English

Alternative forms

• sc.

Adverb

scilicet ‎(not comparable)

1. namely, to wit, as follows

Latin

Alternative forms

• scīre licet (frequent in the writings of Lucretius)

Etymology

A contraction from sciō ‎(“know”) + licet ‎(“it is permitted”). Literally “it is permitted to know.” Compare īlicet and vidēlicet.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈskiliket/, /ˈskiːliket/

Adverb

scīlicet ‎(not comparable)

1. of course, naturally, namely; to wit, evidently, certainly, undoubtedly

   Optime. Ita scilicet facturam.‎

   Very good. Of course she will do so.

   Tam ego homo sum quam tu. — Scilicet. Ita res est.‎

   Nevertheless, I am a man as much as you are. — Of course. So it is.

   A te litteras exspectabam. — Nondum scilicet; nam has mane rescribebam.‎

   I had been expecting letters from you. — Not yet naturally; for I wrote them back in reply in the morning.

   Nota scilicet illa res.‎

   That event is surely well known.

   Comites secuti scilicet sunt virginem?‎

   The associates followed the maiden of course?

2. that is to say (medieval)

Usage notes

• The adverb scilicet is often followed by sed and tamen.

  Cognoscat (orator) rerum gestarum et memoriae veteris ordinem, maxime scilicet nostrae civitatis, sed etiam imperiosorum populorum et regum illustrium.‎

  The orator knows the row of achievements and the old man's memory, (and) of course, (knows) certainly the row of our citizenship, but also of the mighty peoples and the bright kings.

  Scilicet nimis hic quidem est progressus, sed ex eo ipso est conjectura facilis.‎

  Of course very much here is at least progress, but from it self is the easy conjecture.

  Maxime scilicet in homine, sed in omni animali.‎

  Naturally most in men, but in every animal.

Related terms

• licet
• sciō

Descendants

• English: sc., scilicet, ss.

See also

• nempe
• nīmīrum

References

• scilicet in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• scilicet in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “scilicet”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• scilicet in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, pre-publication website, 2005-2016