Etymologically
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usualis

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [uː.suˈaː.lɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [u.s̬uˈaː.lis][1]

Forms

ūsuālis (neuter ūsuāle, adverb ūsuāliter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin ūsus (“use”) + -ālis.[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The jurist Marcianus uses it in the Digest of slaves kept for use.[4][2][5]

Semantic evolution

In Late Latin it came to mean usual or ordinary: Sidonius speaks of usualis sermo, everyday speech, and Ambrose also has it.[4][2][5] Gregory the Great calls silver for ordinary, not sacred, use usuale argentum,[5] and Cassiodorus has the adverb ūsuāliter.[4]

In medieval Latin it described money in circulation and land or goods subject to customary dues, and the neuter usuale named a rule of customary law or a right of easement.[6] English writers of the Exchequer used it of horses in use and of coins that had already circulated.[3] French usuel and English usual come from it.[7][8]

Timeline

  • 3rd century AD – Marcianus uses it in the Digest of slaves kept for use.[4][7]
  • c. 431–486 AD – Sidonius speaks of everyday speech as usualis sermo.[4][2][7]
  • c. 485–c. 580 AD – Cassiodorus uses the adverb usualiter.[4][7]
  • late 14th century – English borrows it as usual, partly through French.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. For use, in service; fit for use.[4][6][5]
  2. Usual, ordinary, customary.[4][2][6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Current, in circulation (of money).[6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Subject to customary dues.[6]
  5. (Medieval Latin, neuter as a noun) A rule of customary law; a right of easement.[6]

Word family

  • ūsuāliter

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  6. ^ a b c d e f Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com