What is the Latin word for passion?

The usual Latin words for “passion” are perturbō, cupiditās, libīdō; also temeritās, intemperāns, dolor. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“passion” in Latin

perturbōto confuse; to disturb or perturb, trouble or alarm cupiditāsdesire (deemed good, neutral or bad); lust, passion; cupidity, avarice, greed, covetousness libīdōdesire, fancy, inclination, longing, pleasure, caprice, passion, wantonness; lust, sensuality temeritāshap, chance, accident; rashness, thoughtlessness, temerity intemperānsunrestrained, intemperate; licentious dolorpain, ache, hurt; anguish, grief, sorrow; indignation, resentment, anger, fury, vengeance cruciōto crucify; to torture commōtiōmotion, movement; agitation, commotion

The English word passion itself goes back to Latin patior, through passio.

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

passion

Emotion, animi concitatio, animi impetus; (more strongly), animi perturbatio, motus animi turbatus or perturbatus (general term, violent emotion of the mind; animi affectio denotes the disposition, and animi motus, commotio or permotio, an emotion of the mind; general term): cupiditas: libido (especially sensual inclination and desire): studium flagrans (burning zeal): temeritas (rashness): intemperantia (want of moderation or restraint; opposed to sequitas): violent passion, acerrimus animi motus; vehemens animi impetus: irregular passions, libidines (effrenatae): from passion, (animi) perturbatione incitatus; cupiditate incensus: with passion, animi quodam impetu; studio flagrante: without passion, aequo animo: to raise or excite passion in anyone, alicujus libidinem excitare (of sensual desires): alicujus animum impellere (general term): to raise or excite the passions, animi motus inflammare (opposed to exstinguere): animorum impetus impellere (opposed to animorum impetus reflectere): to allay the passions, alicujus animum vehementiore motu perturbatum ad tranquillitatem revocare (after Cic., De Or., 1, 12, 53): to restrain one’s passions, perturbatos animi motus cohibere cupiditates coercere; cupiditatibus imperare; continentem esse (especially of sensuality): to be free from passions, ab omni animi concitatione vacare; omni animi perturbatione liberum or liberatum esse: to act under the influence of passion, cupide agere; impetu quodam trahi ad aliquid: it is quite a passion with me, eā re maxime delector (I take particular pleasure in anything): magno ejus rei studio teneor (I have an eager desire for).

Anger, Vid:

Suffering, dolor; cruciatus, -ūs: usually applied to the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, *extremi cruciatus Christi: history of the passion, *narratio suppliciorum Christi; *memoria laborum, quos Christus exanclavit: a meditation on the passion, *cogitatio, meditatio de morte Christi: sermon on the passion, *oratio sacra de suppliciis et morte Christi: passion-week, *tempus celebrandae mortis et dolorum Christi (Bau.): the passion flower, *passiflora (Linn).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for passion?: The usual Latin words for “passion” are perturbō, cupiditās, libīdō; also temeritās, intemperāns, dolor. 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.