View synonyms for

carpe diem

[ kahr-pe dee-em; English kahr-pee dahy-uhm, kahr-pey dee-uhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

Latin. seize the day; enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.

carpe diem

/ ˈkɑːpɪ ˈdiːɛm /

(no translation)

enjoy the pleasures of the moment, without concern for the future

Carpe diem

Latin for “Seize the day”: take full advantage of present opportunities. This sentiment is found not only in classical literature but in much of English literature as well ( see “ Gather ye rosebuds while ye may ” and “ Had we but world enough, and time, / This coyness, Lady, were no crime .”)

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of carpe diem¹

First recorded in 1815–20; literally, “pluck (the fruit of) the day,” from Horace's Odes (1.9)

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of carpe diem¹

literally: seize the day!

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Enjoy the present and don't worry about the future, as in It's a beautiful day, so forget tomorrow's test—carpe diem! Latin for “seize the day,” an aphorism found in the Roman writer Horace's Odes , this phrase has been used in English since the early 1800s.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse