Etymologically
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recuso

Etymology and origin of the Latin word recuso

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cato
Ultimate origin
Latin (causa)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈkuː.soː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈkuː.s̬o][1]

Forms

recūsō (present infinitive recūsāre, perfect active recūsāvī, supine recūsātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- and causa “cause, lawsuit” with the verb suffix -ō.[2][1][3] Priscian derives it from ⟨cūsāre⟩.[3] Virgil has a genitive plural participle ⟨recūsantum⟩.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, used absolutely, of objecting.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In law it meant to put in an objection, demur, as in Cicero, and generally to protest.[2] From Terence it meant to decline, refuse, reject, as Caesar's populī Rōmānī amīcitiam recūsāre, and with an infinitive or clause to refuse to, oppose the idea that.[2][6] Cicero also uses it of things not taking or rejecting something.[2] Döderlein explains that spernimus things to be rejected, contemnimus great and fearful things, dēspicimus things beneath us.[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to refuse, decline.[8] Through Old French recuser it gave English recuse in the late 14th century, especially of rejecting a judge as prejudiced.[9] It survives in Italian ricusare and Spanish recusar, and Old French reüsier gave French ruser.[1]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of objecting.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of refusing.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a legal objection.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English recuse is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (law) To object, demur; to protest.[2]
  2. To decline, refuse, reject.[2]
  3. To refuse to; to oppose.[2]
  4. Of things, to reject.[2]

Word family

  • recusabilis
  • recūsātiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Recuso.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/recuso. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·