LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
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“uncertain” in Latin

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

uncertain
incertus (uncertain, also = undecided or unsettled): dubius (doubtful; both opposed to certus, of persons and things; e.g., spes; the chances of war, belli fortuna): anceps (doubtful as to the result; e.g., chances of war, but not in this sense of a single battle; Vid: UNDECIDED): ambiguus (ambiguous, having a double meaning, not to be relied upon; e.g., faith, fides). Very uncertain, perincertus (Sall., frag., ap. Gell., 18, 4, 4). To be uncertain, incertum or dubium esse (general term; of persons and things): incertum mihi est: in incerto habere (general term; of persons): animi or animo pendere (to be undecided): dubitatione aestuare (to be uneasy; to be in great doubt which resolution to adopt; Vid: Cic., Verr., 2, 30, 74): districtum esse (to waver which of two parties to join; Vid: Cic., Fam., 2, 15, 3; the last three of persons): in incerto or in dubio esse (general term; of things): non satis constare (not to be fully received as a settled point; not to be entirely without doubt; of things). All mostly followed by some interrogative, such as quid, utrum... an, etc. The history of this year, also, is in some degree uncertain, et hujus anni parum constans memoria est: uncertain what to do, incertus, quid faceret: to make or render anybody uncertain, alicui dubitationem injicere: to make anything uncertain, aliquid ad or in incertum revocare; aliquid in dubium vocare or revocare (to make it doubtful = raise a doubt about it): to leave anything uncertain, aliquid in medio, or in incerto, or in dubio relinquere: to prefer the certain to the uncertain, certa incertis praeferre.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for uncertain?
The usual Latin words for “uncertain” are incertus, dubius, anceps; also ambiguus, spēs, fidēs. 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.