English → Latin
“plead” in Latin
āctitōto act or be employed in often or much; to do something often or repeatedlyratiōreason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose; calculation, account, accounting, reckoiūdicōto examine judicially, judge, pass judgement, decide; condemn; to judge; proclaim; determine, conclude; adjudgeperōrōto speak at length, harangue; to conclude a speech
The English word plead itself goes back to Latin plācō, through placitum.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
plead
PROP., causas agere, actitare; causas dicere in foro; versari in foro; in judiciis causas versare (Cic., Or., 9, 31); causas tractare atque agere. To plead a cause, causam agere (of the whole management of it; hence apud quos [judices] causa agebatur; Cic., De Or., 2, 48, extr.): causam dicere (to plead one’s own cause as defendant, or another’s as an orator): causam orare, perorare (the latter with reference to pleading it thoroughly, at great length, etc., and often with reference to the concluding appeal: dicta est a me causa et perorata, Cic.): causam defendere (as advocate for defendant). To plead anybody’s cause, orare or dicere pro aliquo; defendere aliquem: to plead one’s own cause, ipsum pro se dicere.
Figuratively, To allege, rationem, causam afferre; (as an excuse), excusare aliquid.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for plead?
- The usual Latin words for “plead” are āctitō, ratiō, iūdicō; also perōrō. 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.