quilibet

Forms

quīlibet m (feminine quaelibet, neuter (adj.) quodlibet, neuter (noun) quidlibet)^[1] It is also spelled quīlubet, and sometimes written as two words.^[2]

Etymology

It is from quī “who, which” and libet “it pleases”, “whom it pleases”.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

As a pronoun it meant whoever or whatever you please, anyone at all, and in Cicero, depreciatingly, anyone however unsuitable.^[2] As an adjective it meant any you like, any without distinction.^[2] Gaffiot cites quālibet nāvigāre “to sail anywhere”.^[4]

British Medieval Latin used it for whatever, whichever, any.^[5] Its neuter quodlibet “what you please” was a question for academic disputation in the medieval universities, and English took quodlibet in the late 14th century.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it depreciatingly.^[2][3]
• late 14th century – English quodlibet is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Pronoun

1. Anyone or anything you please, whatever.^[2]

Adjective

1. Any (at all).^[2]

Related words

• quī
• libet
• quīvīs
• English quodlibet

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com