English → Latin
“discretionary” in Latin
arbitriumthe decision of an arbiter, arbitration; judgement, decision, opinion; discretion, liberal decision; arbitrary decision,līberfree, independent, unrestricted, unchecked, unrestrained, licentious; freeman, freewoman; open (not decided or settled)faciōto do (particularly as a specific instance or occasion of doing); to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect; to m
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
discretionary
by circumlocution. A discretionary power, infinita potestas (an unlimited power, Cic.): arbitrium (with a possessive pronoun, or liberum, etc.): To have discretionary power, sui esse arbitrii; *libere posse ad summam rerum consulere (of an officer in war; after Caes., B.C., 3, 51). A lieutenant has no discretionary power, legati sunt partes ad praescriptum agere (Caes., B.C., 3, 51): to give anybody discretionary power in anything, permittere alicui liberum alicujus rei arbitrium; dare alicui facultatem, ut aliquid suo arbitratu faciat or faceret (Cic., 1, De Fin., extr.). You have a discretionary power, tuum est arbitrium (i. e., whether you will do this or that).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for discretionary?
- The usual Latin words for “discretionary” are arbitrium, līber, faciō. 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.