English → Latin
“indulgence” in Latin
indulgeōto be kind or courteous (to); to be inclined (to); give free rein (to); to give oneself up (to); to be addicted (to), inclēmentiamercy, clemency; gentleness, mildness; clemency, mildness (of climate or the weather)benignitāskindness, benevolence, friendliness, courtesy; liberality, bounty, favor; lenity, mercyveniaindulgence, kindness (i.e., lenient treatment); mercy, grace, favour; pardondēbitordebtor; one under an obligation (to pay)errorwandering, straying, going astray; wavering, uncertainty; error, mistake, fault
The English word indulgence itself goes back to Latin indulgeō, through indulgentia.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
indulgence
indulgentia: clementia: benignitas [SYN. in INDULGENT]: venia (pardon shown to error, or to persons in error). To show indulgence to, etc., indulgere alicui or alicui rei (e.g., to a debtor, debitori; to anybody’s faults, alicujus peccatis): veniam dare alicui or alicui rei (to grant pardon, e.g., errori) [☞ To INDULGE]: to show indulgence to anything, connivere in aliqua re (to wink at): gratiam facere alicujus rei (to concede): to treat anybody with indulgence, indulgentia tractare or indulgenter habere aliquem; indulgere alicui: to treat anybody with much indulgence, magna esse in aliquem indulgentia: to treat anybody with too much indulgence, nimis or nimium alicui indulgere; one’s self, nimis sibi indulgere.
An indulgence (ecclesiastical), venia Pontificis Romani; venia delictorum or peccatorum (☞ indulgentia, used by ecclesiastical writers, is not to be recommended): to grant an indulgence, veniam alicui et impunitatem dare (Cic., Phil., 8, 11, 32): to obtain an indulgence, veniam peccatorum impetrare: a letter of indulgence, *litterae or libellus veniarum. Sale of indulgences, veniarum nundinatio (Vid: Cic., Rull., 1, 3, 9): to sell indulgences, *Pontificis Romani veniam nundinari. A seller of indulgences, *nundinator veniarum; veniarum venditor. Money paid for indulgences, or raised by the sale of indulgences, nummi ob veniam Pontificis Romani impetrandam dati (after Cic., Verr., 5, 51, extr.).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for indulgence?
- The usual Latin words for “indulgence” are indulgeō, clēmentia, benignitās; also venia, dēbitor, error. 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.