*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of just

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₂yéwos Proto-Italic *jowos Archaic Latin *iowos, *io

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
adv

Only, simply, merely. · Introduces a disappointing or surprising outcome that renders futile something previously mentioned. · Used to reduce the force of an imperative; simply. · Used to increase the force of an imperative; simply, without questioning.

adj

Factually right, correct; factual. · Rationally right, correct. · Morally right; upright, righteous, equitable; fair. · Proper, adequate.

intj

Expressing dismay or discontent.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₂yéwos Proto-Italic *jowos Archaic Latin *iowos, *iowez- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Archaic Latin -tus Archaic Latin iovestos Latin iūstus Old French justebor. Middle English juste English just From Middle English juste, from Old French juste, from Latin iūstus (“just, lawful, rightful, true, due, proper, moderate”), from Proto-Italic *jowestos, related to Latin iūs (“law, right”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-. Compare Scots juist (“just”), Saterland Frisian juust (“just”), West Frisian just (“just”), Dutch juist (“just”), German Low German jüst (“jüst”), German just (“just”), Danish just (“just”), Swedish just (“just”). Doublet of giusto.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

This page abbreviates 5 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂ey-\nProto-Indo-European *-u\nProto-Indo-European *h₂óyu\nProto-Indo-European *h₂yew-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *h₂yéwos\nProto-Italic *jowos\nArchaic Latin *iowos, *iowez-\nProto-Indo-European *-tós\nProto-Italic *-tos\nArchaic Latin -tus\nArchaic Latin iovestos\nLatin iūstus\nOld French justebor.\nMiddle English juste\nEnglish just\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*iowos, *iowez-\", \"lang_name\" : \"Archaic Latin\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"justice\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*h₂yéwos\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"justice\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"lifetime\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"life\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂ey-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"alt\" : \"*-u\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂óyu\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂yew-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"athematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*jowos\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang\" : \"itc-ala\" }, { \"id\" : \"past participle\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-tos\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Archaic Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tus\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ala\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Archaic Latin\", \"term\" : \"iovestos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"itc-ala\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"iūstus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"juste\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"juste\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"just\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"correct\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"just\" id=\"English:_correct\">"
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        "3": "juste"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French juste"
    },
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      "args": {
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        "4": "",
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    },
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        "2": "juist",
        "3": "",
        "4": "just"
      },
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    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "stq",
        "2": "juust",
        "3": "",
        "4": "just"
      },
      "expansion": "Saterland Frisian juust (“just”)"
    },
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      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fy",
        "2": "just",
        "3": "",
        "4": "just"
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      "name": "cog",
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        "1": "nl",
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        "3": "",
        "4": "just"
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        "2": "jüst",
        "3": "",
        "4": "jüst"
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    },
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      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "just",
        "3": "",
        "4": "just"
      },
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    },
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        "1": "da",
        "2": "just",
        "3": "",
        "4": "just"
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    },
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      "name": "doublet",
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      },
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    },
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    }
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      "*h₂ey-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂ey-#Proto-Indo-European:_life"
    ],
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      "*h₂óyu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂óyu#Proto-Indo-European:_lifetime"
    ],
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      "*h₂yew-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂yew-#Proto-Indo-European:_justice"
    ],
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      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_athematic"
    ],
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      "*jowos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/jowos#Proto-Italic:_justice"
    ],
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      "*-tós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tós#Proto-Indo-European:_verbal_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-tos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/-tos#Proto-Italic:_verbal_adjectives"
    ],
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    ],
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      "iovestos",
      "iovestos#Latin"
    ],
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    ],
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      "juste",
      "juste#Old_French"
    ],
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      "juste",
      "juste#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "juste",
      "juste#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "juste",
      "juste#Old_French"
    ],
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      "iūstus",
      "iustus#Latin"
    ],
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      "*jowestos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/jowestos"
    ],
    [
      "iūs",
      "ius#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*h₂yew-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂yew-"
    ],
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      "juist",
      "juist#Scots"
    ],
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      "juust",
      "juust#Saterland_Frisian"
    ],
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      "just",
      "just#West_Frisian"
    ],
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      "juist",
      "juist#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "jüst",
      "jüst#Low_German"
    ],
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      "just",
      "just#German"
    ],
    [
      "just",
      "just#Danish"
    ],
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      "just",
      "just#Swedish"
    ],
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      "giusto",
      "giusto#English"
    ]
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  "descendants": [],
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      "pos": "adv",
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        "Only, simply, merely.",
        "Introduces a disappointing or surprising outcome that renders futile something previously mentioned.",
        "Used to reduce the force of an imperative; simply.",
        "Used to increase the force of an imperative; simply, without questioning."
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

A joust, tournament.

verb

To joust, fight a tournament.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Variation of joust, presumably ultimately from Latin iuxta (“near, besides”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Derivation mentioniuxtala · near, besides
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "name": "der",
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        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "iuxta",
        "t": "near, besides"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin iuxta (“near, besides”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "joust",
      "joust"
    ],
    [
      "iuxta",
      "iuxta#Latin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
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  "lexical": [
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      "glosses": [
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for just →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
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Import run
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Permanent entry ID
w-anVzdA