English → Latin
“behave” in Latin
modestusmoderate, calm, restrained, mild; modest, reserved, discreetgerōto carry, bear; to manage, conduct (e.g., one's affairs); to rule, governimmodestusunrestrained, excessive, shameless
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
behave
se gerere (with adverb): to behave with propriety, honeste se gerere: to behave as anybody, gerere or agere aliquem; agere pro aliquo (i. e., to behave as or represent anybody: so agere or gerere aliquem, and se agere pro aliquo are incorrect; but se gerere pro aliquo is correct; as, se pro cive gerere, to act as a citizen, Cic., Arch., 5): to behave toward anybody suitably to his rank, dignitati alicujus consulere: to behave liberally toward anybody, aliquem liberaliter habere: to behave harshly toward anybody, aliquem aspere tractare. ☞ With se gerere an adverb should be used, not an adjective: not se modestum, immodestum, urbanum, etc., gerere, but modeste, immodeste, urbane, etc., se gerere. To behave in a matter, se gerere in re: to behave foolishly in a matter, praepostere agere rem. It is characteristic of a great man to behave himself in so high an office in such a manner as, etc., permagni hominis est, sic se adhibere in tanta potestate, ut, etc.
WELL-BEHAVED, bene moratus (morally): modestus (showing moderation and good breeding). Ill-behaved, rudis incultus.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for behave?
- The usual Latin words for “behave” are modestus, gerō, immodestus. 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.