Vulgar Latin

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noun

popular Latin, as distinguished from literary or standard Latin, especially those spoken forms of Latin from which the Romance languages developed. Abbreviation: VL

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

false

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Origin of Vulgar Latin

First recorded in 1810–20

Words nearby Vulgar Latin

vulgarian, vulgaris, vulgarism, vulgarity, vulgarize, Vulgar Latin, Vulgate, Vulgate Bible, vulgus, vulned, vulnerability

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Vulgar Latin in a sentence

It dates to 1740s Britain and of course was written originally in Latin (“Adeste Fideles”).
Yes, I Like Christmas Music. Stop Laughing.|Michael Tomasky|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Most Latin Americans celebrated the rapprochement between the United States and Cuba.
Venezuela Says Goodbye to Its Lil Friend, While the Rest of the Continent Cheers|Catalina Lobo-Guererro|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was never intended to do anything as vulgar as actually earn money.
The Bookstore That Bewitched Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and Greta Garbo|Felice Picano|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Similar stories plague many parts of Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Asia.
Promoting Girls’ Education Isn’t Enough: Malala Can Do More|Paula Kweskin|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It was the fundraiser to end all fundraisers, and no one was even asked to do anything so vulgar as to contribute any cash.
Kate Middleton and Prince William's $2m Dinner|Tom Sykes|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A child soon finds out that to say "I won't" when he is bidden to do something is indiscreet as well as vulgar.
Children's Ways|James Sully
He could go and live over in the Latin Quarter—that 's the desire of his heart—and think of nothing but old bottles.
Confidence|Henry James
In vulgar parlance this book is not your own or our own, but "yourn" or "ourn," or it may be "hisn" or "hern."
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
Her tall figure—she was taller than he by at least three inches—was beautiful in its commanding, yet not vulgar, self-possession.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
And the man who had done all this—a vulgar upstart out of Paris, reeking of leather and the barrack-room still lived!
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for Vulgar Latin

Vulgar Latin

noun

any of the dialects of Latin spoken in the Roman Empire other than classical Latin. The Romance languages developed from them

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012