Latin Words for Crossword Puzzles — The 100 Most Common
Latin for "gold," Latin for "God," Latin for "light"—when solving a crossword puzzle, you often need the correct Latin translation right away (usually abbreviated as "lat." or "Latin" in the puzzle). In this article, you’ll find the 100 most-searched words, sorted alphabetically and by topic.
All entries include: the Latin word, the genitive singular (important for crossword puzzles with letter counts!), gender, and the English meaning.
- Nature & Elements: Water, Fire, Earth, Light, Gold, Silver
- Human & Life: God, human, body, soul, death, life
- Society: City, Law, Freedom, Peace, King
- Time & Space: Day, Night, Year, Place, Path
Latin for Gold — What is the Latin word for gold?
Gold is called aurum in Latin (Latin: aurum, genitive: auri, neuter, 2nd declension). With 5 letters (aurum), it’s a typical crossword puzzle answer. Other common search terms: silver = argentum, water = aqua, fire = ignis, light = lux.
Latin Words: Nature and the Elements
The most frequently searched nature-related words for Latin crossword puzzles:
| German | Latin | Genitive Sing. | Gender | Letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | aurum | auri | n. | 5 |
| Silver | argentum | argenti | n. | 8 |
| Water | aqua | aquae | f. | 4 |
| Fire | ignis | ignis | m. | 5 |
| Earth | terra | terrae | f. | 5 |
| Light | lux | lucis | f. | 3 |
| Air | aer | aeris | m. | 3 |
| Sea | mare | maris | n. | 4 |
| River | flumen | fluminis | n. | 6 |
| Forest | silva | silvae | f. | 5 |
| Mountain | mons | montis | m. | 4 |
| Sun | sol | solis | m. | 3 |
| Moon | luna | lunae | f. | 4 |
| Star | stella | stellae | f. | 6 |
Latin Words: Humanity, God, and Society
Frequently searched Latin words related to people, faith, and society:
| German | Latin | Genitive Sing. | Gender | Letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | deus | dei | m. | 4 |
| human | homo | hominis | m. | 4 |
| Body | corpus | corporis | n. | 6 |
| Soul | anima | animae | f. | 5 |
| Life | vita | vitae | f. | 4 |
| Death | mors | mortis | f. | 4 |
| Time | tempus | temporis | n. | 6 |
| Peace | pax | pacis | f. | 3 |
| War | bellum | belli | n. | 6 |
| Freedom | libertas | libertatis | f. | 8 |
| Law | ius | iuris | n. | 3 |
| law | lex | legis | f. | 3 |
| City | urbs | urbis | f. | 4 |
| Fatherland | patria | patriae | f. | 6 |
| King | rex | regis | m. | 3 |
| Friend | amicus | amici | m. | 6 |
| Enemy | hostis | hostis | m. | 6 |
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Latin Words: Time, Everyday Life, and School
More frequently searched words related to time, daily life, and education:
| German | Latin | Genitive Sing. | Gender | Letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | this | diei | m. | 4 |
| night | nox | noctis | f. | 3 |
| year | annus | anni | m. | 5 |
| hour | hora | horae | f. | 4 |
| way | via | viae | f. | 3 |
| Book | liber | libri | m. | 5 |
| school | schola | scholae | f. | 6 |
| Teacher | magister | magistri | m. | 8 |
| Song / Poem | carmen | carminis | n. | 6 |
| horse | equus | equi | m. | 5 |
| Dog | canis | canis | m./f. | 5 |
| Bread | panis | panis | m. | 5 |
| Wine | vinum | vini | n. | 5 |
Latin Words: Animals, Emotions, and More
Other words frequently searched for in crossword puzzles — with genitive case and number of letters:
| German | Latin | Genitive Sing. | Gender | Number of letters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lion | leo | leonis | m. | 3 |
| Wolf | lupus | lupi | m. | 5 |
| crown | corona | coronae | f. | 6 |
| Anger | ira | irae | f. | 3 |
| Luck / Fate | fortuna | fortunae | f. | 7 |
| Fate | fatum | fati | n. | 5 |
| Virgin | virgo | virginis | f. | 5 |
| Ivory | ebur | eboris | n. | 4 |
Latin numbers for crossword puzzles
Number words are frequently used in crossword puzzles (e.g., “Latin for nine = NOVEM”):
| German | Latin | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| one | unus | 4 |
| two | duo | 3 |
| three | tres | 4 |
| four | quattuor | 8 |
| five | quinque | 7 |
| six | sex | 3 |
| seven | septem | 6 |
| eight | octo | 4 |
| nine | novem | 5 |
| ten | decem | 5 |
Crossword Tip: Many crossword puzzles ask for the nominative singular (e.g., “gold in Latin = AURUM”). Sometimes, however, the genitive is requested: “genitive of God = DEI.” Both forms are listed here.
