invicem

Latin

Alternative forms

• in vicem
• in vices
• inque vicem (tmetic)
• inque vices (tmetic)

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈin.u̯i.kem/, [ˈɪnu̯ɪkɛ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈin.vi.t͡ʃem/, [ˈiɱvit͡ʃem]

Etymology 1

in +‎ vicem (accusative singular form of vicis)

Adverb

invicem (not comparable)

1. in or by turns; alternately
   • c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 4.1:

     Reliqui, qui domi manserunt, se atque illos alunt. Hi rursus invicem anno post in armis sunt, illi domi remanent.

     (After warriors are conscripted among the fierce Suebi...) The rest remain at home, feeding themselves and the others (who are fighting). Then, again and again in turns, they take arms after a year while the others remain at home.

2. (Silver Latin, Late Latin) mutually, each other, reciprocally, one another
   • c. 98 CE, Tacitus, Agricola 6:

     Vixeruntque mira concordia, per mutuam caritatem et invicem se anteponendo.

     They [my father-in-law Gn. Julius Agricola and his wife Domitia Decidiana] lived with outstanding harmony, by holding mutual affection and putting each other first.

   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Ioannes 15:12:

     Hoc est praeceptum meum: ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos.

     (Jesus speaking to his apostles) This is my commandment: love each other as I have loved you.

Usage notes

This word is attested in Plautus and Golden Latin authors (e.g. Livy) in the sense of 'each other, mutually', but very rarely. This usage becomes common in Silver Latin and afterwards.

Synonyms

• (each other, mutually): alii alios, (late antiquity) ad invicem

Etymology 2

From a reinterpretation of the adverb invicem as an accusative-case form.

Pronoun

invicem

1. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin, undeclinable) each other
   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Lucas 2:15:

     Et factum est ut discesserunt ab eis angeli in caelum pastores loquebantur ad invicem, "transeamus usque Bethleem..."

     And it came to pass, when the angels left them to go back to Heaven, that the shepherds stayed saying to each other, "let's cross over and go to Bethlehem..."

   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Iacobus 5:16:

     Confitemini ergo alterutrum peccata vestra et orate pro invicem ut salvemini. Multum enim valet deprecatio iusti adsidua.

     Confess, therefore, your sins to another among you, and pray for each other to receive salvation. The constant prayer of the just is of great worth.

   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Ad Thessalonicenses 3:12:

     Vos autem Dominus multiplicet et abundare faciat caritatem in invicem et in omnes quemadmodum et nos in vobis.

     May God make you grow in number, and may He make your love for each other and for all abound, just as our love for you.

   • ca. 731, Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.92:

     At illi nil horum se facturos, neque illum pro archiepiscopo habituros esse respondebant, conferentes ad invicem quia "si modo nobis adsurgere noluit, quanto magis, si ei subdi coeperimus, jam nos pro nihilo contemnet".

     But they [seven visiting British bishops] replied they were not going to do any of this, nor were they going to recognize him [Augustine of Canterbury] as their archbishop, saying to each other, "if he hasn't given in [to our demands] now, imagine how much he'd scorn us as nothing if we were to comply [with his demands]".

   • c. 1140 – c. 1212, Adam of Dryburgh, Sermones 30, in die Sancti Stephani.16:

     Coelestem illam ad quam aspiramus felicitatem triplicem esse invenio, dum apud me quaero, quid erimus in nobis, quid in te Deo nostro, quid simul omnes in invicem. Et invenio nos in nobis potentes, et in te sapientes, et in invicem amantes: omnia poterimus sine ulla debilitate, omnia sentiemus sine ullo errore, et invicem plene diligemus sine ulla offensione.

     I find that the great celestial fortune to which we aspire is threefold when I wonder what we will be, what we will be to You, our Lord, and what we will be to each other at the same time. And I foresee us as powerful, wise due to You, and affectionate towards each other: we'll be able to do everything without growing weak, think about everything without error, and love reciprocally in full without ever causing offence.

   • 1539, Martin Luther, Letters No. 1892, to Eberhard Brisger, then Parson in Altenburg:

     Sic est voluntas Dei, de qua neque disputandum neque dubitandum. In Domino bene vale cum tuis omnibus, et oremus pro invicem.

     Thus is the will of God, which one must never dispute or doubt. Stay strong in the Lord with your people, and let us pray for each other.

References

• “invĭcem”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “invicem”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• invĭcĕm in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette, page 853/1.
• “inuicem” on page 959 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)