libet

Latin

Etymology 1

From lubet, from Proto-Italic *luβēt, from Proto-Indo-European stative *lubʰ-eh₁-(ye)-ti, from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“to love, care for, desire”). Cognate with English love, lief, German lieben, Liebe, Russian любить (ljubitʹ), Sanskrit लुभ्यति (lubhyati).

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): [ˈlɪ.bɛt]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈliː.bet̪]

Verb

libet (present infinitive libēre, perfect active libuit or libitus est, supine libitum); second conjugation, impersonal, optionally semi-deponent, no future active participle, no gerund

1. (with dative) to be pleasing; to be 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, impersonal, optionally semi-deponent, no future active participle, no gerund)

indicative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	—		—		libet		—		—		—
	imperfect	—		—		libēbat		—		—		—
	future	—		—		libēbit		—		—		—
	perfect	—		—		libuit, libitus est		—		—		—
	pluperfect	—		—		libuerat, libitus erat		—		—		—
	future perfect	—		—		libuerit, libitus erit		—		—		—
subjunctive		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	—		—		libeat		—		—		—
	imperfect	—		—		libēret		—		—		—
	perfect	—		—		libuerit, libitus sit		—		—		—
	pluperfect	—		—		libuisset, libitus esset		—		—		—
imperative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	future	—		—		libētō		—		—		—
non-finite forms		infinitive						participle
		active			passive			active			passive
present		libēre			—			libēns			—
future		libitum īre			—			—			—
perfect		libuisse, libitum esse			—			libitus			—
future perfect		libitum fore			—			—			—
verbal nouns		gerund								supine
		genitive		dative		accusative		ablative		accusative		ablative
		—		—		—		—		libitum		libitū

Derived terms

• libēns
• libenter
• quīlibet
• quōlibet

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈliː.bɛt]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈliː.bet̪]

Verb

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.

Maltese

Root
l-b-t
4 terms

Etymology

From Arabic لَبَثَ (labaṯa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪ.bɛt/

Verb

libet (imperfect jilbet, past participle milbut, active participle liebet, verbal noun lbit)

1. to shrink, draw back, cower fearfully (as in a corner)
2. to flee, run away (as of an animal with a flight instinct)

Conjugation

Conjugation of libet

positive forms
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	lbitt	lbitt	libet	lbitna	lbittu	libtu
	f			libtet
imperfect	m	nilbet	tilbet	jilbet	nilbtu	tilbtu	jilbtu
	f			tilbet
imperative			ilbet			ilbtu
negative forms
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	lbittx	lbittx	libet	lbitniex	lbittux	libtux
	f			libtitx
imperfect	m	nilbitx	tilbitx	jilbitx	nilbtux	tilbtux	jilbtux
	f			tilbitx
imperative			tilbitx			tilbtux

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