English → Latin
“circumstance” in Latin
causacause, reason; case, claim, contention; cause, judicial process, lawsuittempusa time (a portion or period of time); time; the kairos, right time, due season, due time, proper time, appointed time, oratiōreason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose; calculation, account, accounting, reckomōmentummovement, motion, impulse; course; change, revolution, movement, disturbance; particle, part, pointconditiōa making, creating; condition, status, position, circumstancemoraa duration of time before an event takes place, delay; a delay in the performance of an action, putting off; hindranceambāgēsan indirect, roundabout path; a wandering to and fro, twists and turns; circumlocution, ambiguity, evasion, digression, apparōto prepare or make ready for something, put in order, provide, furnish, equip, organize; to provide or equip in additionōrnōto furnish, equip, outfit, prepare; to adorn, ornament, decorate; to honor, commend, praiseostentātiōexhibition, display, showing off
The English word circumstance itself goes back to Latin circumstantia.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
circumstance
res (the most general word): causa (the state, posture, situation, of a thing). (The words are found in this connection and order), res et causa: tempus, especially the plur. tempora (posture of things brought on by the circumstances of the time): ratio (a reason founded in circumstances; hence the circumstance itself): momentum (the decisive circumstance): conditio (condition, limitation): mora (delay): ambages (circumstance of words). Trifling circumstances, parvae res: parva momenta. The Latins, however, do not usually employ a distinctive substantive, but prefer some general, indifferent expression to convey this notion; as, this circumstance moved me, hoc me movit, or hac re motus sum. On this circumstance rests the whole business, in eo tota res vertitur (in eo cardo rei vertitur, not to be recommended). According to circumstances, pro re: pro re nata; ex or pro tempore; pro tempore et pro re (Caes., B.G., 5, 8). The circumstances of the times, tempora: ratio temporis or temporum; temporum vincula (Cic., Fam., 10, 6, 2). To act according to circumstances, ex re consulere. Under these or such circumstances, his rebus; quae cum ita sint or essent (things being so): in hoc or in tali tempore (in such an exigency; under such untoward circumstances. In this meaning the preposition “in” is mostly expressed). Under present circumstances, in praesentia (opposed to in posterum). To suit one’s self to circumstances, tempori servire (cut one’s coat according to the cloth): necessitati parere (make a virtue of necessity). To be in good circumstances, in rebus secundis esse; in bona conditione constitutum esse. To be in straitened circumstances, parce ac duriter vitam agere. In his embarrassed or desperate circumstances, in extremis rebus suis. My circumstances are none of the best, res meae sunt minus secundae. To be placed in the same circumstances, in eadem causa or eodem loco esse; eadem est mea causa. I am grievously dissatisfied with my own circumstances, vehementer me poenitet status mei. A man is always dissatisfied with his own circumstances, suae quemque fortunae maxime poenitet (Cic.). Suppose yourself in my circnmstances, eum te esse finge, qui sum ego (Cic.).
Circumstances (= state of affairs), rerum status: a great change of circumstances has taken place, magna facta est rerum commutatio; versa sunt omnia: the untoward circumstances of the time or of affairs, iniquitas rerum.
Show, array, apparatus; ornatus; ostentatio.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for circumstance?
- The usual Latin words for “circumstance” are causa, tempus, ratiō; also mōmentum, conditiō, mora. 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.