author
Carl Meissner
b. 1830
Best known for the reference work later called Meissner’s Latin Phrasebook, this 19th-century German scholar helped generations of students find natural ways to express themselves in Latin. His books stayed useful long after his lifetime because they were practical, clear, and deeply rooted in classical reading.
1 Audiobook
Latin Phrase-Book
by Carl Meissner
About the author
Born on October 2, 1830, Carl Meissner was a German classical philologist and educator. Sources consulted identify him as a scholar of Latin and note that he studied philology in Berlin before going on to work in teaching and school leadership roles.
He is remembered above all for the handbook commonly known in English as Meissner’s Latin Phrasebook. Rather than focusing only on grammar rules, the book gathered ways of phrasing ideas in idiomatic Latin, making it especially valuable for students, translators, and anyone trying to write the language with more confidence.
That practical approach is a big part of why his name has lasted. Even today, Meissner’s work is associated with the everyday craft of learning classical languages: not just understanding Latin, but learning how to use it well.