NeoLatijn

NeoLatijn, or Neo-Latin, refers to the form of Latin used after the medieval period as a vehicle of scholarship, science, and literature. It was not a living vernacular but a revived and evolving register of Latin that drew on classical models while adapting to contemporary topics. The term covers Latin writings from roughly the 14th through the 18th century, and to some extent beyond, when Latin remained a lingua franca of educated Europe.

The revival began with Renaissance humanists such as Petrarch and later Erasmus, who treated Latin as a universal scholarly language rather than a purely medieval tool. In science and theology, Neo-Latin flourished through works by Copernicus, Vesalius, Newton, and many others, who preferred Latin for wide circulation. As education expanded, Latin served in universities, academies, and correspondence, creating a broad literary and scientific ecosystem.

Features include hybrid vocabulary, coinage of new terms from Latin and Greek roots, and stylistic blending of classical syntax with contemporary meaning. Spelling and grammar were not fully standardized, leading to regional and temporal variation.

Decline began with rising national languages in education and science in the 18th and 19th centuries, though Latin persisted in ecclesiastical contexts and in taxonomy. The legacy of Neo-Latin lies in its role as a bridge between antiquity and modern science and in the enduring habit of sharing scholarly knowledge in a common written language.