What is the Latin word for aim?

The usual Latin words for “aim” are prōpōnō, exeō, fīnis; also Măcrŏbĭus, tēlum, sagitta. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“aim” in Latin

prōpōnōto set forth, to put forth, to lay out; to expose to view, display; to make known exeōto exit, depart, go forth, come forth; to avoid, evade; to escape fīnisend; limit, border, bound boundary, frontier; boundaries, bounds, frontiers; by extension, territory, region, lands Măcrŏbĭusa Roman grammarian at the end of the fourth century, author of a commentary on Cicero's tēluma spear (whether used for throwing or thrusting); a missile or projectile weapon: an arrow, javelin, dart etc.; a missil sagittaan arrow, shaft, bolt; the extreme thin part of a vine branch or shoot; the arrowhead (plant of the genus Sagittaria)collīneōto direct in a straight line

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

aim s.

(A) (A) PROP., Scopus (Suet., Dom. 19, s. l. v., the mark at which one aims) To miss one’s aim, *scopum non ferire: ictus alicujus deerrat (Plin., 28, 3, 16). (B) Figuratively, propositum: is, qui mihi est or fuit propositus, exitus: finis (end at which one aimed). Cic. uses the Greek, σκοπός: so Macrobius, ipsum propositum, quem Graeci σκοπὸν vocant. To propose to one’s self an aim, finem sibi proponere: to miss one’s aim, a proposito aberrare; propositum non consequi. To have a single aim, *ad eadem semper contendere. To propose to one’s self high or ambitious aims, magna spectare. To arrive at, attain to, etc., an aim, propositum consequi; eo, quo volo, pervenio; quae volumus, perficere. What is the aim of all this f quorsum haec spectant?

aim v.

(A) (A) PROP., telum (sagittam, etc.) collineare aliquo: telum dirigere, or intendere in aliquem or aliquid: petere aliquem or aliquid (more generally, to try to hit). Observe, collineare is also, to aim truly (Cic., De Div., 2, 59, init.). They did not wound the heads only of their enemies, hut whatever part of the face they aimed at, non capita solum hostium vulnerabant, sed quem locum destinassent oris (Liv.): to aim at a particular mark, destinatum petere (Liv.). (B) Figuratively. To have for one’s object, spectare aliquid or ad aliquid: moliri aliquid (of great things): petere aliquem (of aiming a blow at a person): velle aliquid (to wish to obtain it): rationem referre ad aliquid (to act with reference to an object): in animo habere aliquid: sequi aliquid: (animo) aliquid intendere: consilium aliquod sibi proponere. Of aiming at a person in a speech, by an insinuation, etc., designare, denotare aliquem.

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Quick answer

What is the Latin word for aim?: The usual Latin words for “aim” are prōpōnō, exeō, fīnis; also Măcrŏbĭus, tēlum, sagitta. 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.