lateō
To hide is to say lateō in Latin. Wiktionary also lists oblitescō.
Meaning: (intransitive) put oneself in a place where one will be harder to find (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin |
|---|
| lateō |
| oblitescō |
The verb lateō is used when describing the act of an individual putting oneself in a place where one is harder to find.
Which one should you use?
lateō refers to the act of a person hiding themselves, whereas oblitescō is another form provided for the concept of hiding.
Related words
Did you know?
- Latin distinguishes between hiding yourself, lateō, and hiding an object, celō. Using lateō to hide an object would be grammatically incorrect.
- The word lateō is the root of the English word 'latent', which describes something that exists but is hidden or not yet developed.
- While lateō means to hide physically, oblitescō is more about hiding from memory. It describes the process of a thing or a person fading away or being forgotten by others.
Examples in context
- Marcum abscondiit in silva.He hid Marcus in the forest.
- Librum occultavi sub lecto.I hid the book under the bed.
- Numquam id celat.He never hides it.
- Filium sub pallio tegit.He hides his son beneath the cloak.
- In silva lateō.I hide in the forest.
- Sub arbore lateō.I hide under the tree.
Example conversation
Claudia and Lucius are playing a game of hide and seek.
- ClaudiaUbi latebis, Luci?Where will you hide, Lucius?
- LuciusPost hunc magnum murum latebō.I will hide behind this big wall.
- ClaudiaTe mox inveniam!I will find you soon!
- LuciusSed ego bene lateō.But I am hiding well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hide” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
