justice
UK[ˈdʒʌstɪs]US[ˈdʒʌstɪs]
n
The fair treatment of people and the administration of the law.
n
The quality of being fair and reasonable.
n
A judge in a court of law.
Morpheme Breakdown
just
ice
just
fair, lawful
ice
state, quality
Etymology
The word 'justice' entered English in the 12th century from Old French justise, which itself evolved from Latin iustitia, meaning 'righteousness, equity'. This Latin noun was formed from the adjective iustus ('just, lawful'), a derivative of ius ('law, right'). The core concept of ius in ancient Roman society pertained to sacred formulas and binding rules, foundational to social order. Thus, the etymological journey traces a path from concrete legal formulas (ius) to the abstract quality of fairness (iustus) and finally to the institutionalized principle and administration of fairness (iustitia > justice).
Analysis
Structure: just (fair, lawful) + ice (state, quality)
- just: From Latin iustus (just, lawful), via Old French. Functions as the core adjective root meaning 'fair'.
- ice: From Latin -itia, a suffix forming abstract nouns denoting state or quality, via Old French -ice. Functions as a noun-forming suffix.
Examples
The victims are seeking justice for the crimes committed against them.
There are serious doubts about the justice of the court's decision.
The presiding justice asked the jury to consider the evidence carefully.