Latin Words on the U.S. One Dollar Bill

Chapter 38 vocabulary words included: coepit and annus, leading us to wonder whether either or both was/were connected to the Latin words on the back of the U.S. Dollar Bill: "annuit coeptis." It turns out that annuit (He has favored -- annuo, annuere, annui, annutus + dat.) is not related to annus (year). But coeptis (beginnings/undertakings) is the noun form of coepit (he began). It is in the dative plural here.  When annuere takes a dative object, it means: to nod assent to; to be favorable to; to smile on.  Click on this link for a full explanation of the symbols and words on the back of the dollar bill.
Dollar Bill Explained