iniquus Latin · revision 17975

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la aequus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɪˈniː.kʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iˈniː.kʷus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''inīquus''' (feminine inīqua, neuter inīquum, comparative inīquior, superlative inīquissimus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ It is often written ''inīcus'', which manuscripts confuse with ''inimīcus''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|in-|aequus|t1=not|t2=level, equal, fair]], with the vowel weakened.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) [[m|la|aequus]] (Old Latin ⟨aiquom⟩) is probably from ⟨*aikwos⟩, but de Vaan finds no convincing etymology for it.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) but the OLD cites Plautus: ''illī inīquī iūs ignōrant'', “those unfair men know nothing of justice”, and women live ''lēge … inīquiōre … quam virī'', “under a harsher law than men”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Inīquus'' is first “uneven, rough” of ground (Caesar: ''subīre inīquissimum locum'', “to climb a very steep place”), “unequal”, “excessive” or “too small”, and of a contest “ill-matched” (Cicero: ''haec est inīqua certātiō'').^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Of laws and actions it is “unfair, harsh” (of false weights, exorbitant interest, unjust charges), and of persons “prejudiced, hostile”; as a noun ''inīquus'' is an ill-wisher, an enemy.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Circumstances, positions, winds and seas that work against someone are ''inīqua'', “unfavourable, adverse”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''Inīquō animō'' is “with resentment, discontentedly”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “unjust, wicked, godless”, and as a noun “evildoer”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''illī inīquī iūs ignōrant''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence: ''nē istuc tam inīquō patiāre animō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''haec est inīqua certātiō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of steep ground.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Uneven, rough, steep (of ground).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Unequal; excessive; too small.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Ill-matched; one-sided.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|unfair]], [[m|en|unjust]], harsh.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Prejudiced, hostile.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Unfavourable, [[m|en|adverse]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''inīquō animō'': discontentedly, with resentment.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Wicked, godless.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An ill-wisher, enemy;^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995) ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' an evildoer.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inīquitās]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[aequus]]

+ * [[inimīcus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}