English → Latin
“intent” in Latin
intendōto stretch out; to strain; to turn one's attention to, focus (on); to aim, turn, directattendōto pay attention, attend (to), direct the attention towards; to direct or turn toward
The English word intent itself goes back to Latin intentus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
intent adj.
intentus (on the stretch; upon anything, or upon doing anything, ad aliquid [mentes ad pugnam intentae, Caes.]; ad aliquid faciendum [intentus animus tuus ad fortissimum virum liberandum, Cic.]; sometimes ablative [aliquo negotio intentus, Sall.]; seldom in with ablative [in ea re omnium nostrorum intentis animis, Caes., B.G., 3, 22; intentus in eventu alieni consilii, Liv., 6, 23]; also with adverb, of motion [omnium eo curae sunt intentae, Liv.]: attentus (upon anything, ad aliquid; ad decoris conservationem, Cic.; on making money, ad rem, Terentianus): deditus (quite given up to; e.g., ubi spectaculi tempus venit, deditaeque eo mentes cum oculis erant, Liv., 1, 9). To be intent upon anything, intendere animum alicui rei, or ad aliquid, or in aliquid (the last often in Livy).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for intent?
- The usual Latin words for “intent” are intendō, attendō. 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.