What is the Latin word for vulgar?

The usual Latin words for “vulgar” are vulgō, ūsitor, mōs; also terō, obsolētus, cotīdiānus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“vulgar” in Latin

vulgōto broadcast; to publish; to divulge; to issue; to make known among the people; to make common; to prostitute; to make k ūsitorto use habitually mōsway or manner (of behaving); behavior; conduct; custom; habit; practice; usage; wont; character; disposition; inclinatio terōto rub or triturate; to wear away or wear out, consume; to tread obsolētusold, worn out, thrown off; obsolete, out-of-date; common, ordinary, mean, low cotīdiānusdaily, everyday, quotidian; ordinary, pedestrian

The English word vulgar itself goes back to Latin vulgus, through vulgāris.

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

vulgar

vulgaris: usitatus (usual): vulgatus (common and well known; Quint., Liv.): more or usu receptus: in usu or more positus (received as a custom, or generally received): tritus (that has been and is still in use): obsoletus (that has become common): quotidianus (occurring every day). (The words are found in this connection and order.) usitatus et quotidianus; vulgaris et obsoletus; communis et vulgaris: vulgaris communisque. The vulgar, plebs: vulgus: faex populi [SYN. in COMMONS]: to be vulgar, in usu esse (usual): a vulgar opinion, opinio vulgaris or vulgi; sententia vulgaris; communis hominum opinio; opinio vulgata (with reference to anything); omnium opinio de re: the vulgar opinion that, etc., opinio vulgata, qua creditur, etc. (Vid: Liv., 40, 29): according to the vulgar opinion, ad vulgi opinionem; ex vulgi opinione: to render a word vulgar by frequent use, tractando facere usitatius verbum et tritius; verbum usu mollire: a vulgar expression, verbum usitatum et tritum; verbum vulgare or vulgi: this is not a vulgar expression, but a philosophical term, hoc non est vulgi verbum, sed philosophorum: a vulgar saying, proverbium sermone tritum.

Ordinary, mean, low, Vid: COMMON.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for vulgar?: The usual Latin words for “vulgar” are vulgō, ūsitor, mōs; also terō, obsolētus, cotīdiānus. 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.