History Main / PretentiousLatinMotto

** TOG Interceptor Wing the "Blood Eagles": ''Malus avibus''.[[note]]Literally meaning "under ill omens" but idiomatically meaning "with bad birds".[[/note]]

** An interesting one is Rutgers University (an old colonial college later turned into a public university), whose Latin motto ''Sol iustitiae et occidentem illustra'' ("Sun of Righteousness, Shine Upon The West Also") is a direct reference to Utrecht University in UsefulNotes/TheNetherlands, whose motto is ''Sol iustitiae illustra nos'' ("Sun of Righteousness, Shine Upon Us", a literal translation of [[Literature/BookOfMalachi Malachi 4:2]]). Both Rutgers and Utrecht are historically linked to the Dutch Reformed Church (though both have long since become secular state institutions) and have long had informal ties with each other. (Today, they also use rather similar-looking sun-based logos.)

** An interesting one is Rutgers University (an old colonial college later turned into a public university), whose Latin motto ''Sol iustitiae et occidentem illustra'' ("Sun of Righteousness, Shine Upon The West Also") is a direct reference to Utrecht University in the Netherlands, whose motto is ''Sol iustitiae illustra nos'' ("Sun of Righteousness, Shine Upon Us", a literal translation of [[Literature/BookOfMalachi Malachi 4:2]]). Both Rutgers and Utrecht are historically linked to the Dutch Reformed Church (though both have long since become secular state institutions) and have long had informal ties with each other. (Today, they also use rather similar-looking sun-based logos.)

* One cover of ''Literature/AnnoDracula'' shows a "vampirised" version of the Royal British Coat of Arms, with the motto "Dieu et mon droit" ("God and my right") replaced by "Sang sur mes dents" ("Blood for my teeth").

* In the ancient UsefulNotes/TRS80 game ''Galactic Revolution'', the flag for [=DuBuque=]'s forces read ''Semper Ubi Sub Ubi''. This is a classic Latin-to-English pun: The phrase translates to "alwaye where under where", which is nonsense in Latin, but sounds like the English sentence "Always wear underwear." It's good advice; you might get run over by a truck.

* [[UsefulNotes/{{UNIX}} The Debian Release Team]]: "Quando Paratus Est" ("When it's ready", presumably in answer to "When will the next version be out?")

** The UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan has ''Artes, Scientia, Veritas'' ("Arts, Knowledge, Truth"). This would be pretty ordinary 19th-century Latin pretentiousness at a tinpot school (the motto was adopted in the 1810s or 20s), except that the "Veritas" bit was very specifically intended to recall Harvard and Michigan actually managed becoming a Harvard-level institution.
** USC's motto is ''Palmam qui meruit ferat'' meaning "Let whoever earns the palm (or reward), bear it.''

* In Creator/RobertAHeinlein's juvenile ''Literature/SpaceCadet'', the Space Patrol's motto is ''Quis custodiet ipsos custodes'' (translated in the novel as "Who will guard the guardians?").

* The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' MinMaxing community took a vote on an unofficial motto, and adopted ''Dulce et decorum est pro alea mori'' ("It is sweet and fitting that we die for the dice"). [[IncrediblyLamePun Yes, we do like puns]]. This also led to the short version: "Carpe DM".

* The Habsburgs' neighbors, the House of Savoy--who expanded to become the kings of united UsefulNotes/{{Italy}} in the 19th century--had the motto "FERT". This was universally understood to be a Latin initialism for ''something'', but what it stood for was widely debated even among the members of the dynasty. The most common expansion was ''Foedere et Religione Tenemur'' ("Treaty and Religion Bind Us"), but at least three other readings have been proposed. It's also been suggested that it's supposed to be the single Latin word "Fert", meaning "he suffers/bears" (referring to Jesus bearing or suffering the sins of the world). Additionally, their French neighbors suggested an alternate translation in their own tongue: ''Frappez, Entrez, Rappez Tout'' ("Strike, Enter, Steal Everything"), referencing Savoy's fondness for raiding.

* ''ComicBook/XMen'':
** Xavier Institute has "''Mutatis Mutandis''" (roughly, "having changed the things that were to be changed", but obviously playing off the word "mutant").
** Their ''ComicBook/Marvel1602'' counterpart, Master Carlos Javier's Institute, takes the motto "''Omnia mutantur, et nos mutamos con illis''" ("All things change, and we change with them").
* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'':
** "''Per Dolorem Ad Astra''", to the stars, through suffering.
** The title of the story comes from another common Latin phrase: "''Quis custodiet ipsos custodes''" ("Who watches the watchmen?").

