Etymologically
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aequabilitas

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 23:48. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ae̯.kʷaːˈbɪ.lɪ.taːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [e.kʷaˈbiː.li.tas][1]

Forms

aequābilitās f (genitive aequābilitātis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin aequābilis (“equal, uniform”) + -tās, from aequō (“to make level”), from aequus (“even, level”).[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero.[2][3] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant uniformity, evenness, equability, as in Cicero's aequābilitās in omnī vītā “consistency in the whole of life”; in grammar, analogy, correspondence, as in Varro; equity, fairness; and equality of status, as in Cicero.[2][4] English equability (1530s) is from it.[5]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it in grammar.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of uniformity and fairness.[2][3]
  • 1530s – English equability is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Uniformity, evenness, equability.[2]
  2. (grammar) Analogy, correspondence.[2]
  3. Equity, fairness.[2]
  4. Equality of status.[2]

Word family

  • inaequābilitās

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com