What is the Latin word for fit?

The usual Latin words for “fit” are impetus, incurrō, accessiō; also tentātiō, carptim, febris. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“fit” in Latin

impetusan attack, an assault, a charge; a rapid motion; impulse, vehemence, ardor, passion incurrōto run into or towards; to attack, invade; to happen (to), befall, occur, to incur accessiōapproach; onset; increase, addition tentātiōtemptation; trial, proof carptimby pieces, in parts, piecemeal, separately; at different places or points, on different sides; at different times, from febrisfever commōtĭuncŭlaa slight excitation of disease ērudiōto instruct, to educate; to cultivate, to refine īnstituōto set up, establish, found, institute or arrange; to train, teach, instruct, educate (usually by a course of training);ōrnōto furnish, equip, outfit, prepare; to adorn, ornament, decorate; to honor, commend, praise

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

fit

impetus: incursus (attack of illness): accessio: tentatio (both with the addition of morbi, febris, of an illness, a fever, Cic., Att., 10, 1 7, 2): a slight fit of an illness, commotiuncula; levis motiuncula (Suet., Vesp., 24): to be suffering from a fit of illness, (a) morbo tentari. The fits become more violent, graviores accessiones veniunt. A fit of the gout, *morbi articularis accessio or tentatio: to have a fit of the gout, alicujus artus laborant; articulorum dolores habere: to be suffering from a dreadful fit of the gout, doloribus podagrae cruciari maximis (Cic.); ardere podagrae doloribus (Cic.). An epileptic fit, *morbi comitialis accessio. To have an epileptic fit, morbo comitiali corripi; or (Plin.) vitio comitiali corripi; morbo comitiali laborare. A fainting fit, subita (animae) defectio (Suet., Calig., 56): ☞ animae deliquium is spurious Latin, and animi delectus a doubtful reading. A (fainting) fit is coming upon me, animus me relinquit (Caes., B.G., 6, 38), or linquit (post-Augustan); anima deficit (e.g., from the heat, per aestum, in Cels., 1, 17); animo linquor (post-Augustan): To fall down in a fit, animo linquor submittorque genu. Anybody is in a (fainting) fit, animus aliquem reliquit or liquit; anima defecit. Intermitting fits of a fever, febris accessio remissioque; febris accessio et decessio.

By fits and starts, carptim (carptim facere aliquid, opposed to continuare aliquid).

fit v.

TRANS.,

Adapt, suit, aptare aliquid alicui rei (☞ adaptare only in Suet., and that only in passive participle): accommodare aliquid alicui rei or ad aliquid (make it suitable to, adapt it to; also accommodaresibi aliquid ad aliquid = to fit on; e.g., coronam ad caput): dirigere aliquid ad aliquid (to direct it by a certain rule).

To prepare suitably by preparatory training, erudire or instituere, or instituere atque erudire aliquem (ad aliquid or ad rem faciendam): parare aliquem alicui rei (e.g., foro et eloquentiae): formare aliquem ad or in aliquid. To fit anybody for public speaking, instituere aliquem ad dicendum; oratorem efficere atque instituere aliquem. To fit one’s self for anything, se accommodare ad aliquid (e.g., ad rempublicam; ad magnas res gerendas, Cic.); parare se ad aliquid, or ad aliquid faciendum (Cic.); exercere se ad aliquid (by practice, Cic.). Fitted and prepared for anything, instructus et paratus ad aliquid.

FIT OUT: To fit out ships, naves armare, instruere, ornare, adornare: a fleet, classem instruere, ornare, exornare, comparare; in a very short time, celeriter classem efficere.

FIT UP, ornare (general term): instruere: ornare: adornare, or exornare. (The words are found in this connection and order.) ornare (exornare) atque instruere (to provide with what is necessary; ornare and its compounds implying suitable expenditure, like κοσμεῖν, διακοσμεῖν). To fit up a house, [Vid: FURNISH].

ABSOLU. or INTRANS., aptum esse or apte convenire ad aliquem (to fit it): (apte) convenire in aliquid (e.g., machaera in vaginam; Plaut., Pseud., 4, 7, 85); or inire convenireque in aliquid (both = to fit into). A coat fits, vestis bene sedet: shoes fit, calcei apte conveniunt ad pedes, or ad pedes apti sunt: shoes that fit well, apti ad pedes calcei. A dress that fits well, or a close-fitting dress, vestis stricta et singulos artus exprimens: the tubes fit into each other, alius in alium tubulus init convenitque.

To be fit; Vid. FIT, adjective.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for fit?: The usual Latin words for “fit” are impetus, incurrō, accessiō; also tentātiō, carptim, febris. 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.