Latin

Adjective

inīquus m ‎(feminine inīqua, neuter inīquum); first/second declension

1. unjust, unfair
   • 100 BCE – 44 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 1.44

     Si iterum experiri velint, se iterum paratum esse decertare; si pace uti velint, iniquum esse de stipendio recusare, quod sua voluntate ad id tempus pependerint.

     If they chose to make a second trial, he was ready to encounter them again; but if they chose to enjoy peace, it was unfair to refuse the tribute, which of their own free-will they had paid up to that time.

2. uneven
3. unfavourable, disadvantageous
4. unkind, hostile
5. unsuitable

Inflection

First/second declension.

• comparative: inīquior, superlative: inīquissimus

Descendants

• French: inique
• Italian: iniquo
• Spanish: inicuo, inicua

References

• iniquus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• iniquus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• INIQUUS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “iniquus”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • friend and foe: aequi iniqui
    
  • in a favourable position: idoneo, aequo, suo (opp. iniquo) loco