LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
English → Latin

“ignorant” in Latin

The English word ignorant itself goes back to Latin ignōrō, through ignōrāns.

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

ignorant
inscius (who is not acquainted, either by instruction or experience with the principles and practice of an art; alicujus rei): ignarus (without any knowledge how a thing is to be carried on; alicujus rei): imperitus (wholly without experience in anything; alicujus rei): rudis (raw; without instruction; alicujus rei or in aliqua re). (The words are found in this connection and order.) alicujus rei inscius et rudis: indoctus (general term, without any learned or scientific knowledge): illitteratus (illitterate): nescius (having accidentally not heard of or experienced something; inscius implies blame, nescius is indifferent, Döderlein; alicujus rei; e.g., impendentis mali, Plin. It may be followed by accusative with infinitive, non sum nescius... ista dici, Cic.; but nescius with infinitive only, as nescius fallere, is poetical): integer (on whose mind no impression has been made by previous instruction; with reference to a particular subject, and to a teacher who may therefore mould such a pupil as he pleases). (The words are found in this connection and order.) rudis et integer (Cic.). I am not ignorant that, etc., non sum nescius (with accusative and infinitive). To be ignorant of anything, aliquid nescire (with reference to the understanding, thought, etc.); aliquid ignorare (with reference to circumstances of external perception, experience, etc.); aliquid non callere (not to have acquired a practical knowledge by industrious study and experience). To be shamefully ignorant of anything, aliquid turpiter ignorare: to be utterly ignorant on all subjects, omnium rerum inscium et rudem esse. Take me for your pupil, and give me the instruction I require, for I am at present quite ignorant of the subject, rudem me et integrum discipulum accipe, et ea, quae requiro, doce (Cic., N.D., 3, 3, 7).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for ignorant?
The usual Latin words for “ignorant” are īnscius, ignārus, imperītus; also rudis, indoctus, illitterātus. 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.