What is the Latin word for disturb?

The usual Latin words for “disturb” are turbō, disturbō, perturbō; also interpellō, impediō, vexō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“disturb” in Latin

turbōto disturb, unsettle, agitate, perturb; to upset disturbōto disturb; to demolish, destroy perturbōto confuse; to disturb or perturb, trouble or alarm interpellōto interrupt by speaking, disrupt, disturb, interject; to hinder, obstruct, impede, disturb, molest; to annoy, importune impediōto hinder, impede, prevent, obstruct, hamper, thwart; to embarrass vexōto shake or jolt violently; to harass, annoy; to vex, trouble (strong term, involving violence)pāxpeace; rest, quiet, ease; grace (esp. from the gods)voluntāswill, free will, choice; desire, inclination; disposition towards (something or someone)sorsanything used to determine chances, lot; a casting or drawing of lots, a decision by lot, by fate, or by allotment or sh prōvinciaoffice, official duty, command, formal responsibility given to a magistrate; a task, responsibility, burden; the office

The English word disturb itself goes back to Latin turba, through disturbare.

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

disturb

turbare (introduce confusion, etc., also of disturbing water, aquam limo, Hor., flumen imbre, Ov.; and figuratively, pacem, voluntatem, aliquid in republica; and of the mind, inopinato malo turbatus, mente turbatus): disturbare (to bring into disorder by violent separation; e.g., concionem, sortes): perturbare (to bring into complete confusion; provinciam, civitatem, otium; also figuratively, the mind, animum; anybody, aliquem): interpellare (PROP., to interrupt a person speaking; but, figuratively, to interrupt a person in an action, aliquem; and also to break up the assembly, comitia [of a tribune]: to disturb anybody in the exercise of a right or in his right, interpellare aliquem in jure suo; Caes., B.G., 1, 44): impedire (to hinder; aliquem or aliquid; aliquem a re: to disturb anybody in the discharge of his official duties, impedire aliquem a munere): vexare (not to leave in peace; e.g., gallinam, a hen while sitting; also aliquem, to harass). To disturb the state, civitatem (or rempublicam) conturbare or perturbare; rempublicam miscere; anybody’s plans or projects, rationes alicui conturbare; everything, omnia perturbare or miscere; to disturb the minds, animos implicare or confundere; also mentem turbare; animum perturbare. To disturb a wasp’s nest, crabrones irritare (litterally, hornets used proverbially; Plaut., Amph., 2, 2, 83). Disturbed in one’s mind, mente turbata; mente captus: I am quite disturbed in my mind, sum animo conturbato et incerto: not to disturb the peace, pacem or pacis fidem servare: to disturb it, pacem (concordiam) turbare: don’t disturb me! noli me turbare; omitte me! anybody’s peace of mind is not disturbed, in animo alicujus est pax placidissima: to disturb anybody’s rest, or anybody in his sleep, e somno excitare aliquem (Cic.); alicujus quietem turbare (Prop., 1, 3, 17): men’s minds are still disturbed, mentes nondum resederunt: to disturb some men’s tranquillity, aliquorum concordiam turbare or disjungere: to disturb the public peace or tranquillity, tumultum injicere civitati (☞ quietem publicam turbare is not Latin): to be perpetually disturbing anybody, aliquem semper lacessere; aliquem quiescere or conquiescere non pati (to leave him no peace): britain was never in a more disturbed and critical state, non sane alias exercitatior magisque in ambiguo fuit Britannia (Tac.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for disturb?: The usual Latin words for “disturb” are turbō, disturbō, perturbō; also interpellō, impediō, vexō. 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.