omnes

Omnes is a Latin word meaning "all" or "everyone." It is the plural form of the adjective omnis and can also function as a substantive pronoun meaning "all people." In classical and ecclesiastical Latin, omn- forms appear widely to express totality or inclusiveness, such as in phrases like omne or omnia for neuter forms, and omnes for masculine and feminine plural.

As an adjective, omnis agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number. Common forms include omnis (singular masculine/feminine nominative), omne (singular neuter nominative/accusative), omnes (plural masculine/feminine nominative/accusative), and omnia (plural neuter nominative/accusative). The genitive plural is omnium, with other cases forming regularly (for example omni for dative/ablative singular and omnibus for dative/ablative plural). These patterns allow omnis to participate in a wide range of expressions, from simple phrases to more complex clauses.

In usage, omnes occurs as a subject or object referring to all people or things, as in omens gentes or omnes homines, meaning “all nations” or “all people.” The word also appears in religious and liturgical Latin, where it helps convey inclusive references to groups or universal concepts. Beyond Latin itself, the root omnis has given rise to the English prefix omni-, found in words such as omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, all denoting universality or totality.

Omnes thus serves as a core example of Latin for “all,” illustrating how a single word can function both as a descriptive adjective and as a substantive pronoun, with a robust set of inflected forms.