API Documentation

The latindictionary.io REST API lets you look up Latin words, translate between Latin and English, inspect Latin text, and generate inflection tables — all programmatically.

Base URL: https://api.latindictionary.io/api/v1Python Package →GitHub →

These examples cover common GET requests. The live OpenAPI reference lists all routes, optional parameters, and POST request schemas. Parsing depends on the server’s installed model; handle fallback responses and HTTP 501 explicitly.

Python Client

The easiest way to use the API is with the official Python client:

pip install latindictionary-io

from latindictionary_io import Client

with Client() as client:
    # Latin → English
    result = client.latin_to_english("canis")
    print(result)

    # English → Latin
    result = client.english_to_latin("love")
    print(result)

    # Auto-detect language
    result = client.auto_detect("amor")
    print(result)

    # Latin parsing (may return dictionary fallback)
    result = client.latin_parse("arma virumque cano")
    print(result)

    # Inflection tables
    result = client.inflection_table("amo")
    print(result)

The Python client also supports async usage via AsyncClient. See the README for full documentation.

Endpoints

GET/la-to-en/{word}

Look up a Latin word and return English definitions, inflection data, part of speech, and frequency information.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`word`	string	Yes	The Latin word to look up (URL path parameter)

Example

curl "https://api.latindictionary.io/api/v1/la-to-en/canis"

Response excerpt

{
  "data": {
    "words": [{
      "word": [{
        "form": "canis",
        "entry": [{
          "dict": [{ "hdwd": "canis, canis", "pofs": "noun", "freq": "very frequent" }],
          "mean": ["dog; hound; subordinate; dog-star/fish; ..."]
        }]
      }]
    }]
  }
}

GET/en-to-la/{word}

Look up an English word and return matching Latin equivalents with definitions.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`word`	string	Yes	The English word to look up (URL path parameter)

Example

curl "https://api.latindictionary.io/api/v1/en-to-la/dog"

Response excerpt

{
  "data": {
    "words": [{
      "word": [{
        "form": "dog",
        "entry": [{
          "dict": [{ "hdwd": "canis, canis", "pofs": "noun", "freq": "very frequent" }],
          "mean": ["dog; hound; subordinate; ..."]
        }]
      }]
    }]
  }
}

GET/auto-detect/{word}

Auto-detect whether the input is Latin or English and return the appropriate translation.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`word`	string	Yes	The text to detect and translate (URL path parameter)

Example

curl "https://api.latindictionary.io/api/v1/auto-detect/amor"

Response excerpt

{
  "language": "latin",
  "data": {
    "words": [{
      "word": [{
        "form": "amor",
        "entry": [{ "dict": [{ "hdwd": "amor, amoris", "pofs": "noun" }], "mean": ["love; ..."] }]
      }]
    }]
  }
}

GET/latin-parse

Parse Latin text with an optional LatinCy model. Without that model, the default fallback returns dictionary candidates rather than resolved sentence grammar.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`q`	string	Yes	The Latin text to parse (1–64,000 characters for GET)
`model`	string	No	Installed LatinCy model identifier; selecting a model does not install it
`allow_fallback`	boolean	No	Allow dictionary fallback if the model is unavailable (0 or 1; default: 1). Set 0 to receive HTTP 501 instead.

Example

curl "https://api.latindictionary.io/api/v1/latin-parse?q=arma%20virumque%20cano"

Response excerpt

{
  "language": "latin",
  "model": "fallback",
  "data": {
    "sentences": [{
      "text": "arma virumque cano",
      "tokens": [
        { "text": "arma", "lemma": "arma", "upos": "X" },
        { "text": "virumque", "lemma": "virumque", "upos": "X" },
        { "text": "cano", "lemma": "cano", "upos": "X" }
      ]
    }]
  }
}

GET/inflection-table

Generate inflection tables for matching dictionary entries. The default common mode limits rare forms; use mode=all to include them.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`lemma`	string	No	The word to resolve (up to 1,024 characters). Provide lemma or entry_id; word and q are aliases for lemma.
`entry_id`	integer	No	Specific entry ID for disambiguation
`max_entries`	integer	No	Maximum entries to return (1–100; default: 5)
`include_periphrastic`	boolean	No	Include periphrastic forms (0 or 1; default: 1)
`mode`	string	No	common (default) or all
`include_locative`	boolean	No	Include locative forms (0 or 1; default: 0)

Example

curl "https://api.latindictionary.io/api/v1/inflection-table?lemma=amo"

Response excerpt

{
  "query": { "lemma": "amo", "token": "amo" },
  "results": [{
    "entry": {
      "hdwd": "amo, amare, amavi, amatus",
      "pofs": "verb",
      "mean": "love, like; fall in love with; be fond of; have a tendency to;"
    },
    "tables": {
      "finite": {
        "indicative": {
          "active": {
            "present": {
              "singular": { "1": ["amo"], "2": ["amas"], "3": ["amat"] },
              "plural": { "1": ["amamus"], "2": ["amatis"], "3": ["amant"] }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }]
}

Notes

The public API requires no authentication. URL-encode path parameters and query values.
Requests are limited per source IP to 600 per minute for non-parser endpoints and 60 per minute for /api/v1/latin-parse.
The RateLimit-Policy response header describes the applicable quota and window. The parser has a separate quota from other endpoints. A 429 response means the enforced limit was exceeded.
All endpoints return JSON responses. Examples are excerpts and omit additional entries, analyses, and table sections.
When parsing returns model fallback, tokens with upos: X have no resolved part of speech. Do not treat these as grammatical analysis. Set allow_fallback=0 if your application requires a loaded context model.
For the best experience, use the Python client library which includes retry logic and error handling.

See the full API policy for enforcement and retry guidance.