Etymologically
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inique

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 19 October 2026 at 21:07. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪˈniː.kʷɛ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [iˈniː.kʷe][1]

Forms

inīquē (comparative inīquius, superlative inīquissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin inīquus (“unequal, unfair”) + -ē.[2][3] De Vaan lists inīquus among the derivatives of aequus (“level, fair”), which he reconstructs as Proto-Italic *aikwos but finds without a convincing etymology.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest example is in Plautus' Casina, of how unfairly someone has behaved towards Venus;[2] Köbler dates it from Terence.[3]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is unequally or unevenly: Terence's character never saw a contest more unequally matched.[2] It is also unfairly, unjustly or unreasonably, the sense in Plautus, and without equanimity, with ill humour, as when Suetonius says that Caesar bore the disfigurement of his baldness very ill.[2][1] Wiktionary adds unwillingly or reluctantly.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of acting unfairly.[2][3]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence of an unequal contest.[2][3]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius of bearing baldness ill.[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Unequally, unevenly.[2][1]
  2. Unfairly, unjustly, unreasonably.[2][1]
  3. Without equanimity, with ill humour; unwillingly.[2][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 f g h i j 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill