carpe diem
/ˌkɑːrpeɪ ˈdiːem/
seize the day; make the most of the present moment
carpe diem in a sentence
“His philosophy was carpe diem—live fully today.”
Origin of carpe diem
Latin: carpe seize/pluck (imperative of carpere) + diem day (accusative of dies)
What does carpe diem really mean?
Carpe diem is the argument against postponement: the future is unknowable, so the present is where life actually happens. The original sense is not reckless hedonism but ripeness — the day is fruit; pick it while it's there.
The story behind carpe diem
From the Roman poet Horace (Odes 1.11, 23 BC): carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero — "seize the day, trusting as little as possible in tomorrow." Carpere is a harvest verb, closer to "pluck" than "seize." The phrase echoed through Renaissance poetry's gather-ye-rosebuds tradition and reached modern audiences through Dead Poets Society.
How to use carpe diem
Use it as an exhortation or a label for the attitude: "a carpe diem approach to travel." It is well-worn, so the most elegant uses lean on the original harvest nuance or pair it knowingly with its source.
Related Words
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let the buyer beware; the buyer assumes the risk
cogito ergo sum
I think, therefore I am (Descartes' philosophical proposition)
de facto
in fact; in reality; existing in practice
de jure
by right; according to law; legally recognized
deus ex machina
an unexpected power or event that saves a seemingly hopeless situation
ergo
therefore; consequently