What Latin motto appears on the Great Seal of the United States?

The Latin motto on the Great Seal of the United States is “E pluribus unum.”

The phrase means “Out of many, one.” It appears on the scroll held in the eagle’s beak on the reverse side of the Great Seal’s obverse design. The motto expresses the idea that a single nation was formed from many states and communities.

The seal’s design was adopted in 1782 after several committees had worked on proposals. The eagle holds an olive branch in its right talon and arrows in its left, traditionally symbolizing a preference for peace but readiness for war. A shield with thirteen stripes rests on the eagle’s breast, and thirteen stars appear above it.

“E pluribus unum” is frequently confused with “Annuit Coeptis” and “Novus Ordo Seclorum,” which appear on the reverse side of the Great Seal above and below the unfinished pyramid. It is also different from “In God We Trust,” which became the national motto by statute in 1956.