libet

Latin

Etymology 1

From Proto-Italic *luβēt, from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-. Cognate with English love, German lieben, Liebe.

The unrounding of [u] to [i] is a regular sound change between /l/ and a labial consonant; see also līber (“free”), liber (“book”), and clipeus.

Alternative forms

• lubet

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈli.bet/, [ˈlʲɪbɛt̪]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈli.bet/, [ˈliːbet̪]

Verb

libet (present infinitive libēre, perfect active libuit or libitum est); second conjugation, no passive

1. (with dative) it is pleasing; it is agreeable.
   • 254-184 B.C.E., Plautus, Asinaria

     Dīc quod libet. — "Say what you will." (literally: "Say what is pleasing.")

Usage notes

Designates pleasure in something desired, while placeō in something recognised as right.

Conjugation

Conjugation of libet (second conjugation, mostly impersonal, active only)
indicative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	—	libet	—	—	—
	imperfect	—	—	libēbat	—	—	—
	future	—	—	libēbit	—	—	—
	perfect	—	—	libuit, libitum est	—	—	—
	pluperfect	—	—	libuerat, libitum erat	—	—	—
	future perfect	—	—	libuerit, libitum erit	—	—	—
subjunctive		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	—	libeat	—	—	—
	imperfect	—	—	libēret	—	—	—
	perfect	—	—	libuerit, libitum sit	—	—	—
	pluperfect	—	—	libuisset, libitum esset	—	—	libuissent
non-finite forms		active			passive
		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		libēre	libuisse, libitum esse	—	—	—	—
participles		libēns	libitum	—	—	—	—

Derived terms

• libēns
• libenter
• quīlibet
• quōlibet

Descendants

• English: quodlibet

Etymology 2

Inflected form of lībō (“taste, sip”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈliː.bet/, [ˈlʲiːbɛt̪]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈli.bet/, [ˈliːbet̪]

Verb

(deprecated template usage) lībet

1. third-person singular present active subjunctive of lībō

References

• “libet”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “libet”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• libet in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

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Norman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

libet m (plural libets)

1. (Jersey, fishing) hoop net