Ex dono
“As a gift.”
Traditional Latin inscription
What does “Ex dono” mean?
Ex dono translates as “As a gift.”
An inscription marking an object as a gift, often followed by the giver’s name. It is common in old books and on college silver.
“Ex dono” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Ex | from, out of | a preposition that takes the ablative case; here it marks the source, “as coming from” |
| dono | gift | ablative singular of donum, “gift” (a neuter noun of the second declension) |
How to pronounce “Ex dono”
Both pronunciations sound the same here. Stress the first syllable of dono; ex is a single syllable and takes no stress mark of its own.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “from a gift”, which in practice means “as a gift” or “given as a gift”. It is a short formula, not a sentence from any one author, and it has no single known source.
The phrase was written for centuries in dedications and book inscriptions, usually followed by the giver’s name, sometimes in the genitive (“ex dono Johannis”, “the gift of John”). Libraries, colleges and learned societies used it to record who had given a book or an object.
Today it survives on bookplates, in antiquarian catalogues and on engraved silver. It is also sometimes used as a lightly formal inscription in a book given to a friend.
How to use “Ex dono”
A fitting inscription for the flyleaf of a book you are giving, or for engraved silver, a trophy or a presentation piece. Add the giver’s name and the date underneath, as the old inscriptions did.
- Latin
- Ex dono
- English
- As a gift.
- Source
- Traditional Latin inscription
- Era
- Early modern
- Theme
- Gratitude
Common mistakes
- It is not a complete sentence and does not say who gave the gift. The giver’s name traditionally follows it.
- Do not confuse dono (ablative of the noun donum, “gift”) with dono, the verb meaning “I give”. Here it is the noun, after ex.
- Writing “ex donum” or “e dono” is not the standard formula. Ex dono is the usual form, and ex needs the ablative dono, not donum.
Questions about “Ex dono”
What does “Ex dono” mean literally?
“From a gift”, which means “as a gift” or “given as a gift”. It marks an object as something presented, not bought or inherited.
How do you pronounce “Ex dono”?
In both Classical and Church Latin it is “eks DOH-noh”, with the stress on the first syllable of dono.
How do you say who gave the gift?
Put the giver’s name after the phrase, as old inscriptions did. A traditional form puts the name in the genitive, as in “ex dono Johannis”, meaning “the gift of John”.
Is “Ex dono” correct Latin for an engraving?
Yes. It is a long-established formula, grammatically sound, and well suited to a book inscription or engraved silver.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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