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huiuscemodi

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word huiuscemodi

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (hic,modus)

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [hʊj.jʊsˈkɛ.mɔ.diː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [u.juʃˈʃɛː.mo.di][1]

Forms

huiuscemodī (indeclinable)[1] It is also spelled hūjuscemodī,[1] and has a shorter form hūiusmodī.[2][3]

Etymology

It is a phrase grown into one word, made of forms of hic “this” and modus “manner, kind”.[4][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,[4] whose De inventione says that a question is of this kind.[3]

Semantic evolution

It is of this kind or sort, such, in Cicero, Sallust, Fronto and Gellius: Sallust has words of this kind.[3][2] Wiktionary also gives an adverbial use, in this manner, thus, and a Late and Medieval Latin noun use, this sort of thing, the like.[1] Köbler records it in the Bible and in early medieval law codes.[4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a question of this kind.[3][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust of words of this kind.[2][4]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it.[3][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of this kind or sort, such (indeclinable).[3][2][1]

Adverb

  1. In this manner, thus.[1]

Noun

  1. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin) This sort of thing, the like.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Huiuscemodi.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/huiuscemodi. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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