Veritas, probitas, iustitia
“Truth, integrity, justice.”
Latin university motto
What does “Veritas, probitas, iustitia” mean?
Veritas, probitas, iustitia translates as “Truth, integrity, justice.”
Three civic virtues are joined: honesty in speech, uprightness in conduct and fairness toward others. They describe a trustworthy professional and citizen.
“Veritas, probitas, iustitia” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Veritas | truth | nominative singular (feminine) of veritas, “truth”; subject of an implied statement |
| probitas | integrity, uprightness | nominative singular (feminine) of probitas, “honesty, moral uprightness” |
| iustitia | justice | nominative singular (feminine) of iustitia, “justice, fairness” |
How to pronounce “Veritas, probitas, iustitia”
The main differences are the first and last words: Classical has a w-sound in veritas and a y-sound in iustitia, while Church Latin has a v and a soft ts before the final -ia. Stress falls on the first syllable of veritas and probitas, and on the second-to-last syllable of iustitia.
The story behind it
Word for word the motto is simply three nouns in a row: “truth, integrity, justice”. There is no verb, which gives it the feel of a list of values rather than a sentence.
It is a Latin university motto of the modern period, so it belongs to the long tradition of institutions choosing short Latin mottoes for their values. The exact history of its adoption is not documented here, and it should not be pinned to a particular founder or date.
The three words echo virtues the Romans prized. Veritas and iustitia were both personified as goddesses in Roman culture, and probitas names the quiet honesty expected of a person whose word can be trusted.
How to use “Veritas, probitas, iustitia”
Suited to bodies that stand for fair dealing: a law faculty, police academy, court, ethics prize or professional code of conduct. It also works as a personal motto for someone who wants honesty in speech, conduct and judgement.
- Latin
- Veritas, probitas, iustitia
- English
- Truth, integrity, justice.
- Source
- Latin university motto
- Era
- Modern Latin
- Theme
- Justice
Common mistakes
- It is a list of three nouns, not a command. Do not read it as “be truthful, upright and just”.
- Probitas is easily confused with probatio (“a test, proof”). The motto means moral uprightness, not proof.
- It is a modern institutional motto, not a line from a Roman author, so do not attribute it to Cicero or any ancient writer.
- The words are in a fixed order, and adding “et” (“and”) or changing the order gives a different phrase.
Questions about “Veritas, probitas, iustitia”
What does “Veritas, probitas, iustitia” mean?
“Truth, integrity, justice.” Each word is a noun naming a virtue, joined in a simple list.
Who said “Veritas, probitas, iustitia”?
It is not tied to an ancient author. It is a Latin university motto of the modern period, and its exact adoption history is not documented here.
How do you pronounce “Veritas, probitas, iustitia”?
In Classical Latin: WEH-rih-tahs PROH-bih-tahs yoo-STIH-tee-ah. In Church Latin: VEH-rih-tahs PROH-bih-tahs yoos-TEE-tsee-ah.
Is “Veritas, probitas, iustitia” correct Latin for a tattoo or motto?
Yes. All three are correct feminine nouns in the nominative case, and no endings need changing. Some writers spell iustitia as justitia, which is a common variant.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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