* In Franchise/TheDCU, the [[MirrorUniverse Antimatter Universe]] counterpart of the ComicBook/JusticeLeague, the Crime Syndicate of Amerika, has as its motto ''Cui Bono?'' ("Who Profits?") In the New 52, it's "''Aeternus Malum''" ("[[ComicBook/ForeverEvil2013 Forever Evil]]").
* "''Malo Mori Quam Foedari''" is the motto of the Penny Murderer in ''ComicBook/BrodysGhost'', translated in-story as "Death before disgrace." He applies it to his victims instead of himself, however.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10101403/18/Fixing-Past-Mistakes Fixing Past Mistakes]]'' the motto of a school Snape enrolls Harry in is "''Non eos tantum, qui ausus est nimis valde, consequi possit''" ("Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly").
* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, the project to resurrect [[spoiler:Commander Samantha Shepard]] ''yet again'' is called "''Durius, Melius, Velocius, Fortior''" ("[[Music/DaftPunk Harder, better, faster, stronger]]").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5915140/5/Harry-Potter-and-the-Cursed-Summer Harry Potter and the Cursed Summer]]'' a portrait states that the Potter family motto is "''Beatus exsisto audacia''" ("Blessed be the daring").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9822874/21/Harry-Potter-and-the-Return-of-Heritage Harry Potter and the Return of Heritage]]'' Sirius states that the Potter family motto is "''Mors omnes amici cognoscat oportet''" ("Death is a friend we all must acquaint").
* In ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/4649457/chapters/10755818 Blood Bound]]'' after Hermione is nominated and recognized as a Lady, the magic involved gives her a family crest and the motto "''Magia invicti mens exstitisset, in defensionem amici semper''" ("Magic without equal, mind without peer, used always in the defense of friends and family").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8233288/34/Faery-Heroes Faery Heroes]]'' the Lovegood family motto is "''Nihil est inpossibile si creditis praedurum''" (roughly "Nothing is impossible if you believe hard enough").

* ''FanFic/TheApprenticeTheStudentAndTheCharlatan'' almost references the trope by name. Nova Shine has a moment where he reflects on his estranged family's motto (''Ex stellae, magicae. Ex magicae, lux.'' "From stars, magic. From magic, light."), and internally calls them "pretty damn pretentious."
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12690329/13/Seeing-the-truth Seeing the truth]]'' the Potter family motto is "''Induere cultioribus vestimentis as noctem et diem tanquam umbra''" ("Wear the night as your cloak, and the day as your mask").
* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/4642155/chapters/10882409 Adventures in Dimension Hopping]]'' Harry and several others start their own [[Film/RevengeOfTheNerds Tri-Lambda]] chapter and Andrew decides they need a motto. He initially suggests ''Sit vis nobiscus'' ("Let the force be with us"), which gets shouted down because none of them are Jedi. Jonathan tries ''Semper ubi sub ubi'' (a pun for "Always wear underwear") and Spike states that he goes commando. Xander suggests the ''Film/TheAddamsFamily'' motto and Spike states that it would set the wrong tone before suggesting ''Utinam barbari saptium proprium tuum invadant'' ("May barbarians invade your personal space"). Tom's smart-ass suggestion is ''Vah! Denuone Latine loquebar? Me ineptum. Interdum modo elabitur'' ("Oh, was I speaking Latin again? Silly me, sometimes it just slips out"). Harry's serious suggestion, which they eventually decide to use, is a quote from Hannibal: ''Viam aut inveniam aut faciam'' ("I'll either find a way or make one").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11347516/3/When-the-Thunder-Breaks When the Thunder Breaks]]'' the Longbottom family motto is "''Grandis est quercus superum angens vitis''" ("Tall is the oak that survives the strangling vine").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11547735/5/Amicus-Protectio-Fortis Amicus Protectio Fortis]]'' Dean suggests that the Defense Association motto should be "''Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum''" ("Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6403948/9/Common-Interests Common Interests]]'' the Prince family motto is "''Tendo quod disco''" ("To strive and learn").
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13367218/9/A-Solid-Foundation A Solid Foundation]]'' Gringotts' motto is "''Fortius quo fidelius''" ("Strength through loyalty").

