Nullius in verba
“On the word of no one.”
Motto of the Royal Society; from Horace, Epistles 1.1.14
What does “Nullius in verba” mean?
Nullius in verba translates as “On the word of no one.”
Do not accept claims on authority alone – check the evidence for yourself.
“Nullius in verba” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Nullius | of no one | genitive singular of nullus, “no, none”, used here as a noun; the form is the same for masculine and neuter, so it also fits “of nothing” |
| in | on, in | preposition meaning “in” or “on”; here it takes the accusative |
| verba | words, word | accusative plural of verbum, “word”; the plural can mean “words” or “what someone says” |
How to pronounce “Nullius in verba”
The only difference is the v: classical Latin sounds it like English w, church Latin like English v. The stress falls on NUL in nullius and on VER in verba.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “on the words of no one”. It means that you should not accept a claim just because a famous person said it. The line comes from the Roman poet Horace, in the first book of his Epistles, where he says he is not bound to swear by the words of any master.
In 1660 a group of scholars and experimenters founded the Royal Society of London. They took “Nullius in verba” as their motto. It expressed their wish to settle questions by experiment and observation, not by quoting ancient authorities.
The Royal Society is among the oldest scientific societies still in existence, and the motto has become a short statement of the scientific attitude. It is quoted today in talks about evidence, scepticism and independent thinking.
How to use “Nullius in verba”
It fits a science classroom, a lab, a talk or essay on evidence and critical thinking, or a personal motto for someone who likes to check things for themselves. It also works as a tattoo or desk motto for a sceptical, curious mind.
- Latin
- Nullius in verba
- English
- On the word of no one.
- Source
- Motto of the Royal Society; from Horace, Epistles 1.1.14
- Era
- Early Modern
- Theme
- Truth
Common mistakes
- It is not a rejection of knowledge or of experts. It means: check the evidence, do not trust authority alone.
- The words are often cut off as “Nullius in verba” with a wrong ending, such as “verbo” or “verbis”. The classical wording is verba, in the accusative plural.
- It is sometimes credited to the Royal Society itself. The Society adopted the motto, but the words come from Horace, Epistles 1.1.14, where he writes that he is not bound to swear by the words of any master.
- Do not read it as “no words” or “without words”. Nullius is genitive (“of no one”), not a word for “no”.
Questions about “Nullius in verba”
What does “Nullius in verba” mean literally?
Literally, “on the words of no one”. The sense is “take nobody’s word for it”: do not accept a claim just because an authority said it.
Who said “Nullius in verba”?
The words come from the Roman poet Horace, Epistles 1.1.14. The Royal Society of London, founded in 1660, adopted them as its motto.
How do you pronounce “Nullius in verba”?
In classical Latin: NUL-lee-oos in WER-bah. In church Latin the v is a true v: NUL-lee-oos in VER-bah.
Is “Nullius in verba” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is a short, well-known phrase with a clear source, and its grammar is correct as it stands. It is best left in this form.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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