deliberate

/dɪˈlɪb.ər.ət/·adjective·15th century·Established

Origin

From Latin dēlīberātus (considered, resolved), from dēlīberāre (to weigh carefully), from dē- (entir‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌ely) + lībrāre (to weigh), from lībra (a balance, scales).

Definition

Done consciously and intentionally; careful and unhurried in deciding.‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌

Did you know?

The abbreviation 'lb' for pound comes from the same Latin lībra that gives us 'deliberate.' When Romans deliberated, they were literally weighing options on the same scales they used to weigh goods — the metaphor was entirely concrete.

Etymology

Latin15th centurywell-attested

From Latin dēlīberātus, past participle of dēlīberāre, meaning 'to weigh carefully' or 'to consider.' This is composed of dē- ('completely') and lībra ('a balance, scales'). The original image is of placing arguments on a set of scales to weigh them before deciding. The same root lībra gave English 'Libra' (the zodiac sign of the scales), 'equilibrium,' and the abbreviation 'lb' for pound weight. The word entered English in the 15th century through both legal and philosophical usage. Key roots: lībra (Latin: "balance, scales"), dē- (Latin: "completely, thoroughly").

Ancient Roots

lībra (Latin: “balance, scales”)dē- (Latin: “completely, thoroughly”)

This Word in Other Languages

délibéré(French)deliberado(Spanish)deliberato(Italian)

Deliberate traces back to Latin lībra, meaning "balance, scales", with related forms in Latin dē- ("completely, thoroughly"). Across languages it shares form or sense with French délibéré, Spanish deliberado and Italian deliberato, evidence of a shared etymological family.

Background

The Etymology of Deliberate

To deliberate is to weigh — and not metaphorically.‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌ Latin dēlīberāre was built from dē- ('thoroughly') and lībra ('a balance, a set of scales'), making its original sense entirely physical: to place arguments on the pans of a scale and see which side drops. The same lībra produced the zodiac sign Libra, the abbreviation 'lb' for pound, and the word 'equilibrium.' English borrowed the adjective form in the 15th century, initially in legal contexts where juries deliberated — still the most literal surviving use, as jurors weigh evidence. The verb sense ('to deliberate on a matter') and the adjective sense ('a deliberate act') entered simultaneously, though the adjective has developed a pronunciation split: /dɪˈlɪb.ər.ət/ for the adjective, /dɪˈlɪb.ər.eɪt/ for the verb.

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