Nemo me impune lacessit
“No one provokes me with impunity.”
Motto of the Order of the Thistle and of Scotland
What does “Nemo me impune lacessit” mean?
Nemo me impune lacessit translates as “No one provokes me with impunity.”
Anyone who attacks me will not escape the consequences.
“Nemo me impune lacessit” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Nemo | no one | nominative singular of nemo, “nobody”; the subject of the sentence |
| me | me | accusative singular of ego, “I”; the object of the verb |
| impune | with impunity, unpunished | adverb from impunis, “unpunished”; here it means without having to pay for it |
| lacessit | provokes, attacks | third person singular present indicative active of lacesso, “I provoke, I harass” |
How to pronounce “Nemo me impune lacessit”
The only difference is the c in lacessit: a hard k in Classical, a ch in Church Latin. The stress falls on the second syllable of impune and on the second syllable of lacessit.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “no one provokes me unpunished”. It is the motto of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s chivalric order, and it also appears with the royal arms of Scotland.
The motto is tied to the thistle, Scotland’s national emblem, whose spines are the point of the image. Touch it carelessly and you get hurt. The Order of the Thistle is generally dated to the late 17th century, and the motto is early modern.
The phrase also appears on the edge of some British pound coins, and it is often given in Scots as “Wha daur meddle wi’ me?”. Today it is a popular motto for anyone who wants to say they will not be pushed around.
How to use “Nemo me impune lacessit”
Suits a Scottish-themed tattoo, a family crest or coat of arms design, a motto for a club or a team, or a firm but not aggressive statement about boundaries. It reads best with a thistle motif.
- Latin
- Nemo me impune lacessit
- English
- No one provokes me with impunity.
- Source
- Motto of the Order of the Thistle and of Scotland
- Era
- Early Modern
- Theme
- Strength
Common mistakes
- It is not a threat to attack first. It describes a response to provocation: whoever starts it pays for it.
- Impune is an adverb. Spelling it impunè or splitting it as in pune is wrong.
- Changing me to nos, “us”, gives “Nemo nos impune lacessit”, but the singular me is the classic form, and the verb stays lacessit either way.
- The phrase is often mistaken for an ancient Roman saying. It is a Scottish motto of the early modern period, not a line from a classical author.
Questions about “Nemo me impune lacessit”
What does “Nemo me impune lacessit” mean literally?
“No one provokes me unpunished.” In everyday English: nobody attacks or provokes me and gets away with it.
Whose motto is “Nemo me impune lacessit”?
It is the motto of the Order of the Thistle and appears with the royal arms of Scotland. It is also on the edge of some British pound coins.
How do you pronounce “Nemo me impune lacessit”?
Classical: NEH-moh meh im-POO-neh lah-KES-sit. Church Latin differs only in the c of lacessit, which becomes ch: lah-CHES-sit.
Is “Nemo me impune lacessit” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the Latin is correct and complete as it stands. Keep the word order and the spelling exactly as given, and do not shorten it.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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