Legal Maxims & Vocabulary Builder for CLAT
Welcome to your comprehensive vocabulary and legal maxims resource for CLAT preparation. A strong vocabulary and understanding of legal terminology are crucial for success in the English and Legal Reasoning sections.
📚 Daily Vocabulary Building
Today’s Words (December 2024)
- Ubiquitous - present, appearing, or found everywhere
- Pragmatic - dealing with things sensibly and realistically
- Ephemeral - lasting for a very short time
- Ameliorate - make something bad or unsatisfactory better
- Cognizant - having knowledge or being aware of
Word of the Day Archive
- Monday; Ambivalent - having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas
- Tuesday; Erudite - having or showing great knowledge or learning
- Wednesday; Prosaic - having or using the style or diction of prose
- Thursday; Esoteric - intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people
- Friday; Gregarious - fond of company; sociable
⚖️ Essential Legal Maxims for CLAT
Most Frequently Asked Legal Maxims
| Legal Maxim |
Latin Origin |
English Meaning |
| Res Ipsa Loquitur |
Latin |
The thing speaks for itself |
| Bona Fide |
Latin |
In good faith |
| Caveat Emptor |
Latin |
Let the buyer beware |
| Res Judicata |
Latin |
A matter already judged |
| Mens Rea |
Latin |
Guilty mind |
| Actus Reus |
Latin |
Guilty act |
| Habeas Corpus |
Latin |
Produce the body |
| Pro Bono Publico |
Latin |
For the public good |
| Stare Decisis |
Latin |
To stand by decided cases |
| In Personam |
Latin |
Against a person |
Legal Maxims by Category
Evidence Law Maxims
- Audi Alteram Partem; Hear the other side
- Res Gestae; Things done
- Ex Facie; On the face of it
- In Limine; At the threshold
Contract Law Maxims
- Pacta Sunt Servanda; Agreements must be kept
- Consensus Ad Idem; Meeting of minds
- Nemo Debet Esse Judex In Propria Causa; No one should be judge in his own case
- Ubi Jus Ibi Remedium; Where there is a right, there is a remedy
Criminal Law Maxims
- Nullum Crimen Sine Lege; No crime without law
- Actus Non Facit Reum Nisi Mens Sit Rea; Act does not make one guilty unless mind is guilty
- Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat; Ignorance of law is no excuse
- Falsus In Uno, Falsus In Omnibus; False in one, false in all
Constitutional Law Maxims
- Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto; Welfare of the people shall be the supreme law
- Lex Loci; Law of the place
- Jus Gentium; Law of nations
- Jus Naturale; Natural law
📖 Comprehensive Vocabulary Lists
Field of Study Vocabulary
| Field of Study |
Definition |
| Aviation |
The study of flying airplanes. |
| Astronomy |
The study of celestial bodies, including stars, planets, and galaxies. |
| Alchemy |
An ancient search for a universal panacea and the philosopher’s stone. |
| Acoustics |
The study of sound and sound waves. |
| Anthropology |
The study of the evolution of mankind and human societies. |
| Theology |
The study of religion and religious beliefs. |
| Criminology |
The study of crime and criminals. |
| Etymology |
The study of word origins. |
| Linguistics |
The scientific study of language. |
| Psychology |
The study of mind and behavior. |
Fear & Phobia Vocabulary
| Fear |
Definition |
| Ecophobia |
Fear of home surroundings. |
| Zoophobia |
Fear of animals. |
| Claustrophobia |
Fear of closed spaces. |
| Hydrophobia |
Fear of water. |
| Acrophobia |
Fear of heights. |
| Xenophobia |
Fear of strangers or foreigners. |
| Nyctophobia |
Fear of darkness. |
| Ophidiophobia |
Fear of snakes. |
| Arachnophobia |
Fear of spiders. |
| Agoraphobia |
Fear of open or crowded spaces. |
Killing & Crime Vocabulary
| Killing/Mania |
Definition |
| Mariticide |
The killing of one’s husband. |
| Parricide |
The killing of parents. |
| Genocide |
The killing of a whole race. |
| Infanticide |
The killing of infants. |
| Fratricide |
The killing of one’s brother. |
| Sororicide |
The killing of one’s sister. |
| Regicide |
The killing of a king. |
| Homicide |
The killing of one person by another. |
| Suicide |
The act of killing oneself. |
| Femicide |
The killing of women or girls. |
🏛️ Government & Political Vocabulary
