Etymologically

aequaliter

Etymology and origin of the Latin word aequaliter

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (aequus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin aequus
Latin aequiter
Latin aequalis
English equal
Latin aequaliter
Latin aeque
Latin aequo

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ae̯ˈkʷaː.lɪ.tɛr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈkʷaː.li.ter][1]

Forms

aequāliter (comparative aequālius, superlative aequālissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin aequālis (“equal, even”) + -ter, an adverb; ⟨aequālis⟩ is from aequus (“even, level”).[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, who has frūmentum aequāliter distribūtum “corn distributed in equal shares”.[3][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant to an equal extent, on a basis of equality, equally, and alike, impartially, as in Cicero and Livy; and uniformly, evenly, regularly, as in Cicero, Vitruvius and Caesar; in Tacitus also steadily, consistently.[2]

British Medieval Latin used it for equally, evenly, as in Bede.[5]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[2][3]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of steadfastness.[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. To an equal extent, equally; alike, impartially.[2]
  2. Uniformly, evenly, regularly.[2]
  3. Steadily, consistently.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Aequaliter.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/aequaliter. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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