What is the Latin word for wag?

The usual Latin words for “wag” are quatiō, quassō, concutiō; also agitō, moveō, iactō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“wag” in Latin

quatiōto shake, agitate, batter, shatter, demolish, overthrow, rend; to wield, brandish; to move, touch, excite, affect quassōto shake repeatedly, to quake; to wave or flourish; to weaken concutiōto shake violently (or together); to agitate; to terrify or alarm agitōto act, behave, do, or make persistently or unremittingly; to put something in motion, drive, impel; drive by rowing, ro moveōto move, stir, set in motion; to disturb, shake, remove; to arouse, excite, promote, produce iactōto throw, cast, hurl; to scatter, toss; to disturb, disquiet, torment, agitate, shock Persiusa Roman nomen gentile, gens or "family name" famously held by

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

wag s.

homo jocosus (Varr., Hor. Ep.); homo multi joci, ad jocandum aptus (Cic.).

wag v.

Transitively, quatere (Liv.); quassare (Plaut.); concutere (Ov.); agitare (Cic., to move, to wag): movere (to move). To wag the tail, caudam movere (Sall.), jactare (Persius).

Intransitively, agitari, moveri.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for wag?: The usual Latin words for “wag” are quatiō, quassō, concutiō; also agitō, moveō, iactō. 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.