English → Latin
“vague” in Latin
incertusuncertain, doubtful, not sure, unsure; not knowing, doubting (said of persons); not known, obscure (said of things)dubiusMoving in two directions alternately, vibrating to and fro, fluctuating, wavering; Vacillating in mind, wavering, uncertambiguusgoing two ways, hither and thither, moving from side-to-side; hybrid; changing, fluctuating, waveringincōnstānschangeable; inconstant; inconsistent; fickle; capriciousancepsdouble-headed, having two heads; having two summits or peaks; facing in two directionsrespondeōto reply, answer, respond; to offer or present in return; to measure upverbumword; proverb, saying; verbōrāculumA divine announcement, oracle.; A prophetic declaration; prophecy.; A place where oracular responses were given; oracle.
The English word vague itself goes back to Latin vagus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
vague
incertus (uncertain; e.g., answer, reply, responsum): dubius (doubtful): suspensus et obscurus (that is unsettled or involved in obscurity; e.g., words, verba; Tac., Ann., 1, 11, 2): ambiguus (that is capable of two-fold interpretation; oracle, oraculum): inconstans (inconstant): anceps (that cannot be relied upon, with regard to character as well as respecting its result). A vague report, rumor incertus or non firmus. To hear some vague report, quasi per nebulam audire aliquid (Vid: Plaut., Capt., 5, 4, 26, and Pseud., I, 5, 48).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for vague?
- The usual Latin words for “vague” are incertus, dubius, ambiguus; also incōnstāns, anceps, respondeō. 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.