What is the Latin word for move?

The usual Latin words for “move” are moveō, commoveō, cieō; also agitō, versō, quatiō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“move” in Latin

moveōto move, stir, set in motion; to disturb, shake, remove; to arouse, excite, promote, produce commoveōto move something in violent motion, move; shake, stir, shift, agitate; to remove something from somewhere, carry away, cieōto set in motion; act; to move, stir, shake; to summon, call agitōto act, behave, do, or make persistently or unremittingly; to put something in motion, drive, impel; drive by rowing, ro versōto turn often, keep turning, handle, whirl about, turn over; to treat, manage; to pervert, alter, change quatiōto shake, agitate, batter, shatter, demolish, overthrow, rend; to wield, brandish; to move, touch, excite, affect mōliorto strive, endeavor, work at; to put in motion, shake, move; to rouse, bestir rotōto turn, trend, wheel, roll, swing about, whirl, rotate; brandish circumagōto drive or turn in a circle; to turn round; to turn a wheel vincōto win; to conquer, to defeat, to vanquish; to overpower

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

move v.

PROP., TRANS., movere, commovere, ciere (to put in motion): agitare (to move to and fro): versare (to turn round): quatere (to shake): moliri (with exertion): rotare, circumagere (to move in a circle; rotare is rather poetical): To move the bowels [Vid: PURGE]. Proverbially, to move heaven and earth, *caelum et terram movere, ut aiunt Angli (after Acheronta movebo; Verg.). INTRANS., movere; se commovere; moveri; commoveri (to put one’s self in motion, or to be in motion): incitari (to be put in quick motion; opposed to retardari): ferri (to be moved involuntarily, with violence; opposed to labi; especially of the heavenly bodies): micare, vibrare (to move tremulously, e.g., of light). To move in a circle, in orbem circumagi: to move about a thing, ambire aliquid; versari circum aliquid (e.g., about an axis): ferri circum aliquid; volvi circum aliquid (to turn itself about, etc.): to move as one pleases, ut quisque vult ita uti motu sui corporis: to move spontaneously, cieri et agi motu suo; sua vi moveri; per se ipsum et sua vi moveri; per se ipsum et sua sponte moveri: not to move from the spot, ex loco se non commovere.

Figuratively, movere, commovere (general term): afficere aliquem or alicujus animum (to put into a certain state of mind): flectere alicujus animum (to cause one to alter his mind): vincere, expugnare (to induce compliance at last; with precibus, precibus lacrimisque, etc.): To move one to anything, aliquem ad aliquid adducere, impellere (general term); aliquem ad aliquid inducere (especially to lead astray, seduce): persuadere alicui, ut, etc. (☞ never with the accusative): to endeavor to move, sollicitare, ad aliquid or with ut, etc.: to move one to pity, aliquem ad misericordiam adducere or allicere: to move to laughter, risum alicui movere: to move to tears, movere or elicere alicui lacrimas: not to be moved by anyone’s tears, alicujus lacrimas repudiare.

To make a motion; Vid: MOTION.

move s.

[Vid: MOTION][Vid: MOTION]. To make a move, movere: to make the first move (at play), prior calculum moveo (Quint. 11, 2, 38).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for move?: The usual Latin words for “move” are moveō, commoveō, cieō; also agitō, versō, quatiō. 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.