Latin Proverbs, Mottoes, Phrases, and Words: Group R



Word entries are from Latin unless otherwise indicated.

Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas.
The love of money is the root of all evil.

These words are not concerned with wealth, as such, but with avarice. Money per se is not considered the root of evil, but the excessive love of money to the exclusion of morals, philanthropy, character, the well-being of others, etc.

rara avis
Rare bird.

An unusual or exceptional person or thing; someone out of the ordinary. It was first used figuratively by the Roman satirist Juvenal.

Rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cycno. "A bird rarely seen on earth, and very like a black swan." Juvenal chose a black swan for his comparison because the Romans had no idea that black swans even existed and so it was considered as impossible as a white crow.

Recta pete.
Seek for right things.
To refuse, to object to, to protest against.

The process by which a judicial judge is disqualified on the objection of either party (or disqualifies himself or herself) from hearing a lawsuit because of self interest, bias, or prejudice (or even perceived bias or prejudice).

1. Refusal, protest against, object to.
2. In civil law, a species of exception or plea to the jurisdiction, to the effect that the particular judge is disqualified from hearing the cause by reason of a special interest, incompetence, or prejudice.
3. The challenge of jurors.
4. An act, of what nature soever it may be, by which a strange heir, by deeds or words, declares he will not be an heir.
recuse (verb), recuses; recused; recusing
1. To refuse or to reject: "The member of the jury recused herself because she was a family member of the person on trial."
2. To disqualify or try to disqualify someone from taking part in a decision because of a possible prejudice or personal involvement: "The professor was definitely recusing himself from taking part in the legal action against a company because he was once an employee there."
3. Etymology: "derived from the Middle French word recuser, which came from Latin recusare, "to refuse".

"English speakers started using recuse with the meaning "to refuse" or "to reject" in the 14th century. By the 15th century, the term meant "to challenge" or "to object to (a judge)". The current legal use of recuse as a term specifically meaning "to disqualify (oneself) as a judge" didn't come into general use until the mid-20th century.

Now, the more inclusive applications come from the sense of recusing oneself from such things as debates and decisions; as well as, legal cases in courts of law.

Regnat populus.
The people rule.

Motto of the State of Arkansas, USA.

Religio, libertas et scientia.
Religion, liberty, and knowledge.

Motto of Cedar Crest College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Religioni et bonis artibus.
For religion and the liberal arts.

Motto of St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Religioni reipublicae.
For religion and the state.

Motto of King Henry VIII School, Coventry, U.K.

Rem tene, verba sequentur.
Grasp the subject, the words will follow.

Cato, the Elder.

Repetatur; rep.
Let it be repeated.

Used in medical prescriptions.


A Mass for the dead. A Roman Catholic Church term.

Requiescat in pace; R.I.P.
May he [or she] rest in peace.

This R.I.P. symbol is used on tombstones, cards of mourning, etc. The plural form is Requiescant in pace, "May they rest in peace." The abbreviation, R.I.P. is used for both the singular and the plural applications.

Rerum cognoscere causas.
To understand the causes of things.

Motto of The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, U.K.
