aditus

Aditus is a Latin noun meaning an approach, entrance, or access. It derives from the verb adire, “to go toward,” and is used in classical and medieval Latin to designate a physical entryway to a building, city, or tomb, as well as the figurative means of reaching someone or something. In its broad sense, aditus refers to access or approach, including both openings and opportunities to engage with a subject or person.

In grammar, aditus is a masculine noun of the fourth declension, with forms that follow the patterns of that class. The word appears in inscriptions and prose, often described with adjectives that note the opening’s size, location, or security, and it can carry both literal and figurative senses.

Beyond Latin literature, aditus has given rise to the English word adit, used in mining and civil engineering to denote a horizontal passage that provides access to a mine or underground work, typically for drainage or ventilation. The core meaning—a way in or entry—remains central in both senses.

In translation, aditus is typically rendered as “entrance” or “access,” depending on context, and it can be used metaphorically to denote admission to a place, situation, or circle. See also: adit, access, entry.