Colorful Words

I’ve been reading a book all about color called All About Colour by Janice Lindsay. (You can tell the author is Canadian by the spelling of colour, which follows the spelling rules of England.) Ms Lindsay has added greatly to my list of common Latin words and phrases, as over the course of the last couple of days I have read the words dictum, gravitas, and proviso. Dictum is a Latin noun formed from the perfect passive participle of the verb dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum which means “I say;” in English a dictum is a saying or an authoritative pronouncement. Gravitās is a Latin noun that means “heaviness, seriousness,” and is also the source of English gravity, the force that keeps things and people grounded. In English gravitas means “seriousness or importance,” and is a term often found to describe candidates for high public offices. Proviso comes from the Latin verb prōvideō, prōvidēre, prōvīdī, prōvīsum “I see ahead, take care, foresee.” From this verb also comes the Latin participle/adjective prūdēns, “foreseeing,” source of the English adjective prudent. A proviso is a thing foreseen or provided for, a condition, stipulation, or restriction, especially in legal documents. Latin always makes English more colorful.