morior
[ˈmɔ.ri.ɔr]
To die in Latin can be expressed in several ways, most commonly with morior. Wiktionary also lists pereo and exspiro.
Meaning: to stop living (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| morior | [ˈmɔ.ri.ɔr] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈmɔː.ri.or] (narrow) |
| pereo | [ˈpɛ.re.oː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈpɛː.re.o] (narrow) |
| exspiro | [ɛks(ː)piː.roː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [eksˈspiː.ro] (narrow) |
| decedo | [deːˈkeː.doː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [deˈt͡ʃɛː.do] (narrow) |
| intereo | [ɪnˈtɛ.re.oː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [inˈtɛː.re.o] (narrow) |
Which one should you use?
morior is the most common and neutral way to say 'to die'. pereo often carries the connotation of perishing, being destroyed or being lost, such as a ship or a person's life. exspiro literally means 'to breathe out' and is used more poetically to mean 'to breathe one's last'. decedo is often used as a euphemism for death, meaning 'to depart' from life. intereo emphasizes the destruction or total loss of something or someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
morior is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb, meaning 'I die'.
Did you know?
- The root of morior is also found in the Sanskrit word 'mṛtyú' and the Lithuanian 'mirti', showing how deeply the concept of death is embedded across Indo-European languages.
- The Latin verb spiro, which is part of the word for dying in exspiro, is the same root used in the English word 'respiration'.
Examples in context
- Ille respondit: En morior, quid mihi proderunt primogenita?He answered: Lo I die, what will the first birthright avail me?The first example shows how to use morior when a person is speaking about their own death.Tatoeba #7801233 by carlosalberto, translation #7867855 by carlosalberto
- Amor interitLove perishes
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Quintus and Julia are discussing a tragedy in a play.
- QuintusCur heros in hac fabula moritur?Why does the hero die in this play?
- JuliaTragoedia est, itaque heros morī debet.It is a tragedy, so the hero must die.
- QuintusSed nolo eum morī!But I do not want him to die!
- JuliaScribe igitur novam fabulam.Then write a new play.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “die” translations and entries morior, pereo, exspiro, decedo, intereo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries decedo, exspiro, morior, pereo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
