English → Latin
“adversity” in Latin
advertōto turn to or towards; to steer or pilot (a ship); to turn the mind to, give attention or draw attention to, attendcalamitāsloss, damage, harm; misfortune, calamity, disaster; military defeatprosperōto further (cause to succeed); to propitiatemiseriamisfortune; misery (great unhappiness)acerbitāssourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit; harshness, severity; sorrowiaceōto lie prostrate, lie down; recline; to be sick, lie ill; to linger, stop, tarry, remain
The English word adversity itself goes back to Latin advertō, through adversitātem.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
adversity
adversa (neut plur., opposed to secunda or prospera, unfavorable events, whether happening to individuals or states): res adversae, fortunae afflictae, from the context fortunae only (unfortunate circumstances; especially with reference to property and civil relations): fortuna adversa (an unhappy fate, the result of blind chance): casus adversus, or from the context casus only (a misfortune happening to an individual): calamitas an accident attended with great loss or injury: also in war): miseria (wretchedness caused by a long-continued pressure of evil). Fortuna mala (evil Fortune, considered as a deity): acerbitates, “sour adversities,” Shakespeare. To be in adversity, to suffer adversity, in malis esse, jacere; in mails versari: in miseria esse, versari. To suffer much adversity, multum malarum rerum sustinere.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for adversity?
- The usual Latin words for “adversity” are advertō, calamitās, prosperō; also miseria, acerbitās, iaceō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.