Pronunciation
Forms
iūdiciārius (feminine iūdiciāria, neuter iūdiciārium); first/second-declension adjective[1]
Etymology
It is from Latin iūdicium (“judgement, court”) + -ārius.[2][1][3] ⟨iūdicium⟩ is from iūdex (“judge”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *jowes-dik- (“judge”), from iūs (“law”) and the root of dīcō (“to say”).[3][4]
Earliest recorded meaning
Its earliest source is Cicero, with lēx iūdiciāria.[5][6] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]
Semantic evolution
It meant of or relating to the law courts or juries, judiciary, as in Cicero's lēx iūdiciāria and quaestus iūdiciārius “profit from the courts”, and Suetonius.[2][6][7]
In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant judiciary.[8] Medieval Latin used it for of legal proceedings, and vir iūdiciārius for a lawyer.[9][5] British Medieval Latin also used it of an ordeal by water or iron, or by combat.[10] English judiciary (early 15th century, “relating to courts”) is from it.[3]
Timeline
- 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[6][5]
- c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it.[7][5]
- early 15th century – English judiciary is recorded.[3]
Meanings
Adjective
- Of the law courts or juries, judiciary.[2][6]
- (Medieval Latin) Of legal proceedings; of an ordeal.[9][10]
Related words
References
- ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
- ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
- ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
- ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
- ^ a b 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
“Iudiciarius.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/iudiciarius. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.
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