English → Latin
“through” in Latin
propternear, at hand, hard byaddūcōto lead, bring, draw or convey to or to oneself; to prompt, induce, cause; to persuade, movemoveōto move, stir, set in motion; to disturb, shake, remove; to arouse, excite, promote, produceexcitōto call forth: to rouse, awaken, summon; to bring forth: to raise, build; to bring out: to encourage, revive, excite, stdūcōto lead, guide, conduct, lead away; to take; to draw, pull
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
through
preposition,
Of space and time, per; but this is usually expressed by compound words.
Denoting a means, per (especially if a living being be the means; rarely if it be a thing). The Latins usually express the means, if it be a thing, by a simple ablative; as, to gain the favor of others by flatteries, aliorum benevolentiam blanditiis colligere; Vid: Grotef., § 217 and 218, Obs., 2; Zumpt, § 455. Hence, also, with the gerund the preposition is always omitted; as, the human mind is nourished by learning and thinking, hominis mens discendo alitur et cogitando. Sometimes, also, the Latins employ the participles utens and usus (as the Greeks χρώμενος and χρησάμενος); e.g., proeliis secundis usus.
Denoting cause and operation, per (by occasion of): a, ab (denoting immediate operation, especially after passive and intransitive verbs; as, interire ab aliquo): propter (denoting an efficient cause, after transitive or intransitive verbs; e.g., ii propter quos hanc suavissimam lucem aspeximus); or it may be expressed by ductus, adductus, motus, excitatus, etc.; e.g., pulchritudine ductus; or in this case we may use propter, ob, causa: if the notion of hindrance or impediment be included, we may use prohibitus or impeditus instead of ductus (e.g., negotiis impeditus): alicujus opera (by the efforts of anyone; as, eorum opera plebs concitata est): alicujus or alicujus rei beneficio (through the kindness of; e.g., sic Gyges repente annuli beneficio rex exortus est, through the ring). If things without life are specified as a cause, the relation is usually expressed by the ablative without a preposition; as, this has happened through your fault, vestra culpa hoc accidit (Vid: Grotef., § 218, Obs. 2, sqq.; Zumpt, §452).
Denoting extension of space and time = throughout, per; e.g., through all the provinces of your empire, per imperii tui provincias: the report spreads through all Africa, fama per omnem Africam divulgatur. Here, also, the Latins form compounds with per; e.g., through and through, penitus (to the innermost part, entirely; e.g., perspicere, nosse): per omnes partes (through all parts, etc.) The Latins also express it by verbs compounded with per; as, percutere: also with trans; as, to pierce through and through with a sword, aliquem transigere gladio. To be carried through, valere (of a law, plan, etc.): perferri (of a proposed law).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for through?
- The usual Latin words for “through” are propter, addūcō, moveō; also excitō, dūcō. 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.