Decorative lighting installation trends in 2018.

What Is Lorem Ipsum?

If you’ve ever worked in graphic design, publishing, or web development, you’ve probably come across the phrase:
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet…”
This mysterious string of words is known as Lorem Ipsum—and no, it’s not just random gibberish.

The Real Origins: Not Just Nonsense

Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not meaningless filler. Its origins trace back over 2,000 years to a work of classical Latin literature written by Marcus Tullius Cicero in 45 BC. The text comes from his book De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum (“The Extremes of Good and Evil”), a treatise on ethics and moral philosophy that was highly respected during the Renaissance.

Rediscovered by a Latin Scholar

The connection between Lorem Ipsum and Cicero was rediscovered by Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. While researching the unusual Latin word consectetur, he traced it to Cicero’s original writings—specifically sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of the book.

Why Designers Still Use It Today

Since the 1500s, typesetters and printers have used Lorem Ipsum as placeholder text to test layout, typography, and visual structure before the final content is available. It mimics natural word distribution, making it ideal for simulating real written material.

Original Latin and English Translation

For the curious, here’s a portion of the original Latin text:

“Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit…”
Translation: “There is no one who loves pain itself, who seeks after it and wants to have it, simply because it is pain…”

This famous quote encapsulates the philosophical tone of Cicero’s work, even if it’s mostly ignored when Lorem Ipsum is used in design projects today.

Final Thoughts

The next time you copy-paste Lorem Ipsum, remember—you’re not just using placeholder text. You’re quoting ancient Roman philosophy! This enduring fragment of classical wisdom has stood the test of time, seamlessly blending history with modern design.