Latinize

American  

[lat-n-ahyz] / ˈlæt nˌaɪz /

especially British, Latinise

verb (used with object)

Latinized, Latinizing

1. to cause to conform to the customs, traditions, beliefs, etc., of the Latins or the Latin Church.

2. to intermix with Latin elements.

3. to translate into Latin.

4. to make Latin American in character.

   The influx of Cuban immigrants has Latinized Miami.

5. Romanize.

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verb (used without object)

Latinized, Latinizing

1. to use words and phrases from Latin.

   He Latinizes in his poetry.

Latinize British  

/ ˈlætɪˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to translate into Latin or Latinisms

2. to transliterate into the Latin alphabet

3. to cause to acquire Latin style or customs

4. to bring Roman Catholic influence to bear upon (the form of religious ceremonies, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• Latinization
  noun
• Latinizer
  noun
• de-Latinization
  noun
• half-Latinized
  adjective
• un-Latinized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Latinize

First recorded in 1580–90; < Late Latin latīnīzāre “to translate into Latin”; see Latin, -ize

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Latinize Latinized Latinizing

I should be sorry if Canadians ever began to Latinize their sentences, to "can" their speech and pickle it in the vinegar pedantry of the peeved study-chair critic.

From The Canadian Commonwealth by Agnes C. (Agnes Christina) Laut

Dr. Webster also defines Romanize, "To Latinize; to conform to Romish opinions."

From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown

At least, they didn’t try to Latinize things in extraterrestrial zoology any more.

From Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper

Another circumstance contributed to Latinize the German races outside of Germany.

From A History of Germany From the Earliest Times to the Present Day by Bayard Taylor

Why do our scholars-517- Latinize their names of baptism, changing Peter into Pierius, and John into Janus, or Jovianus?

From Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature Part 1 (of 2) by John Addington Symonds

Dudamel opened with a Latinized version of Strauss’ “Tritsch-Tratsch Polka,” with which he once astonished the Viennese at their traditional New Year’s concert, and repeated Romero’s “Fuga.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

If you think that Roman religion was essentially Greek mythology with Latinized names, think again.

From New York Times ● May 1, 2023

For some reason along the way the spelling became Latinized to Uranus, and the pronunciation seems to have followed suit.

From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2022

But if we go down south, then we run into people who are Latinized indigenous people.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2018

This backward-looking astronomer had been born in 1611, which perhaps explains his old-fashioned attitude, and christened Johann Höwelcke, but Latinized his name to Johannes Hevelius.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Michael Pauw of Amsterdam acquired this land in 1630 and called it “Pavonia,” or “Land of the Peacock” which he derived by Latinizing his own name.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 8, 2022

In his younger days, Mr. Fields specialized in Latinizing standards.

From New York Times ● Aug. 22, 2016

His cumbersome style, "my Latinizing way of writing English," he attributes to "my classical education."

From Time Magazine Archive

He got what he wanted out of the Latin authors, and he succeeded in Latinizing his plays,—in giving to his characters the dress, but not the spirit of Rome.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 05, No. 27, January, 1860 by Various

Some of Varchi's own stylistic pedantries may be attributed to this Latinizing education.

From Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature Part 1 (of 2) by John Addington Symonds