vigilia
[wɪˈɡɪ.li.a]feminine
Police in Latin is vigilia. If unsure, use vigilia. Wiktionary also lists denuntiatores and biocolyta.
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vigilia | [wɪˈɡɪ.li.a] (Classical Latin, narrow) [viˈd͡ʒiː.li.a] (narrow) |
feminine |
| denuntiatores | ||
| biocolyta | [bi.ɔ.koːˈlyː.ta] (Classical Latin, narrow) [bi.o.koˈliː.ta] (narrow) |
|
| publicus | [ˈpuː.blɪ.kʊs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈpuː.bli.kus] (narrow) |
|
| denutiatores | masculine, plural |
vigilia comes from the idea of keeping watch and is used in modern Latin for the police. A police officer is vigil publicus.
What does it mean word for word?
The related word vigiles comes from the verb vigilare, to keep watch. In ancient Rome the vigiles were the night watch and fire brigade of the city.
How does it change in a sentence?
vigilia is feminine and its plural is vigiliae.
Did you know?
- The word biocolyta derives from a Greek term that literally means 'someone who hinders or stops a life'.
- In the Roman Empire, the vigiles were often recruited from freedmen, meaning many of the city's police officers were former slaves.
- The term vigilia describes a specific shift of the night watch, with the Roman night typically divided into four vigiliae.
Examples in context
- Vigil publicus factus est.He became a police officer.Vigil publicus means a police officer.Tatoeba #5234188 by alexmarcelo, translation #509969 by minshirui
- 2003, Reijo Pitkäranta, De viro ministricidii suspecto https://web.archive.org/web/20161104223747/http://www.interrete.de/latein/nuntiifinarch2.html, Nuntii Latini 19.9.2003Police have pronounced themselves satisfied that the same person who was caught by camera surveillance in the department store at the same time as when Anna Lindh was stabbed by a knife, did the deed.This line comes from a 2003 report in Nuntii Latini, a news service in Latin.
- Ecce vigil publicus.There's a police officer.vigil publicus is used here for a police officer.Tatoeba #1249844 by alexmarcelo, translation #5642976 by CarpeLanam
- Imperium Romanum vigiles habet.The Roman Empire has police.
- Mea amica vigiles invocavit.My friend called the police.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucia and Lucius are walking in the city and see a crime.
- LuciaLuci, vide! Fur currit!Lucius, look! The thief is running!
- LuciusUbi est vigilia?Where is the police?
- LuciaVigilia hic non est.The police are not here.
- LuciusEgo vigiliam vocabo.I will call the police.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations and entries vigilia, biocolyta, publicus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries biocolyta, vigilia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
