English → Latin
“enigma” in Latin
aenigmaa riddle, enigma; an allegory; a mysteryambāgēsan indirect, roundabout path; a wandering to and fro, twists and turns; circumlocution, ambiguity, evasion, digression,
The English word enigma itself goes back to Latin aenigma.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
enigma
aenigma: gripbus: ambages [SYN. in RIDDLE]. To solve an enigma, aenigma solvere; *griphum dissolvere: to propose an enigma to anybody, *aliquem aenigma solvere jubere: not to be able to solve an enigma, aenigma non intelligere: you talk in enigmas, ambages narras: that is an enigma to me, haec non intelligo.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for enigma?
- The usual Latin words for “enigma” are aenigma, ambāgēs. 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.