iniustitia Latin · revision 34522

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''iniūstitia''' ''f'' (genitive iniūstitiae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|iniūstus|-ia|t1=unjust]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) The adjective is a compound of [[m|la|in-|t=not]] and [[m|la|iūstus|t=just]],^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary) which de Vaan explains as a derivative of [[m|la|iūs#2|t=law]], tracing the noun to an s-stem going back to [[ine-pro|*h₂oi-u|t=vital force, eternity]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it once in Plautus,^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010) who in the ''Mercator'' speaks of the “faithlessness and injustice of pimps” (''perfidiam, iniustitiam lenonum'').^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Terence uses it twice, once of a man's harshness, which the TLL glosses as inhumanity.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero has it often in his philosophical works and calls it the opposite of [[iustitia|alt=iūstitia]], justice; in the ''De officiis'' he distinguishes two kinds of injustice.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) After the comic poets it no longer appears in poetry.^(TLL) From Tertullian on it is frequent, especially in the scriptures and church writers, although Jerome preferred [[iniquitas|alt=inīquitās]] in his translations;^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lactantius has the plural, “injustices”.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Ecclesiastical Latin it means injustice, sin or iniquity,^(Stelten 1995) and in medieval Latin also a wrong or prejudice done to someone, and an act of violence.^(Niermeyer 1976) Through Old French it gave English ''injustice'' in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of the injustice of pimps.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a man's harshness.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero defines it as the opposite of justice.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it in biblical quotations.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Medieval Latin – It means a wrong done to someone, or an assault.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ * late 14th century – English borrows ''injustice'' through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Unjust behaviour, [[m|en|unfairness]], [[m|en|injustice]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Harshness, severity.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' [[m|en|sin|alt=Sin]], [[m|en|iniquity]].^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A wrong, [[m|en|prejudice]]; an act of violence, [[m|en|assault]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[iniuria|alt=iniūria]]

+ * [[en|injustice]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}