English → Latin
“motion” in Latin
moveōto move, stir, set in motion; to disturb, shake, remove; to arouse, excite, promote, producemōtiōmotion, movement; shivering; expedition, military undertakingagitātiōmotion, movement; agitation; activityiactōto throw, cast, hurl; to scatter, toss; to disturb, disquiet, torment, agitate, shockiactātiōshaking, agitationconcutiōto shake violently (or together); to agitate; to terrify or alarmconcussiōshaking; concussionmāchinātiōcontrivance; machine, engine; machination, artificeimpellōto push, drive or strike against something; assail; to drive or push forward, set in motion, urge on, impel; to impel, icōnsiliumplan, intention, design, purpose; counsel, advice; determination, resolve, resolution
The English word motion itself goes back to Latin moveō, through mōtiō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
motion s.
Movement, motus (in almost all the senses of the English word): motio (a putting in motion): agitatio (a moving to and fro): jactatus, jactatio (a fluctuating motion; e.g., of the sea): concussus, concussio (a violent shaking motion): machinatio (artificial motion): motion of the body, corporis motus; agitatio motusque corporis (of the body and of the hands), corporis motio et gestus: to be in motion, moveri; agitari (to be driven backward and forward): to be in constant, perpetual motion, semper esse in motu; sempiterno motu praeditum esse (e.g., of the heavenly bodies): to set in motion [Vid: To MOVE, PROP.]: to put in quick or rapid motion, incitare; concitare (to urge on): jactare (to throw about): to receive motion from without, pulsu externo agitari; from within, motu cieri interiore; cieri et agi motu suo; per se ipsum et sua sponte moveri: to have a certain and uniform motion, motu quodam certo et aequabili uti.
Impulse, motus; impulsus: of one’s own motion, mea (tua, etc.) sponte.
Proposal made, consilium; conditio; actio: to make a motion, conditionem ferre, proponere; ferre aliquid (ad populum): referre aliquid (ad senatum): postulare de re (before a court of justice): to make a motion for a law, ferre legem, rogationem: to make a motion for peace, de pace agere; pacis auctorem or suasorem exsistere: to oppose a motion, actioui summa vi resistere; adversus actionem summa ope anniti: to support a motion, suffragari alicui.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for motion?
- The usual Latin words for “motion” are moveō, mōtiō, agitātiō; also iactō, iactātiō, concutiō. 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.