Ab imo pectore
“From the bottom of the heart.”
Classical Latin phrase (e.g. Catullus 64; Virgil, Aeneid 1.371)
What does “Ab imo pectore” mean?
Ab imo pectore translates as “From the bottom of the heart.”
Said with complete sincerity – a feeling that comes from deep inside.
“Ab imo pectore” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ab | from | preposition that takes the ablative case |
| imo | the lowest, the deepest | ablative singular neuter of imus, “lowest, deepest” (superlative of inferus); agrees with pectore after ab |
| pectore | chest, heart | ablative singular neuter of pectus, “chest, breast, heart”; the seat of feeling in Latin |
How to pronounce “Ab imo pectore”
The difference is the i of imo: short “ih” in Classical, a long “ee” in Ecclesiastical. In both, stress imo on the first syllable and pectore on the first syllable (PEK-toh-reh).
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “from the deepest chest”. In Latin the pectus is not only the chest but the seat of feeling, so English renders it as “from the bottom of the heart”.
The poets used it for sighs, groans and words that rise from deep inside a person. It is found in classical verse, for example in Catullus 64 and in Virgil’s Aeneid 1.371, where it is attached to speech or sighing of this kind.
Today the phrase lives on in Italian and other languages, and in English as a formal, warm way to close a letter or card, or to say that thanks or an apology is meant completely.
How to use “Ab imo pectore”
Fits a heartfelt thank-you or condolence card, a letter sign-off, a wedding or anniversary message, or a tattoo for something you feel deeply. It suits sincere gratitude or love better than casual banter.
- Latin
- Ab imo pectore
- English
- From the bottom of the heart.
- Source
- Classical Latin phrase (e.g. Catullus 64; Virgil, Aeneid 1.371)
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Love
Common mistakes
- Imo is not the word for “I” or “in the middle”. It means “deepest”, so the phrase is not “from my chest”.
- Pectore must stay in the ablative after ab. Writing “ab imum pectus” is wrong Latin.
- Some people split it as “ab imo, pectore”. It is one unit: “imo” describes “pectore”.
- Do not pronounce the ending of pectore silently. It has three syllables: PEK-toh-reh.
Questions about “Ab imo pectore”
What does “Ab imo pectore” mean literally?
Literally “from the deepest chest”. The chest stands for the heart as the seat of emotion, so it means “from the bottom of the heart”.
Who said “Ab imo pectore”?
It is a classical Latin phrase, not tied to one author. Roman poets such as Catullus and Virgil use it for words or sighs from deep inside.
How do you pronounce “Ab imo pectore”?
Classical: ahb IH-moh PEK-toh-reh. Church Latin: ahb EE-moh PEK-toh-reh. The only real difference is the i of imo.
Is “Ab imo pectore” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. Ab takes the ablative, and both imo and pectore are in the correct ablative form, so the phrase is grammatically sound as written.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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