English → Latin
“ferment” in Latin
fermentōto cause to rise, ferment or leaven; to cause to swell, break up or loosen; to rise or fermentferveōto be hot; to burn; to boil; seethe, foameffervēscōto boil up or over; to seethe; to foam or effervescefermentumthe process of fermentation or leavening; yeast, ferment, leaven (a substance used for fermentation); passionmoveōto move, stir, set in motion; to disturb, shake, remove; to arouse, excite, promote, produceimpetusan attack, an assault, a charge; a rapid motion; impulse, vehemence, ardor, passion
The English word ferment itself goes back to Latin ferveō, through fermentō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
ferment v.
fermentari: fermentescere (general term): fervere: effervescere (of wine). To cause to ferment, sinere fermentari or fervere: to make anything ferment by anything, fermentare aliqua re.
IMPROPR., Vid: “to be in a FERMENT.
ferment s.
fermentum (also IMPROP., of a slate of agitation, etc., Plaut.).
IMPROPR., motus: impetus: fermentum: effervescentis alicujus rei aestus (Gell.). To be in a ferment, in fermento esse; in fermento totus jacet aliquis (Plaut.); against anybody, turgere alicui (ib.): to be in a state of ferment, moveri (e.g., the slaves are, etc., movetur aliquot locis servitium); mentis habitu moveri (of the blood put into a state of ferment by mental excitement); effervescere (with or without stomacho, iracundia, etc., a favorite word of Cic.’s); aestuare (Cic.): exaestuare (†); tumere (e.g., Galliae, Tac.: negotia, Cic.): to be in a complete state of ferment, ardere (of a country; e.g., of the Gauls): the ferment of men’s minds, tumor rerum (the ferment of men’s minds threatening a revolution; Vid: Cic., Att., 14, 5, 2): to subdue or quell such a ferment, mederi with dative.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for ferment?
- The usual Latin words for “ferment” are fermentō, ferveō, effervēscō; also fermentum, moveō, impetus. 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.