quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Used to mockingly describe people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more important or "educated".

Register: humorous, ironic

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur” mean?

Used to mockingly describe people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make themselves sound more important or "educated".

Is “quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur” formal or informal?

quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur is generally humorous, ironic.