Res publica

Res publica is a Latin phrase, loosely meaning ‘public affair’. It is the root of the word ‘republic’, and the word ‘commonwealth’ has traditionally been used as a synonym for it; however translations vary widely according to the context. ‘Res’ is a nominative singular Latin noun for a substantive or concrete thing – as opposed to ‘spes’, which means something unreal or ethereal – and ‘publica’ is an attributive adjective meaning ‘of and/or pertaining to the state or the public’. Hence a literal translation is, ‘the public thing/affair’.