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Etymology and origin of the Latin word qua

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 450 BC, Twelve Tables
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*kʷos)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkʷaː], [ˈkʷa][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkʷaː], [ˈkʷaː][1]

Forms

quā (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is the ablative singular feminine of the relative and interrogative quī.[2][3][4] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ⟨quī⟩, from the pronominal stem Proto-Indo-European *kʷos.[4] Wiktionary compares Ancient Greek πῇ (pêi, “which way, how”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found in the Twelve Tables: quā volet iūmentō agitō, “let him drive his beast by whatever way he likes”.[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

As an interrogative quā asks “which way?” and “how?”.[2] As a relative it means “by which way, in which direction”, “where”, “to the extent that” and “in the way that, as”.[2][3][1] As an indefinite, after sī, nē and the like, it means “by any way, anywhere, in any way”.[2][1] Quā … quā means “partly … partly”.[6]

In Medieval Latin it also means “for the reason that” and “as, in the capacity of”.[7][1]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – Twelve Tables: quā volet iūmentō agitō.[2][5]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato: quā locus fērāx nōn erit, “where the ground is not fertile”.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence: quā rescīscerem?, “how was I to find out?”[2][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil: quā vīsa est Fortūna patī, “as far as Fortune seemed to allow”.[2][5]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. (interrogative) Which way?; how?[2][1]
  2. (relative) By which way, in which direction; where.[2][3][1][6]
  3. (relative) In so far as; in the way that, as.[2][1][6]
  4. (indefinite) By any way; anywhere; in any way.[2][1]
  5. quā … quā, partly … partly.[6]

Conjunction

  1. (Medieval Latin) For the reason that; as, in the capacity of.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Qua.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/qua. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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