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Permanent link for this word: de jure

Feb 24, 2010

This week's theme
Latin terms in English

This week's words
locum
ex cathedra
de jure
ad hominem
caveat

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

de jure

PRONUNCIATION:

(di JOOR-ee, day JOOR-ay, day YOO-ray, day JYOO-ray)

MEANING:

adverb: By right; by law.
adjective: Rightful.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin de jure (from the law). Ultimately from the Indo-European root yewes- (law) that is also the source of jury, judge, just, injury, perjury, and conjure. The complement of de jure is de facto meaning "in practice".

USAGE:

"Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights and justice for America's black victims of de jure and de facto discrimination."
Bill Maxwell; To Honor King, Live Up to Him; St. Petersburg Times (Florida); Jan 17, 2010.

See more usage examples of de jure in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

For money you can have everything it is said. No, that is not true. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge but not intelligence; glitter, but not comfort; fun, but not pleasure; acquaintances, but not friendship; servants, but not faithfulness; grey hair, but not honor; quiet days, but not peace. The shell of all things you can get for money. But not the kernel. That cannot be had for money. -Arne Garborg, writer (1851-1924)

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