English → Latin
“while” in Latin
tempusa time (a portion or period of time); time; the kairos, right time, due season, due time, proper time, appointed time, ospatiumspace, room, extent; distance between points; a square, walk, or promenademoraa duration of time before an event takes place, delay; a delay in the performance of an action, putting off; hindranceōtiumtime free from activity: leisure, free time; time avoiding activity: idleness, inactivity; peace, repose, quiet, quietnepaululusvery little or smallparumperbriefly, for a short while, for a moment; quickly
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
while s.
tempus (time): spatium (space of time): mora (delay): otium (leisure). A little while, breve spatium; paullulum temporis; paullulum: for a little while, parumper (in the sense of abridging); paullisper (in the sense of patiently waiting; e.g., I turn for a little while from the dreams, discedo parumper a somniis: wait a little while, paullisper mane): a little while after, non ita multo post: in a little while, intra breve spatium (within a short time); brevi tempore interjecto; post breve tempus; paullo post (after a little while, soon after): a good while, aliquantum temporis: a good while after, aliquanto post: a long while, longum tempus; multum temporis: a long while after, post longum tempus; longo tempore interjecto: in the mean while, interea: interim (according to Döderlein, the former marks a space, the latter a point, of time; Vid: Pr. Intr., ii., p. 196, 7).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for while?
- The usual Latin words for “while” are tempus, spatium, mora; also ōtium, paululus, parumper. 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.