stricto sensu

• sensu stricto

Learned borrowing from Latin strictō sēnsū and sēnsū strictō, both meaning the same. Various misspellings exist, such as stricto senso, strictu sensu, senso stricto and sensu strictu, which can be attributed to ignorance of the underlying Latin grammar causing analogical leveling of the endings. (The only grammatically correct alternative form is sensu stricto, which is also commonly found in English.)

stricto sensu

1. (sciences, academics) Narrowly: in the narrow sense (of a polysemic word with narrow and broad senses).

   Synonyms: strictly speaking, true; per se (sometimes proscribed)

   Coordinate term: lato sensu

   Near-synonym: technically

• sensu stricto

Unadapted borrowing from Latin strictō sēnsū (literally “in a strict/tight sense”).

stricto sensu (not comparable)

1. narrowly, in a narrow sense

   Synonym: estritamente

   Antonym: vagamente

From Latin [Term?].

stricto sensu

1. stricto sensu

• “stricto sensu”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024