English → Latin
“impulse” in Latin
impellōto push, drive or strike against something; assail; to drive or push forward, set in motion, urge on, impel; to impel, iimpulsiōinfluence (external pressure); impulse, incitement, instigationincitātiōincitement; vehemence, ardourappetītiōThe act of grasping at or reaching after something.; A passionate longing or striving for something, strong desire, impuappetōto strive for, reach after (something), try to get; to attack, fall or seize upon, assault, assail; to approach, draw niimpetusan attack, an assault, a charge; a rapid motion; impulse, vehemence, ardor, passionvolōto wish, to please; to want; to mean, to intendspontefreely, willingly, voluntarily, spontaneouslyulterthat is beyondauctorseller, vendor; author, originator; sponsor, advocate
The English word impulse itself goes back to Latin impulsus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
impulse
The act of impelling, impulsus: impulsio (a driving on, impelling): incitatio (an exciting, inciting): external impulse, impulse from without, pulsus externus.
Internal impulse, impetus: vis. By the impulse of one’s own mind, sua sponte, or sponte only (of one’s own free will): ultro (with a good will; willingly): “by anybody’s impulse” (e.g., Jove’s: Dryden), aliquo impulsore or auctore; alicujus impulsu; alicujus auctoritate; also, aliquo impellente: by the impulse of another, alieno impulsu: under a divine impulse [Vid: INSPIRATION].
Internal and instinctive desire, appetitio (desire after anything; e.g. cognitionis): appetitus (a feeling of a natural want; instinct: ☞ not instinctus, in this sense, in classical writers): impetus (a vehement desire, involuntary motion toward anything). (The words are found in this connection and order.) impetus et appetitus rerum - cupiditas (a longing for anything): to feel a natural impulse toward anything, studio alicujus rei duci or impelli; appetere or concupiscere aliquid.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for impulse?
- The usual Latin words for “impulse” are impellō, impulsiō, incitātiō; also appetītiō, appetō, 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.