utiliter

Forms

ūtiliter (comparative ūtilius, superlative ūtilissimē)^[1] The comparative is ūtilius, the superlative ūtilissimē.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin ūtilis (“useful”) + -ter.^[2][3] ūtilis comes from ūtor (“to use”),^[4] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *oit-e/o- (“to use”); he finds attractive the view that it first meant “to fetch for oneself” and is cognate with Ancient Greek οἴσω (oísō, “I will fetch”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,^[5] who says that something was usefully given by nature.^[3] Varro has Diophanes usefully reducing a set of books to six.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It means usefully or profitably, so as to bring advantage:^[2] Horace has serving usefully, Celsus remedies given with benefit, and Tacitus has utiliter in publicum, to the public advantage.^[3] Ovid uses the comparative, Quintilian and Columella the superlative.^[3] Apuleius apparently uses it for “in one's own interest”.^[2] In the jurists it is a technical term, validly or effectively, and with regard for practical considerations.^[2][3]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro, of reducing books to a useful number.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero.^[3][5]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus, of remedies.^[3][5]
• before 212 AD – The jurists, “validly”.^[2][5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Usefully, profitably, with advantage.^[2][3][1]
2. For one's own advantage.^[2]
3. (law) Validly, effectively;^[2][3] with regard for practical considerations.^[2]

Related words

• ūtilis
• ūtilitās
• ūtor

References

1. ^ a b 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 c d e f g h i j Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b 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