English → Latin
“torment” in Latin
cruciōto crucify; to torturetormentuman engine for hurling missiles; a shot or missile thrown by this, artillery; a (twisted) cord or rope; an instrument of cruciāmentumtorture, torment, painexcruciōto torment greatly, torture, rack, plague; afflict, distress, harass, vex; to force out by torturing, extortdiscruciōto torment or torturetorqueōto spin, whirl, twirl, turn, cause to revolve; to twist, wind, bend awry, distort; to hurl violently, twirl (around the stimulōto urge on, goad on, stimulate, rouse up; to torment, vex, trouble, disquiet, disturbangōto bind, draw, press together; to choke, throttle, strangle (replaced in Classical Latin by suffoco); to cause physical vexōto shake or jolt violently; to harass, annoy; to vex, trouble (strong term, involving violence)
The English word torment itself goes back to Latin torqueō, through tormentum.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
torment s.
cruciatus, -ūs (any pangs, naturqj or artificial; applicable to pangs of conscience): tormentum (especially pangs caused by an instrument of torture: both often in plur.): also, cruciamentum (a torturing, cruciamenta morborum, Marcus Tullius Cic.). To be in torment, cruciari; excruciari; discruciari; torqueri.
torment v.
cruciare: excruciare: torquere: stimulare: angere: vexare. To torment with questions, aliquem rogitando obtundere: to torment to death with questions, aliquem rogitando enecare: to torment with entreaties, aliquem precibus fatigare: to torment with complaints, aliquem querelis angere.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for torment?
- The usual Latin words for “torment” are cruciō, tormentum, cruciāmentum; also excruciō, discruciō, torqueō. 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.