What is the Latin word for step?

The usual Latin words for “step” are gradus, grossus, vestīgium; also ratiō, cōnsilium, via. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“step” in Latin

gradusa step, pace; a grade; a stage, degree grossusstout, fat, thick; coarse, rough vestīgiumfootprint, track; trace, vestige, mark, sign; sole of the foot ratiōreason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose; calculation, account, accounting, recko cōnsiliumplan, intention, design, purpose; counsel, advice; determination, resolve, resolution viaroad, street, path; highway; way, method, manner, mode domushouse, home (the building where a person lives); any dwelling-place or abode (of people or animals); the place of one's incēdōto walk, stride, step, march (along); to walk or move … etc. with divine presence or attributes; to advance (move forwar ingrediorto go into or onto, enter; to enter upon, engage in, apply oneself to something; to enter upon, begin, commence regrediorto go or come back; turn back, return; to march back, withdraw, retire, retreat; to have recourse, revert

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

step s.

A pace, gradus (a step taken): gressus (a stepping): ☞ passus, in the best prose writers, always includes the idea of a certain length, a pace. To take a step, gradum facere (PROP.); agere et moliri (figuratively): to take long steps, magnos facere gradus; grandibus esse gradibus: to take short steps, gradum minuere (Quint.); parvo procedere passu (Ov.): not to stir a step out of the house, domo pedem non efferre; domi or domo se tenere: to take a hazardous step (figuratively), *periculosum consilium inire; se in casum dare: to keep step with anybody, gradum aequare (PROP.); parem esse alicui (figuratively): step by step, gradibus; gradatim (up or down, according to a certain measure), pedetentim (with great care and caution); minutatim (little by little): to take the first step in anything (figuratively), initium facere alicujus rei; aliquid facere coepisse: to tread with a firm step, certo gradu incedere: to urge anybody to take a bold step (figuratively), aliquem ad audendum aliquid concitare.

A footstep, vestigium: To follow the steps of anybody, vestigiis insistere (Cic.): vestigia persequi (Cic.), legere (Ov.), premere (Tac.).

A stair, gradus. Sometimes, plur., scalae (a flight of stairs): gradus, plur. (single stairs): descensio (a place for going down): a flight of steps, gradus scalarum.

Figuratively, A degree, gradus.

Measure, ratio: consilium: via [Vid: MEASURE]. To take a step, agere et moliri: to take a rash step, temere or inconsiderate agere.

step v.

gradum facere, incedere, ingredi. To step back, regredi; retrogredi: to step out = go quickly, pleno gradu tendere; gradum addere, accelerare, corripere: to step on anything, pedem ponere in aliqua re; ingredi aliquid (to set foot on); intrare aliquid (to enter); prodire in aliquid (e.g., in scenam): to step on shore, exire in terram, in litus: to step on board a ship, inscendere navem, or in navem: to step into, inire, introire, intrare, or ingredi aliquid (e.g., domum inire; domum, or in domum, introire; limen intrare): to step over, transire: to step aside, secedere (general term); de viā secedere (from the road or path, to make room); viam, locum dare; locum dare et cedere (that anybody may pass).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for step?: The usual Latin words for “step” are gradus, grossus, vestīgium; also ratiō, cōnsilium, via. 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.