Etymologically
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utique

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ʊˈtiː.kʷɛ][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [uˈtiː.kʷe][1]

Forms

utique (not comparable)[1] An inscription of 111 BC spells it uteique.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin utī (“how, as”) + -que (“and”).[2][1] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ut, which he traces to Proto-Italic *kʷutV(s) (“how”) and the stem Proto-Indo-European *kʷu- (“where, how”), cognate with Oscan puz (“that”) and Umbrian puze (“as”).[4] Lewis & Short explain the sense as first “in whatever way, be it as it may”, which became a particle of emphasis and restriction.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it from Varro on; the OLD's first citation is Varro's Res rusticae, “it must be said by all means that Italy was better suited to farming”.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

Utīque insists that something holds whatever the case: absolutely, at all costs, and with instructions “without fail” (Cicero: utīque cum tuīs apud mē sīs, “be sure to stay with me with your people”), after a negative “on any account” (Livy).[2] It also means “without doubt, certainly”, “inevitably, necessarily” (Seneca), “in any case, at least” (Cicero: if not before, then at least when Brutus comes), and “particularly, especially” (Livy).[2][5] In Livy it marks something as expressly meant, and in Apuleius it sharpens a question, “exactly”.[2]

Church Latin glosses it “indeed, doubtless, surely, certainly, yes”.[6] In medieval Latin it means “of course, no doubt” and also “that is, namely”.[7]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro: dīcendum utīque.[2][4][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of instructions to be followed without fail.[2][3]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy in the senses “especially” and “expressly”.[2][3]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca in the sense “necessarily”.[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Absolutely, at all costs; without fail;[2][1] (after a negative) on any account.[2][1]
  2. Without doubt, certainly.[2][5][6]
  3. Inevitably, necessarily.[2]
  4. In any case, at least.[2][1]
  5. Particularly, especially.[2][1][5]
  6. Expressly; exactly.[2]
  7. (Medieval Latin) Of course; that is, namely.[7]

Usage notes

Lewis & Short also list utī-que as two words, “and that”, the conjunction ut with -que.[5]

References

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