English → Latin
“future” in Latin
sumto be, exist; there be; to goposterusfollowing, next, coming after; inferiorveniōto come (to a place), come in, arrive, reach; of metaphorical movement in general; to approachcōnsequorto move, travel, come, pass or go after, or follow behind another (in time and/or space); to chase, to pursue, to go afttempusa time (a portion or period of time); time; the kairos, right time, due season, due time, proper time, appointed time, ofutūrusabout to be, about to exist; future; future active participle of sum.sciōto be able to, to know (how to do), understand, to have practical knowledge; to have had sex with, have ever slept withprōspiciōto look far off; to see into the distance; to watch or look out for; to discern, descry or espyservōto maintain, keep; to protect, save, keep, guard, safeguard, watch over; to give heed to, pay attention to; watch, obser
The English word future itself goes back to Latin sum, through futūrus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
future
futurus (that will be, or is about to be): posterus (to follow after others; in time): veniens: consequens (coming, following). (The words are found in this connection and order.) consequens ac posterus (e.g., time, tempus). Future things, futura, orum (e.g., to know, to foresee, scire, prospicere): ☞ Venturas is poetical only, and postero tempore adverbial: to postpone anything to a future time, aliquid in posterum differre: to keep for future use, in vetustatem reponere or servare; conditum mandare vetustati (to keep or save for a future time, in order to possess it then; e.g., fruit, etc.): to reserve for a future time, in diem reservare (e.g., poenas scelerum). Vid. FUTURE, s.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for future?
- The usual Latin words for “future” are sum, posterus, veniō; also cōnsequor, tempus, futūrus. 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.