iuste

Forms

iūstē (comparative iūstius, superlative iūstissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin iūstus (“just, lawful”) + -ē.^[2][1] De Vaan derives iūstus from iūs (“law, right”), whose old form is seen in the Forum inscription's ⟨iouestod⟩, and traces iūs to an s-stem Proto-Italic *jowos.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest example is in the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of deeds done with the best of reasons.^[2][4] Köbler gives Cicero as its first author.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It means in accordance with the law, as Cicero speaks of accusing someone lawfully and dutifully, and in accordance with justice, rightfully or deservedly.^[2] It is also justifiably, with good reason, and in a spirit of justice, uprightly, as when Cicero asks whether living justly is useful.^[2][5] Gellius uses it of the full prescribed term, of babies carried the full time in the womb.^[2]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium of deeds rightly done.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero of lawful accusation and of just living.^[2][4]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius of the full term of pregnancy.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Lawfully, legitimately.^[2]
2. Rightfully, deservedly; with good reason.^[2]
3. Justly, uprightly.^[2][1]
4. Fully, to the prescribed extent.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press