What is the Latin word for impression?

The usual Latin words for “impression” are impressiō, nummārius, fōrma; also pondus, volō, mōmentum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“impression” in Latin

impressiōpush, thrust, assault, onslaught; squashing; stamping nummāriusmoney; venal fōrmaform; figure, shape, appearance; fine form; beauty; outline, plan, design pondusweight; weight of a pound; heaviness, weight of a body volōto wish, to please; to want; to mean, to intend mōmentummovement, motion, impulse; course; change, revolution, movement, disturbance; particle, part, point sentiōto feel, to sense, to perceive (with the senses); to perceive, be aware of, to be sensible of, to notice mentally, to un appellōto drive or move to; to land or put ashore exempluma sample, example; a warning example, deterrent; torture, exemplary penalty, chastisement exprimōto squeeze out; to press (out); to express; to imitate or copy

The English word impression itself goes back to Latin premō, through impressio.

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

impression

The act of imprinting or stamping, impressio:

An impression (i. e., a copy, a cast), exemplum: exemplar aliqua re, or in aliqua re, expressum. The impression of a seal on wax, expressa (alicujus) in cera ex annulo imago (Plaut., Pseud., 1, 1, 50). To make an impression, exprimere aliquid aliqua re, in aliqua re (to make an impression on anything): imprimere aliquid in aliqua re (to make an impression in anything). To make an impression of a seal in wax, sigillum in cera imprimere: to print or strike off impressions of a print or copper-plate, *picturam linearem per aeneas laminas exprimere.

On coins, signum nummi: nota numi or nummaria (the image or mark on the dye or on the coin itself): forma publica, or, from context, forma only (the dye with which the national coin is stamped). Coins with a clear sharp impression, nummi asperi (Suet., Ner., 44): coins that bear the same impression, nummi una forma, percussi (after Sen., Ep., 34, extr.).

IMPROPR. Effect on the mind, pondus, vis (effect): momentum (ῥοπή, decisive effect, influence): impressio (the effect of a representation on the mind): sensus (a sensible impression on the mind, and the disposition thence arising): animi motus (a motion of the mind): appulsus (the effect of anything that is brought near and acts upon us; e.g., frigoris). An external impression, pulsus externus or adventicius: an impression made by an external object, impulsio oblata extrinsecus (Cic., Acad., 1, 11, 40): sensible impression, or impression on the senses, pulsus externus, or quod pellit, or movet aliquem, or alicujus animum: sensus visa; also only visa (Vid: Cic., N.D., 1, 25, p. 733, Mos. et Creuz.): visio adventicia (impression on the sense of sight): outward appearances make an impression upon us, visa nos pellunt: a strong one, visa acriter mentem sensumque pellunt (Cic., Acad., 2, 20, 66): To make a pleasant impression on the senses, sensus suaviter afficere or suaviter voluptate movere; dulcem motum sensibus afferre; sensus jucundo motu hilarare; sensus jucunditate quadam perfundere: sensible impressions excite us to action, visis ad actionem excitamur (ib., 2, 32, 104): to be unable to resist external impressions, visis cedere, neque posse resistere (ib: 2, 20, 66): to receive impressions like wax, imprimi quasi ceram (of the animus): impressions of sense, corporis sensus: easily to receive impressions (from without), facile moveri: to make an impression, pondus or vim habere: to make an impression on anything, aliquid movere (upon the eyes; of beauty, etc.): to make an impression on anybody, aliquem or alicujus animum movere, commovere, permovere: pellere or ferire alicujus animum: the first impression which a speech makes, prima aggressio (Cic., Or., 15, 50): to make an impression on the minds of the hearers, animos audientium permovere; in animos audientium penetrare: to make a strong impression on anybody, alicujus animum vehementer commovere, magnopere movere, acriter percutere: a very strong impression, aliquem vehementissime permovere: to make a deep impression, alte descendere (of teachers); in anybody’s heart, alte descendere in alicujus pectus (of an appearance; Vid: Sall., Jug., 11, 3): something has made a deep and lasting impression on me, haeret mihi aliquid in visceribus (of warnings; Vid: Cic., Att., 6, 1, 8): his prohibition makes no impression on the wicked, improbos vetando non movet: your letter has made more than one impression on me, varie sum affectus litteris tuis: these things make little impression on me, haec modice me tangunt: a girl makes an impression on me, commoveor in aliqua (comedy).

Effect upon a line of troops, etc. To make no impression on, etc., nihil momenti facere (e.g., neque quidquam momenti facere, Liv.).

Mark, trace, Vid: Anybody’s features bear an impression of sorrow, signa doloris alicujus vultus ostendit.

Impression = amount of an edition: exemplaria (the copies printed). The whole impression, *omnia exemplaria (e.g., divendita sunt, is sold).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for impression?: The usual Latin words for “impression” are impressiō, nummārius, fōrma; also pondus, volō, mōmentum. 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.