E pluribus unum is a Latin phrase that means “out of many, one”. It is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal along with Annuit cœptis (Latin for “he approves the undertaking”) and Novus ordo seclorum (Latin for “New order of the ages”). It expresses the idea that out of the union of the original Thirteen Colonies emerged a new single nation.
Synonyms for e pluribus unum
According to OxfordDictionaries, e pluribus unum is a noun that has no synonyms or antonyms. However, some possible words that are closely related to its meaning are:
– Unity
– Union
– Integration
– Cohesion
– Solidarity
Origin and usage of e pluribus unum
The phrase was suggested in 1776 by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere to the committee responsible for developing the seal. He was a Swiss-born American artist and philosopher who had a keen interest in heraldry and symbolism.
The phrase was also used regularly on the title page of the London-based Gentleman’s Magazine, founded in 1731, which collected articles from many sources into one periodical. This usage in turn can be traced back to the London-based Huguenot Peter Anthony Motteux, who had employed the adage for his The Gentleman’s Journal, or the Monthly Miscellany (1692–1694).
The phrase is similar to a Latin translation of a variation of Heraclitus’s tenth fragment, “The one is made up of all things, and all things issue from the one”. A variant of the phrase was used in “Moretum”, a poem belonging to the Appendix Virgiliana, describing (on the surface at least) the making of moretum, a kind of herb and cheese spread related to modern pesto. In the poem text, color est e pluribus unus describes the blending of colors into one. St Augustine used a variant of the phrase, ex pluribus unum facere (make one out of many), in his Confessions.
The phrase has thirteen letters, which makes its use symbolic of the original Thirteen Colonies which rebelled against the rule of the Kingdom of Great Britain and became the first thirteen states, represented today as the thirteen stripes on the US flag.
The phrase was considered the de facto motto of the United States from its early history until 1956, when Congress passed an act adopting “In God We Trust” as the official motto.
The phrase is still used on several U.S. coins, such as the quarter dollar, the half dollar, and the dollar coin. It is also inscribed on the scroll held by the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States.
Conclusion
E pluribus unum is a Latin phrase that means “out of many, one”. It is a traditional motto of the United States that reflects its origin as a union of thirteen colonies that became a single nation. The phrase has no synonyms or antonyms, but some words that are closely related to its meaning are unity, union, integration, cohesion, and solidarity. The phrase has a long history of usage in various contexts, such as literature, philosophy, heraldry, and symbolism. It is still used on some U.S. coins and on the Great Seal of the United States.
