Latinate
1
8.7
- adjective
- /ˈlætɪneɪt/
:
latino
- The professor explained how many English words are Latinate, having roots that trace back to Latin.
- Latinate names
- Latinate nouns
- Latinate words
Examples
-
We couldn't spell their Latinate names, much less pronounce them, but we knew who they were.
Fiction book (1998) -
I love the way these Latinate nouns pile up, like bands of color, blocks of form, as I, too, aim for "frank expression."
Academic text (2007) -
The mandatory Latinate motto was engraved above the entrance.
Fiction book (2000) -
Do we go for the straightforward Anglo-Saxon noun or the softer, more romantic Latinate noun?
Academic text (2003) -
Evelyn's sedate and Latinate style countered Tryon's breathless and hectoring prose.
Academic text (2011) -
In her essay, she preferred using Latinate vocabulary to convey a more formal tone.
-
The Latinate phrases in the document highlighted its strong ties to classical literature.
Synonyms
Changed to look or sound more like Latin
How Latinate
Surface Forms
Morphology
Latinate = Latin (semi-transparent) = Latin + ate
The word is built directly from 'Latin' plus the adjective-forming suffix '-ate', but the specialized linguistic sense is somewhat learned and not fully predictable for all learners.
Etymology
Latinate comes from the Latin name Latinus, which means 'from Latin'. So Latinate describes words or a style that are like Latin — often more formal or made from Latin roots, which is why many scientific and legal terms sound Latinate.