Check all forms: Wiktionary Latin — complete declension tables.
For those who want to delve deeper into the language: The Latin Learning Portal offers structured learning paths for all levels.
For questions about letters and pronunciation, the article on the Latin alphabet is a good starting point.
Latin Words by Number of Letters
Sort crossword puzzles by number of letters. Here are the most common Latin words by length—including the genitive case and word family—so you’re not just filling in the blank but also understanding the word’s origin.
3 letters
| Latin | Genitive | German | Related Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| rex | regis | King | Reign, ruler, royal |
| pax | pacis | Peace | pacifism, pacific |
| lux | lucis | Light | luxury, lucid, Lucifer |
| ars | artis | Art | Artifact, Artist |
| vis | vis | Power, Violence | violent, viral |
| res | rei | thing, object | real, republic (res publica) |
4 letters
| Latin | Genitive | German | Related words |
|---|---|---|---|
| deus | dei | God | Deism, Deus ex machina |
| vita | vitae | Life | vital, vitamin, curriculum vitae |
| amor | amoris | Love | Amor, amorous |
| iter | itineris | path, journey | Itinerar, Itinerary |
| mare | maris | Sea | Navy, maritime |
| mors | mortis | Death | Murder, mortality, Mortimer |
5 letters — aurum and others
Probably the best-known crossword clue: aurum (gold, 5 letters). The chemical symbol Au is derived directly from it. Other 5-letter words:
| Latin | Genitive | German | Related words |
|---|---|---|---|
| aurum | auri | Gold | Aurelius, Aurora, Au (chemistry) |
| terra | terrae | Earth, land | terrain, terrace, terrestrial |
| pater | patris | Father | Father, Patriot, Patron |
| mater | matris | Mother | Matriarchy, Material, Matron |
| donum | doni | Gift, offering | Donation, Donor |
| porta | portae | Gate, Door | Portal, doorman, portico |
| liber | libri | book | library (biblio-), libretto |
| miles | militis | Soldier | Military, militia |
6–7 letters
| Latin | Letters | German | Well-known compound |
|---|---|---|---|
| aquila | 6 | Eagle | Aquila (constellation) |
| bellum | 6 | War | Rebel, Duel (duo bellum) |
| river | 6 | River | Fluminense, fluvial |
| animus | 6 | Spirit, Soul | Animation, animism |
| senatus | 7 | Senate | Senator, Senate |
| Empire | 7 | Rule, Empire | Imperialism, Emperor |
Frequently Asked Questions About Latin Words
What is the Latin word for gold?
Gold is aurum in Latin (genitive: auri, neuter, 2nd declension). With 5 letters, it’s a common crossword puzzle answer. The chemical symbol Au is also derived from aurum.
What is the Latin word for “God”?
God is “deus” in Latin (genitive: dei, masculine, 2nd declension). 4 letters. In the plural, “dei” or “di” (gods). The Christian God is referred to as “Deus” (capitalized) in Latin.
What is the Latin word for “light”?
Light is “lux” in Latin (genitive: lucis, feminine, 3rd declension). 3 letters. Known from “lux mundi” (light of the world) and the adjective “lucidus” (bright, clear).
What is the Latin word for “life”?
Life is vita in Latin (genitive: vitae, feminine, 1st declension). 4 letters. Known from “curriculum vitae” (resume) and “vita brevis” (life is short, from Hippocrates).
How many letters are in the Latin word for peace?
Peace in Latin is “pax” (3 letters, genitive: pacis, feminine). Known from “Pax Romana” (Roman Peace) and “pacificus” (peaceful).
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