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justement

Etymology and origin of the French word justement

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1174–1176, Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence, Vie de saint Thomas
Ultimate origin
Latin (jūstus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin iustus
French juste
French justement

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʒys.tə.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

justement[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French juste + -ment, from the adjective and the adverbial suffix.[2][3][4][1] Anglo-Norman justement (“justly, lawfully”) is recorded from 1113–19.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence's life of Thomas Becket (1174–76) uses it for “in accordance with justice”.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It meant “with precision” by 1225–50 and “legitimately” in Brunetto Latini (1265: gaignier bien et justement).[2] Froissart (about 1360) and Commynes use it for “exactly”: assiz justement entre le roy et le duc “placed exactly between the king and the duke”.[6][4] Montaigne (1580) has the modern sentence adverb marking that two facts coincide, “precisely, as it happens”, now its commonest use.[2][6][7] Classical French also used it for “just, barely” (tout justement, Madame de Sévigné).[6]

Timeline

  • 1174–1176 – “Justly”, Guernes de Pont-Sainte-Maxence.[2]
  • 1225–1250 – “With precision”.[2]
  • 1265 – “Legitimately”, Brunetto Latini.[2]
  • 1580 – “Precisely, as it happens”, Montaigne.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. precisely, exactly: c'est justement ce qu'il ne fallait pas faire.[7][1]
  2. As it happens, just then: il va venir ; justement, le voici.[7][1]
  3. (at the head of a sentence) Precisely; all the more reason: justement, ne lui dites rien !.[7]
  4. Rightly, with good reason: une œuvre justement célèbre, (rare) justly, in accordance with justice.[6][7]
  5. Accurately, aptly: on dira plus justement que….[7][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  5. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Justement.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/justement. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·