What is the Latin word for earnestly?

The usual Latin words for “earnestly” are sevērus, sērius, gravis; also ēnītor, studiōsus, ācer. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“earnestly” in Latin

sevērussevere, serious, strict, stern, stringent, austere, harsh, grave (in demeanor)sēriusgrave; earnest; serious gravisheavy; pregnant; troublesome, hard ēnītorto bear, give birth; to strive, struggle; to climb, ascend studiōsuseager, zealous, fond, assiduous; anxious; studious ācersharp, sour, bitter, pungent; keen, sharp, acute, sagacious; energetic, active, vigorous ārdenterpassionately, ardently, eagerly iuvōto help, aid; to delight, gratify, please suscipiōto take up, acknowledge; to undertake, assume, begin, incur, enter upon (especially when done voluntarily and as a favor petōto ask, beg, request, look for, inquire, petition, entreat; to make for (somewhere); to seek, aim at, desire

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

earnestly

Seriously, severe: serio: extra jocum (not in jest): ex animo (from the heart): graviter (with solemn or dignified earnestness).

Eagerly, enixe (e.g., juvare, suscipere, operam dare, etc.): etiam atque etiam (with verbs of entreaty, petere, rogare, obsecrare; ☞ not enixe with these): studiose: acriter: ardenter. To wish earnestly, ardenter cupere. To look or gaze earnestly at anything, aliquid intentis oculis intueri; intueri aliquid acri et attento animo; aliquid intueri in eoque defixum esse; aliquid studiose intueri (e.g., rerum naturam); aliquid acriter oculis intueri (e.g., deficientem solem): very earnestly, aliquid quam maxime intentis oculis, ut aiunt, acerrime contemplari (all Cic.). To speak earnestly, serio dicere: cum gravitate loqui: to set earnestly to work at anything, intento studio in aliquid incumbere.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for earnestly?: The usual Latin words for “earnestly” are sevērus, sērius, gravis; also ēnītor, studiōsus, ācer. 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.