Pro scientia atque sapientia
“For knowledge and wisdom.”
Motto of Stuyvesant High School
What does “Pro scientia atque sapientia” mean?
Pro scientia atque sapientia translates as “For knowledge and wisdom.”
Learning facts is worth most when it leads to wisdom.
“Pro scientia atque sapientia” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | for | a preposition that takes the ablative case; here it means “for the sake of” or “in support of” |
| scientia | knowledge | ablative singular (feminine) of scientia, “knowledge”, from scio, “I know”; the case required by pro |
| atque | and | a conjunction meaning “and”, a slightly stronger and more formal alternative to et |
| sapientia | wisdom | ablative singular (feminine) of sapientia, “wisdom”, from sapio, “I taste, I have good judgment”; joined to scientia by atque |
How to pronounce “Pro scientia atque sapientia”
The two systems differ mainly in the c of scientia and the t of the -tia endings: the classical c is hard and t is a plain t, while Church Latin softens them to “sh” and “ts”. In both, stress falls on the -EN- of scientia and sapientia, and on the first syllable of atque.
The story behind it
Word for word the line reads “for knowledge and wisdom”. Pro with the ablative expresses the aim or cause being served, so the sense is “in the service of knowledge and wisdom”.
This is a modern Latin motto, not a line from an ancient author. It is the motto of Stuyvesant High School in New York City, a public school known for its focus on science and mathematics.
Pairing scientia and sapientia is a deliberate contrast. Scientia is what you know, while sapientia is the judgment to use it well. The motto suggests that schooling should aim at both, not at facts alone.
How to use “Pro scientia atque sapientia”
A natural fit for a school or class motto, a graduation card or yearbook caption, or a desk reminder for students and researchers. It also suits a tattoo for anyone who values learning that goes beyond collecting facts.
- Latin
- Pro scientia atque sapientia
- English
- For knowledge and wisdom.
- Source
- Motto of Stuyvesant High School
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Learning
Common mistakes
- It is not an ancient Roman saying. It is a modern school motto written in Latin.
- Scientia means “knowledge”, not “science” in the modern lab sense, though the English word comes from it.
- Do not swap atque for et and assume it changes the meaning. It does not, but atque is the wording of the motto, so keep it if you are quoting the school.
- Pro takes the ablative, so the endings of both nouns must stay -a. Changing them to other cases would make the Latin wrong.
Questions about “Pro scientia atque sapientia”
What does “Pro scientia atque sapientia” mean literally?
“For knowledge and wisdom.” Pro means “for” or “for the sake of”, and atque means “and”.
Who said “Pro scientia atque sapientia”?
It is not a classical quotation. It is the motto of Stuyvesant High School in New York City, written in modern Latin.
How do you pronounce “Pro scientia atque sapientia”?
In Classical Latin: proh skee-EN-tee-ah AHT-kweh sah-pee-EN-tee-ah. In Church Latin the c and t soften: proh shee-EN-tsee-ah AHT-kweh sah-pee-EN-tsee-ah.
What is the difference between scientia and sapientia?
Scientia is knowledge, the facts and skills you have learned. Sapientia is wisdom, the good judgment to apply them well.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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