juridicus

Juridicus is a Latin adjective meaning pertaining to law or legal matters. In classical and medieval Latin, the term described things connected with law, courts, or juridical procedure. In English-language scholarship it is typically encountered as a historical or etymological note rather than as a term in contemporary practice.

Etymology: Juridicus derives from the Latin noun ius, iuris (law) with the adjectival suffix -dicus. The form has gendered variants: juridicus (masculine), juridica (feminine), and juridicum (neuter). It is closely related to the English juridical, jurisdiction, and jurisprudence, all tracing back to the same Latin root.

Historical usage: The adjective appears in medieval and early modern Latin legal writing to describe legal matters, rights, or procedures. In classical Latin, it is less common, and modern scholars usually discuss juridical topics with other terms such as ius or iuris rather than the adjective itself.

Modern usage: In contemporary English, juridicus is rarely used outside linguistic, historical, or philological contexts. The ordinary terms are juridical or legal. When Latin phrases are used in law, juridicus may appear in scholarly discussion or in Latin titles, but it is not standard legal vocabulary.

See also: Jurisprudence, Ius, Jurisdiction, Juridical.