* Remember Caesar's line "''Veni, vidi, vici''" ("I came, I saw, I conquered")? In an outtake in ''Film/MarriedToTheMob'', a character is cheating on his wife in an overdecorated "fantasy suite" hotel room that has the following Latin motto engraved on the headboard: [[spoiler:"Veni Veni Veni."]]
* ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety'' got a lot of mileage out of the classic Latin motto ''Carpe Diem'' (stated in the film to be "Seize the day", although this is technically a slight mistranslation; it's more accurately rendered as "Enjoy the day" or "Make good use of the day"[[note]]although the verb ''carpō'' has [[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/carpo#Latin several other possible meanings]] as well[[/note]]).

* A twisted version appears in ''Film/EventHorizon.'' Buried in the white noise of the "distress signal" are apparently two words of Latin. The phrase sounds like ''liberate me'' (ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin) but is actually ''Libera te tutemet ex inferis'' ("Save yourself from Hell"). It's later revealed that the captain of the ship was fond of signing off his log entries with a Latin motto.
* Directly lampshaded in ''Film/TheAwakening'':
-->'''Mr. Mallory:''' ''A Latin motto gives new schools some credibility. You can raise the rates by a pound!''

* In ''Film/CrimsonPeak'', the Sharpe family motto is a paraphrasing of [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalm 121]]: ''Ad montes oculus levavi'' ("To the hills we raise our eyes").
* In ''Film/SlaughterhouseRulez'', the titular school has a motto that translates to "Through Slaughter, To Immortality."

* In ''Film/ThePunisher2004'', Frank writes in his final musings that when he first reported to military basic training, his instructor made all the recruits constantly repeat the phrase ''Si vis pacem, para bellum'' (roughly "If you desire peace, prepare for war").
* ''Film/NothingButTrouble'': The motto of the Valkenvania PD is apparently "Nihil Tolerantur" (zero tolerance). Considering the JP's [[HangingJudge methods]], it might be understating the case.
* ''[[Film/TheShaggyDog The Shaggy D.A.]]'': The film's AnimatedCreditsOpening starts with a parody of the MGM logo, with a sheepdog yawning inside a circle with the inscription ''Canis corpore transmuto'', which were the magic words that turned Wilby Daniels into a dog in this and the previous film.
* ''Film/UrbanLegend'' takes place at a university whose Latin motto is actually {{foreshadowing}} for the killer's true identity. [[spoiler:"Amicum Optimum Factum" translates to "The [[FalseFriend Best Friend]] Did It."]]

* Literature/ArtemisFowl's family motto is ''Aurum Potestas Est'' ("Gold is power"), but the American editions rearrange the words to give ''Aurum Est Potestas''. The original has the preferred word order, although the altered sentence would be perfectly intelligible and theoretically even correct to a Latin-speaker. One explanation may be that the word order is for emphasis ("It is ''gold'' that is power").

* In Creator/EdgarAllanPoe's ''Literature/TheCaskOfAmontillado'', the narrator's family motto is ''Nemo me impune lacessit'' ("No one attacks me with impunity"). It's borrowed from the royal Scottish motto.
* In Creator/RobertAHeinlein's juvenile ''SpaceCadet'', the Space Patrol's motto is ''Quis custodiet ipsos custodes'' (translated in the novel as "Who will guard the guardians?").
* The [[Literature/TheRailwaySeries North Western Railway's]] motto is ''Nil Unquam Simile'' ("There's nothing quite like it"). Appropriate for a railway company still using primarily steam traction into the 21st century and still doing quite well.
* Literature/TheParasolProtectorate book ''Soulless'' claims that the motto of the main secret society as "to protect the commonwealth". Since the original text is ''Protego res publica'', it's more like "''I'' defend the commonwealth".
* The motto of the Hat Creek Cattle Company in ''Literature/LonesomeDove'' is ''Uva Uvam Vivendo Varia Fit'' (an incorrect quotation from Juvenal, which means roughly "A grape ripens when seeing another grape"). It's only there because Gus [=McCrae=] thinks it looks classy to have a Latin motto, but even Gus has no idea what it means. Gus' partner Call finds it irritating and says that it could be an invitation to thieves for all Gus knows - although Gus says that it would be nice to have a chance to shoot at some educated thieves for a change.
* In ''Literature/MonsterHunterInternational'', the titular organization's motto is ''Sic transit gloria mundi'' ("The glory of the world is fleeting"). When the narrator of most of the series first learns this, there is an explanation as to why this is meaningful.
* Creator/JamesBranchCabell's character Literature/DomManuel has the personal motto of ''Mundus Vult Decipi'' ("The World Wishes To Be Deceived"). This is from a longer motto attributed to the Roman satirist Petronius, who lived in the first century AD: ''Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur'' ("The world wishes to be deceived, so let it be deceived").
* [[Literature/TheGreatLibrary The Library's]] motto is ''Tota Est Scientia'' ("Knowledge is all") fairly appropriate for such an ancient institution. The Burner movement also has one of its own to mock the library's: ''Vita Hominis Plus Libro Valet.'' ("A life is worth more than a book.")

* ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'': Nemo's dinnerware has the motto "mobilis in mobile", which Arronax quickly explains is quite fitting for a submarine captain (mobile in the mobile element).
* ''Literature/{{Indexing}}'': The Aarne–Thompson Index Management Bureau's is ''In aeternum felicitas vindactio'' translates roughly as "defending happily ever after".
* One cover of ''Literature/AnnoDracula'' shows a "vampirised" version of the Royal British Coat of Arms, with the motto "Dieu et mon droit" ("God and my right") replaced by "Sang sur mes dents" ("Blood for my teeth").

* ''Series/TheMiddleMan'':
** Pip goes for pretentious Latin to title his gallery show:
-->'''Pip:''' I'm calling it ''Deus ex Pip''. It's Latin for "The Machines of Pip."\\
'''Lacey:''' That's not what it means.
** ''Pugnantes Malos, no hos Pugnetis'' ("We fight evil so you don't have to").
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** Starfleet Command's motto is ''Ad Astra Per Aspea'' ("Through adversity to the stars"), a common motto in RealLife, including among several national air forces.
** Starfleet Academy's motto is ''Ex astris, scientia'' ("From the stars, knowledge"). It's a reference to the Apollo 13 motto ''Ex luna, scientia'' ("From the moon, knowledge").
** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' gives us a motto on the NX-02 ''Columbia'' mission patch: ''Audentes Fortuna Juvat" ("Fortune favors the bold").
** Earth Starfleet's motto is ''Semper Exploro'' ("Always exploring").
* ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'': Possum Lodge's motto is the hilariously appropriate ''Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati'' ("When all else fails, [[PlayingPossum play dead]]"). A disgruntled Possum Lodge member once started his own rival lodge, Salamander Lodge, with the motto ''Quando Omni Flunkus Terra Retreatum'' ("When all else fails, hide under a rock").

* Rory [=McGrath=] and Bill Oddie planned to do a show together based around a Birdwatcher (Bill) and his eager assistant (Rory). Rory planned to call the show "''Panori Biamici''", derived by pluralizing "Panurus biarmicus", the bearded tit. When he mentioned this on ''Series/{{QI}}'', Sean Locke mocked him mercilessly.
--> '''Sean:''' There's probably about six blokes in Oxford who'd have gone "heh heh".
* In 2002, the then-editor of The Daily Telegraph (the one in Sydney, not the one in London), Campbell Reid, sent ''Series/MediaWatch'' host David Marr a dead fish. [[InsultBackfire A replica of it is now awarded as the Campbell Reid Perpetual Trophy for the Brazen Recycling of Other People's Work]]. Known as "The Barra" and bearing the motto ''Carpe Verbatim'' ("Seize word-for-word"), it is awarded annually for bad journalism and particularly plagiarism (a practice for which Reid had been frequently criticised).

* ''Series/QueerAsFolk'' has a nice and very subtle one. In a behind-the-scenes feature about the costumes in the US series, it's pointed out that St. James Academy, the one that Justin goes to, has a Latin motto on its logo: "''Veni, veni, veni''". Now if that doesn't fit the show!
* A [[SpaceNavy High Guard]] branch (specifically, the Argosy Special Operations Service) in ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'' had ''Una Salus Victus'' as its motto. This is strange considering the [[TheFederation Commonwealth]] was not founded by humans and would thus have no reason to have a motto in a dead human language. A motto in Vedran would make a lot more sense. It's actually short for ''Una salus victis nullam sperare salutem'' ("The only safety for the conquered is to hope for no safety").

* In ''Series/TheVicarOfDibley'', the Horton family motto is ''Veni, vidi, brutus spearium gloriosus'', which is DogLatin for (in David Horton's words) "I came, I saw, I tore the thick bastard limb from limb."

* ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'': Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre has the motto ''Semper Omnibus Facultas'', which Brittas translates in "[[Recap/TheBrittasEmpireS1E4UnderwaterWedding Underwater Wedding]]" to "Open to All".
* ''Series/MadAboutAlice'': In "School Craze", St. Matthew's, a fancy school that Alice wants to take Joe to, has the motto ''Veritas Supreme'' ("Honesty Above All Else", although it actually translates better to "Truth Above All"). Ironically, whilst the school is annoyed by the amount of lying that Alice went to in a bid to get her son into school, they appreciate her commitment and let her send him in.

* The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' MinMaxing community took a vote on an unofficial motto, and adopted ''Dulce et decorum est pro alea mori'' ("It is sweet and fitting that we die for the dice"). [[IncrediblyLamePun Yes, we do like puns]]. This also led to the short version: "Carpe DM".
* Players of ''TabletopGame/{{Diplomacy}}'' frequently joke that the game's motto ought to be ''Carpe Terram'' ("Seize the World"), or at the very least ''Carpe Europam'' (should be obvious).

* In ''TabletopGame/TheDarkEye'', the motto of house Karinor is ''Sequere Cupiditatem'' ("Follow your passion").
* ''TabletopGame/TwilightImperium'' has ''Pax Magnifica, Bellum Gloriosum'' ("Peace is magnificent, {{war is glorious}}").
* As direct descendants of the original [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Watch Black Watch]], ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'''s [[https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Royal_Black_Watch_Regiment Royal Black Watch Regiment]] share the same regimental badge and motto of Scotland, "''Nemo me impune lacessit.''" Considering what happened to Stefan Amaris' forces when he decided to offend the Royal Black Watch by assassinating the royal Cameron family, no, he did get what he wanted ''impune''.

* In musical adaption of ''Theatre/{{Matilda}}'', under [[SadistTeacher Miss Trunchbull's]] reign, the school's motto is ''Bambinatum est Maggitum'' ("Children are maggots").

* In ''VideoGame/{{RuneScape}}'', Wise Old Man says ''Vini, volui, mihi est'' ("I came, I wanted, it's mine").

* ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' has Bullworth Academy, whose motto is ''Canis Canem Edit'' ("Dog eats dog"). ''Canis Canem Edit'' is the game's MarketBasedTitle in Britain.
* Creator/LucasArts' adventure game ''VideoGame/EscapeFromMonkeyIsland'' features the phrase ''Contra Leges Marinas Latrocinium Maris Est'' above the cell in the Lucre Island jail. Examining it prompts Guybrush Threepwood to offer several suggestions of what it means, including "Buyer beware," "Seize the day," and "No admittance." It roughly means "Piracy is against the law of the sea."
* The Brotherhood of Steel has the motto "Ad Victoriam" (To victory) in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''. Quite a few of the Brotherhood related quests have Latin titles as well.
* The Midnight Club in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' uses the phrase ''Si vis pacem, para bellum'' ("If you wish for peace, prepare for war") as a password.
* ''Memento Mori'' is the tagline of ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''. The game runs this motto through the whole gamut of meanings: despite being able to summon forth nearly godlike powers, "remember that you are mortal," and you can't escape your ultimate fate. Even though you're living in the flower of your youth, "remember that you are mortal," and thus, life is fleeting. But most importantly, "remember that you are mortal," so make the best of it and live to the fullest while you can. "Remember you are mortal," because [[spoiler:when the Main Character obtains the power of The Universe and becomes a PhysicalGod, he dies anyway.]]
* In ''VideoGame/Persona4'', Teddie begins to quote "Cognito Ergo Sum" (I think, therefore I am) as a way to validate his very existence as a [[AscendedDemon Shadow that has developed an Ego]] that has the potential to become human.
* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'' plays with this trope a bit. While the official motto of the human faction in the game is ''Per Ardua Ad Astra'', a straight example that means "Through hardship, the stars" (humanity's first steps into {{FTL}} coincided with the Earth nearly getting destroyed by a Hiver fleet), the game's tagline and the unofficial motto of humanity is the somewhat more playful ''Repensum Est Canicula'' ("Payback is a bitch"). Latin has become humanity's second official language in the setting, partly because it's an extremely easy language to learn and utilize, but mostly because it just [[GratuitousLatin sounds]] [[RuleOfCool epic]].
* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'': The Protoss Scouts of the Venatir tribe follow the maxim ''Praemonitus praemunitus'' ("Forewarned is forearmed").

* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Demoman, a one-eyed black man with a Scottish accent, is part of a clan of [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot black Scottish cyclopes.]] The clan's motto is ''In regione caecorum rex est luscus'' (roughly "In the realm of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"). Ironically, most of the family loses both of their eyes before 30 years of age.
* In ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'', Black Mesa's Advanced Biological Research Lab has the motto ''Superbus via Inscientiæ'', [[http://latindiscussion.com/forum/threads/superbus-via-inscientiae.7737/ which is intended to mean "arrogance through ignorance,"]] and was put in by Karen Laur because she was annoyed by the hubris of her co-workers.
* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' features many. A large Latin phrase above the puppet Scarface's tommygun reads ''Mors Certa, Hora Incerta'' ("Death is Certain, its Hour is Not"). The inscription over the Green Mile area reads ''Liberate Me Ex Infernis'' ("Save me from Hell").

* In the ancient UsefulNotes/TRS80 game ''Galactic Revolution'', the flag for [=DuBuque=]'s forces read ''Semper Ubi Sub Ubi''. This is a classic Latin-to-English pun: The phrase translates to "alwaye where under where", which is nonsense in Latin, but sounds like the English sentence "Always wear underwear." It's good advice; you might get run over by a truck.
* In ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', the UNATCO handbook is prefaced with a quote by Publilius Syrus: ''Nihil aliud scit necessitas quam vincere'' ("necessity knows no other law but how to conquer"), an early hint to just how sinister UNATCO's ideology is. The [[AncientConspiracy Majestic 12]] Cyberinformation Warfare Division has the motto ''Ipsa scientia potestas est'' ("Knowledge itself is power").
* The eponymous project's motto in ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' is ''Vigilo Confido'' (the most "official" translation is "I am watchful, I am relied upon" but a more accurate translation would be "I watch, I trust"; while you can possibly stretch "Vigilo" to mean "I am watchful" instead of "I watch", there's no way "Confido" can be accurately translated as "I am relied upon" since "Confido" is active while "I am relied upon" is passive.) The ''Enemy Within'' ExpansionPack adds ''Mutare Ad Custodiam'' ("Change to guard") and ''Bellator In Machina'' ("Warrior in the machine") for the new Genetics and Cybernetics branches of XCOM, respectively.
* Pretentious Latin phrases are everywhere in ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'', and Phi is the only character fluent in it, which means Sigma can only understand what they mean if he's teamed up with her when he comes across one. In particular, ''Memento Mori'' is a recurring phrase.
* In ''[[VideoGame/JamesPond James Pond: Underwater Agent]]'', the motto on the MGM-like title screen is ''Vita Canis Est'', which is [[CanisLatinicus dog-Latin]] for "life's a bitch."
* ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'''s Loathing Legion's unofficial motto is also the one thing you should never call them: ''Tardis Pro Cena'', a reference to a ''really'' old joke.[[note]][[DontExplainTheJoke It means "late for dinner".]][[/note]]
* One well-known fan-made {{VideoGame/Doom}} [=WADfile=] is called "Momento Mori" -- "remember, you will die".

* ''WebAnimation/CampCamp'' parodies this with "Campe Diem", a combination of "Carpe Diem" and the obvious theme of splicing the word "camp" everywhere possible.

* In ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'', "''Nosce te Ipsum''" ("Know Thyself") was a Pretentious LatinMotto that was also used as a trigger phrase for the AxCrazy DarkActionGirl Oasis.

* The motto of Smithson College in ''Webcomic/{{Smithson}}'' is "''Facite Aenigmata, Non Expositiones''" ("Create enigmas, not explanations").

* ''WesternAnimation/The13GhostsOfScoobyDoo'' episode "That's Monstertainment" had Scooby and the gang sucked into an old black-and-white monster movie, which opens with a mock-up of the M-G-M logo. Scooby's face is in the middle circle with the words "''Limitus Animatus''" around it.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': The episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E7NewbieDash Newbie Dash]]" reveals the Wonderbolts' motto to be "''Altius Volantis''", which is translated to "Soaring Higher!"
* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': It's revealed that, to prove just how moronic the Watterson family can be, the family's latin motto is "''Familia Hic Insere Sententia''" or as Nicole translates it, "Insert Family Motto Here".