You won’t believe what this Latin phrase on the Great Seal of the United States means!

It was in the year of our Lord 1782, that the phrase “E pluribus unum” was graced upon the Great Seal of the United States, joining hands with “Annuit cœptis” meaning “he approves the undertaking” and “Novus ordo seclorum” meaning “New order of the ages.” This traditional Latin motto has long been regarded as a symbol of unity for the United States, and is often translated to “Out of many, one,” or “One out of many.” Although it was not an official national motto for many years, it was widely recognized as such since the early days of the nation’s history. The esteemed U.S. Congress approved its inclusion in the Great Seal, bearing in mind that the thirteen letters of the motto represent the thirteen original colonies of the United States, who broke free from the Kingdom of Great Britain and established themselves as the first thirteen states. The origin of this phrase can be traced back to the idea that a new single nation emerged from the union of the original Thirteen Colonies. The proposal for this 13-letter motto was first made in 1776 by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere to the committee in charge of designing the seal. Its use can also be seen in various publications, such as the London-based Gentleman’s Magazine, which dates back to 1731. The phrase is similar to a Latin translation of Heraclitus’s tenth fragment, and is also used in a poem belonging to the Appendix Virgiliana. In essence, the phrase serves as a reminder of the importance of unity and the creation of a single entity from many different parts.

Sources

• The Wikipedia article on “E pluribus unum”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_pluribus_unum
• The online edition of the Oxford English Dictionary: https://www.oed.com/
• The website of the U.S. Department of State: https://www.state.gov/e-pluribus-unum/
• The website of the U.S. Mint: https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history-and-culture/symbols-and-standards/e-pluribus-unum