| Government |
Phrase |
| Bureaucracy |
Government by Officials |
| Autocracy |
Government by one person with absolute power |
| Meritocracy |
Government by the intelligentsia |
| Democracy |
Government by elected representatives |
| Confederacy |
The union of states, parties or persons |
| Plutocracy |
Government by rich people |
| Aristocracy |
Government by the nobles |
| Theocracy |
Government by Divine Laws |
| Monarchy |
Government by one person (royal) |
| Diarchy |
Government by two agencies |
| Oligarchy |
Government by a few powerful people |
| Stratocracy |
Government by military leaders |
| Anarchy |
Absence of Government |
Political Terms
- Sovereignty; Supreme power or authority
- Diplomacy; The art of conducting negotiations between nations
- Legislature; A legislative body of a country
- Electorate; All the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote
- Cabinet; The senior ministers of the government
👥 Personal Characteristics & Relationships
Likes and Dislikes
| Word |
Phrase |
| Sycophant |
One who is a boot licker, flatterer |
| Gourmet |
One who has keen interest in food and drinks |
| Philanthropy |
Love for mankind |
| Bibliophile |
Someone who loves collecting books |
| Anglophile |
One who loves and admires the British |
| Philanderer |
One who loves without seriousness |
| Philogyny |
Fondness towards women |
| Androphile |
One who loves men |
| Philosopher |
One who loves wisdom (hence pursues it) |
| Misandrist |
One who hates men |
| Andromania |
Madness or obsession with males |
| Misogynist |
One who hates women |
| Misanthropist |
One who hates mankind |
| Patriot |
One who loves his country |
| Super patriotism |
Excessive love for one’s country |
| Misogamist |
One who hates marriage |
| Loquacious |
One who loves to speak |
| Antipathy |
Strong, deep dislike |
| Xenophile |
One who is attracted to foreign people, cultures, or customs |
Professional Terms
| Word |
Definition |
| Physician |
One who practices medicine |
| Jurist |
One who is an expert in law |
| Philatelist |
One who collects stamps |
| Numismatist |
One who collects coins |
| Cartographer |
One who makes maps |
| Lexicographer |
One who compiles dictionaries |
| Calligrapher |
One who practices beautiful handwriting |
| Choreographer |
One who composes ballets and other dances |
| Cosmetologist |
One who studies beauty treatments |
| Geologist |
One who studies earth’s history |
🎯 Practice Exercises
Vocabulary Quiz
- What does “Ubiquitous” mean?
- Identify the legal maxim: “Let the buyer beware”
- What is a “Bibliophile”?
- Explain “Res Judicata”
- Who is a “Philanthropist”?
One Word Substitution Exercise
Replace the following phrases with single words:
- One who loves books _________
- Government by the people _________
- Fear of closed spaces _________
- Killing of one’s father _________
- Study of human mind _________
Legal Maxims Matching
Match the legal maxims with their meanings:
- Mens Rea - a) The thing speaks for itself
- Habeas Corpus - b) Guilty mind
- Res Ipsa Loquitur - c) For the public good
- Pro Bono Publico - d) Produce the body
📱 Mobile Vocabulary App Features
Daily Words
- 5 new words daily with meanings and examples
- Audio pronunciation
- Usage in sentences
- Memory retention games
Legal Maxims Flashcards
- Flip cards for learning
- Categorized by subject
- Practice quizzes
- Progress tracking
- Daily streak counter
- Weekly progress reports
- Difficulty level adjustment
- Personalized word recommendations
📚 Recommended Resources
Vocabulary Books
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk
- All About Words by Maxwell Nurnberg
- English Vocabulary in Use by Cambridge
Legal Terminology Books
- Legal Maxims and Terms by various authors
- Dictionary of Law by Oxford University Press
- Legal Language by Peter M. Tiersma
Online Resources
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- Oxford English Dictionary
- Legal Dictionary by The Free Dictionary
- Vocabulary. com
Consistent vocabulary building is key to CLAT success. Practice daily, use words in context, and regularly review legal maxims to excel in your preparation!
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