What is the Latin word for sentence?

The usual Latin words for “sentence” are iūdicātiō, arbitrium, dēcernō; also iūdicium, dēcīsiō, prōnūntiātiō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“sentence” in Latin

iūdicātiōjudging; judgement, opinion arbitriumthe decision of an arbiter, arbitration; judgement, decision, opinion; discretion, liberal decision; arbitrary decision,dēcernōto decide, decide upon, settle, determine (especially something disputed or doubtful); to pronounce a decision concernin iūdiciumjudgment, decision; opinion; trial dēcīsiōsettlement, agreement, decision; curtailment, diminishment prōnūntiātiōproclamation, declaration; pronunciation, speech; manner, delivery sententiaa way of thinking, view, opinion, judgement or sentence; a purpose, intention, will (one's thinking in respect to the fu periodusa complete sentence; period; the circuit of the four Grecian games Petrōniusof or pertaining to the gens Petronia caputthe head (of humans and animals); head; top; summit; point; end; extremity (beginning or end); origin; source; spring; h

The English word sentence itself goes back to Latin sentiō, through sententia.

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

sentence s.

Judgement, judicatio (Cic., Tusc., 4, 11, 26): arbitrium (the decision of an umpire; then any decision): decretum (a legal opinion): responsum ac decretum: judicium (sentence of a judge): decisio (the decision of a person conversant with a matter): pronunciatio (the pronouncing of a judicial sentence; Cic., Cluent., 20, 56; Petronius, 80, 7): Sentence of condemnation, damnatorium judicium; *sententia, qua aliquis capitis condemnatur (of death): to pronounce sentence of condemnation on anybody (i. e., of condemnation to death), capitis or capite damnare aliquem; capitis condemnare aliquem; supplicium constituere in aliquem: to give or pass sentence, respondere; responsum dare or edere (general term); decernere (to give a decision on any subject; of magistrates or private persons); oraculum dare, edere, fundere (of an oracle); judicare; sententiam dicere (of a judge); disceptare; arbitrari (as an umpire; the latter, Scaevola, Dig., 4, 8, 44, and Paullus, Dig., 6, 1, 35): to reverse a sentence, rem judicatam rescindere (Cic.): to leave or refer to the sentence of anyone, arbitrio alicujus permittere; subjicere; conferre ad arbitrium alicujus: a definitive sentence, *sententia, qua omnis controversia dirimitur, or qua lis dijudicatur (☞ in the late Latin of the lawyers, sententia terminalis, Cod. Just., 4, 31, 14): to pass a definitive sentence, litem dijudicare (Vid: Hor., Od. 3, 5, 54).

Opinion, Vid:

Period, sententia (e.g., sententiam detornare; Gell.): periodus. Vid: PERIOD

sentence v.

damnare or condemnare aliquem (with either genitive of the crime, if that is mentioned, with or without nomine or crimine, or with de and ablative: the punishment, however, is generally put in the genitive, seldom in the ablative, or with ad or in with accusative; Vid: Zumpt, § 447). To sentence anybody to death, aliquem capite, or capitis damnare or condemnare; aliquem poenae capitalis damnare; aliquem morti addicere: to sentence anybody to eightfold damages, aliquem octupli damnare: to sentence anybody to hard labor, aliquem damnare ad or in opus publicum: to sentence to pay the costs, damnare in expensas: to sentence anybody without trial, or unheard, aliquem indicta causa damnare or condemnare

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for sentence?: The usual Latin words for “sentence” are iūdicātiō, arbitrium, dēcernō; also iūdicium, dēcīsiō, prōnūntiātiō. 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.