Meaning & use
amor vincit omnia
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
A Latin saying that means love defeats every obstacle, often written on rings, art and buildings.
Grammar: A complete Latin sentence used on its own, not part of an English clause.
Patterns
- amor vincit omnia
The ring was engraved with amor vincit omnia in tiny letters.
The poster showed two figures embracing beneath the words amor vincit omnia.
Her grandfather often quoted amor vincit omnia when the family worried about money.
phrasefixed phrasespecialist
The title of a famous baroque painting by Caravaggio showing Cupid triumphing over human pursuits.
Grammar: Used as a proper title, often in italics, when talking about art.
Patterns
- Amor Vincit Omnia
We saw Caravaggio's Amor Vincit Omnia in the gallery in Berlin.
The art teacher asked students to describe the mood of Amor Vincit Omnia.
A print of Amor Vincit Omnia hung above the library desk.
Common combinations
- the motto amor vincit omnia
- The family adopted the motto amor vincit omnia.
- engraved with amor vincit omnia
- The wedding band was engraved with amor vincit omnia.
- quote amor vincit omnia
- The poet likes to quote amor vincit omnia at weddings.
- inscribed amor vincit omnia
- The stone was inscribed amor vincit omnia and a date.
Synonyms and how they differ
- love conquers all
- Love conquers all is the usual English translation and is much more common in everyday speech than the Latin.
- love will find a way
- Love will find a way suggests lovers get around obstacles, while the Latin claims love overcomes everything.
Word family
- amorous adjective
- showing or feeling romantic love
- amour noun
- a love affair, borrowed from French
- victory noun
- success in winning a contest, from the same Latin root as vincit
- omnipotent adjective
- all-powerful, from the Latin omnis meaning all
Commonly confused: amor vincit omnia or carpe diem?
amor vincit omnia vs carpe diem
Carpe diem is another Latin saying, meaning seize the day, and has nothing to do with love conquering obstacles.
Practice
The couple chose amor vincit omnia as their wedding motto because they believe that ______.
Choose one answer.
Amor vincit omnia means love conquers all. The other options are well-known sayings but they mean something different.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “amor vincit omnia”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.