Ditat Deus
“God enriches.”
Motto of the State of Arizona
What does “Ditat Deus” mean?
Ditat Deus translates as “God enriches.”
Prosperity is a gift from God.
“Ditat Deus” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ditat | enriches | third person singular present indicative active of dito, “to enrich” (ditare); the subject is Deus |
| Deus | God | nominative singular masculine of deus, “god”; the subject of the sentence |
How to pronounce “Ditat Deus”
The difference is in the first word: Classical has a short i in the first syllable, Church Latin a long ee. Both stress the first syllable of each word, and Deus has two syllables, DEH-oos.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto says “enriches God”, but Latin word order is free and Deus is the subject, so it means “God enriches”. It is a complete sentence in two words.
It is the official motto of the State of Arizona, adopted in 1911, shortly before Arizona became a state in 1912. It is thought to derive from the Latin Vulgate text of Genesis 14:23, where Abram refuses to let the king of Sodom claim he made Abram rich.
The motto has no ancient Roman author. It is a modern, Christian-era phrase in Latin and appears on the Arizona state seal and flag-related emblems.
How to use “Ditat Deus”
A fitting caption or card message for a gift, a housewarming or a thanksgiving, or a short motto for someone who sees prosperity as a blessing. It also suits Arizona-themed prints and souvenirs.
- Latin
- Ditat Deus
- English
- God enriches.
- Source
- Motto of the State of Arizona
- Era
- Modern
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- The word order does not mean “enriches God”. Deus is the subject, so God is the one who enriches.
- The verb is the third person singular ditat. Do not write ditant, which would mean “they enrich”.
- It is sometimes spelled Dītat with a macron or even Ditat Deus with a capital D on both words in running text. Both are fine, but do not change the letters themselves.
- It is not a classical Roman saying. It is a modern state motto, so do not credit it to a Roman author.
Questions about “Ditat Deus”
What does “Ditat Deus” mean literally?
“God enriches.” Deus is the subject (God) and ditat is the verb (enriches), so the word order does not reflect the English.
Who said “Ditat Deus”?
No single author is known. It is the motto of the State of Arizona, adopted in 1911, and is thought to derive from the Vulgate text of Genesis 14:23.
How do you pronounce “Ditat Deus”?
Classical: DIH-taht DEH-oos. Church Latin: DEE-taht DEH-oos. Both stress the first syllable of each word.
Is “Ditat Deus” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is a short, grammatical sentence: third person singular verb plus nominative subject. It reads clearly as “God enriches”.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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