What is the Latin word for something?

The usual Latin words for “something” are nōnnihil, quisquam, quīdam; also numquid, ecquis, paulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“something” in Latin

nōnnihila certain amount quisquamanyone (at all); anything (at all)quīdamsomeone, a certain one/thing; something numquidis it possible?; surely not?ecquisIs there anyone who...?, Is there anybody who...?; whether anyone/anybody pauluma little, somewhat numa particle usually expecting a negation, such as: Is it? It isn’t, is it?; whether; now (only in the phrase etiam num)

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

something

Opposed to “nothing,” aliquid (usually with a genitive of the substantive joined with it; e.g., aliquid nummulorum; after the particles si, ne, quo, ut, num, we find simply quid, unless there be a particular emphasis; Vid: Kühner, Cic., Tusc., 1, 20, 45; Hermann. Viger, p. 731): paullum aliquid (some little thing, a trifie): nonnihil (a pretty good deal, also followed by a genitive): quidquam (in negative propositions): quidam, quaedam, quoddam (certain, which one cannot or may not mention; e.g., singularis est quaedam natura atque vis animi): numquid: ecquid (in questions, anything). A something, nescio quid: to reckon one as something, aliquem magni facere: that is something, but far from being all, est istuc quidem aliquid, sed nequaquam in isto sunt omnia: to think something of one’s self, putare se esse aliquid: he seems to be something, aliquid esse videtur.

Opposed to “not,” = somewhat, in some measure or degree, paullum (with comparatives, paullo): nonnihil: aliquid (e.g., nonnihil me consolatur, cum recordor). ☞ Aliquantum, aliquanto, always mean “in a considerable degree. “Sometimes this is implied in a comparative adjective; e.g., soror meliuscula est, “is something belter. “

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for something?: The usual Latin words for “something” are nōnnihil, quisquam, quīdam; also numquid, ecquis, paulum. 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.