Temptari

Temptari is a Latin term that functions as the passive infinitive of the verb temptare, meaning to try, test, or tempt. The form temptari literally translates as “to be tempted” or “to be tried,” distinguishing it from the active infinitive temptare, “to try” or “to tempt.”

Etymology and form: Temptari comes from tempto, temptare, temptavi, temptatum, a first-conjugation verb. The passive infinitive is used in Latin to express the passive voice of the action or to denote a state resulting from temptation or testing. The corresponding perfect passive infinitive is temptatus esse, meaning “to have been tempted.” In Latin syntax, the passive infinitive can appear in indirect statements, dependent clauses, or literary expressions where a passive sense is required.

Usage and contexts: Temptari occurs across classical and late Latin texts. It is commonly encountered in religious and moral discourse to describe the experience of being tempted or tested, including scenarios of moral choice or spiritual trial. In philosophical, legal, or literary passages, the term may be used to convey vulnerability to temptation or to discuss the concept of temptation as a process rather than an act itself. While not a frequently glossed term in everyday modern Latin, temptari remains a standard lexical item in Latin grammars and textual studies.

See also: temptare, temptation, Latin grammar, passive infinitive.