translatus

Translatus is a Latin participle and adjective formed from the verb transferre (to carry across). It literally means “carried across” and by extension can mean “translated” in the sense of transferring a text or idea from one form or language to another. In classical Latin, translatus functions as a perfect passive participle and agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case (masculine translatus, feminine translata, neuter translatum; plural translati, translatae, translata).

Usage and interpretation vary by context. Literally, translatus describes something that has been carried across a boundary or from one place to another. Metaphorically, it can describe a text or statement that has been transferred into another language or form. In medieval and Renaissance Latin, translatus frequently appears in legal, scholastic, and literary contexts with senses related to transfer or rendering, though the noun for the act of translation is translatio.

Relation to related terms is helpful for understanding nuance. The noun translatio denotes the act or process of translation, while translatus is the participial adjective meaning “carried across” or “translated.” They are related etymologically but not interchangeable; translatus describes the state of having been carried or rendered, whereas translatio names the act itself.

See also: translatio, translator, translation, transferre. Translatus is mainly of interest in discussions of Latin grammar and historical Latin usage, rather than as a common English term.