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⇱ LATIN Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Definition
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1
a
: of, relating to, or composed in Latin
b
2
: of or relating to Latium or the Latins
3
: of or relating to the part of the Catholic Church that until recently used a Latin rite and forms the patriarchate of the pope
4
: of or relating to the peoples or countries using Romance languages
specifically : of or relating to the peoples or countries of Latin America

Latin

2 of 2

noun

1
: the Italic language of ancient Latium and of Rome and until modern times the dominant language of school, church, and state in western Europe see Indo-European Languages Table
2
: a member of the people of ancient Latium
3
: a Catholic of the Latin rite
4
: a member of one of the Latin peoples
specifically : a native or inhabitant of Latin America

Examples of Latin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Then, Shakira will embark on the Latin American leg of her tour. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Daniela Avila, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Latin American demand for Miami property remains strong, especially among affluent condo buyers. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Outside of Bogota –– the first capital city in Latin America to elect a gay mayor –– many Colombians still openly condemn nontraditional gender roles. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Ladan Anoushfar, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025 Lessons From The Field One of our clientsβ€”a logistics company operating across Latin Americaβ€”was struggling with a high churn rate in support staff and inconsistent service quality. β€”πŸ‘ Image
Federico Sendra, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Latin

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin Latinus, from Latium, ancient country of Italy

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Latin was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing Latin

Rhymes for Latin

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

β€œLatin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Latin. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

Latin

1 of 2 adjective
1
a
: of, relating to, or composed in Latin
Latin grammar
b
: romance
Latin languages
2
: of or relating to that part of the Catholic Church that formerly used a Latin rite
3
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the countries or peoples of Latin America

Latin

2 of 2 noun
1
: the Italic language of ancient Rome
2
: an ancient Roman
3
: a member of one of the peoples speaking Romance languages
especially : a person born or living in Latin America
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