; (common mistranslation) seize the day

Origins

From the end of the poem Odes I.11 by Horace, ancient Roman poet. :Sapiās, vīna liquēs, et spatio brevī :spem longam resecēs. Dum loquimur, fūgerit invidā :aetās. Carpe diem quam minimum crēdula posterō. :Be wise, make wine, and in a short time, :lose any great hope. As we speak, time is cruelly slipping away. :Enjoy the day, believing the least in the future.

Quick answers

What does carpe diem mean in Latin?
carpe diem, a phrase, means “carpe diem, enjoy the day; (common mistranslation) seize the day”.
How do you pronounce carpe diem?
In classical Latin, [ˈkar.pɛ ˈdi.ẽː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkar.pe ˈdiː.em].