English → Latin
“wait” in Latin
maneōto stay, remain, abide; to await, wait for, expect (be in store for); to waitopperiorto wait, await; to wait forpraestōlorto await, wait for; to expectexspectōto wait for, await; to look for, expect; to have need of, require
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
wait v.
manere (to stay in one’s place; then, to stay until another comes); for anybody, aliquem; opperiri (to stay in a place until one comes or returns, or until something happens); for anybody or anything, aliquem or aliquid; praestolari (to be ready to receive anybody); for anybody, alicui, or (☞ but not in Cic.) aliquem; exspectare (to look forward to something which one has reason to expect); for anybody or anything, aliquem or aliquid. Wait a little! mane paullisper! wait here a little while, parumper opperire hic. ☞ Exspectare, often = “to wait to see,” being followed by deponent interrogative clause; thus, “whilst all men were waiting to see who would be so shameless”, etc., exspectantibus omnibus, quisnam tam impudens esset, etc. (Cic.)
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for wait?
- The usual Latin words for “wait” are maneō, opperior, praestōlor; also exspectō. 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.