- ubi
- "place, location, position," 1614, common in Eng. c.1640-1740. from L. ubi "where," ult. from PIE *kwo-bhi- (cf. Skt. kuha, O.C.S. kude "where"), locative case of pronomial base *kwo-. Ubi sunt, lit. "where are" (1914), in ref. to lamentations for the mutability of things is from a phrase used in certain M.L. Christian works.
- ubiquitous
- "turning up everywhere," 1837, from ubiquity + -ous. The earlier word was ubiquitary (1580s), from Mod.L. ubiquitarius, from ubique. Related: Ubiquitously.
- ubiquity
- 1579, from M.Fr. ubiquité (17c.), from L. ubique "everywhere," from ubi "where" (see ubi) + que "any, also, ever," a suffix that can give universal meaning to the word it is attached to. Originally a Lutheran theological position maintaining the omnipresence of Christ. Ubiquitous in the sense of "turning up everywhere" is first recorded 1837, originally a jocular extension of the theological word.
- Anubis
- jackal-headed god of Egyptian religion, from Gk. Anoubis, from Egyptian Anpu.
- bilirubin
- "reddish pigment found in bile," 1871, from Ger. bilirubin (1864), from bili- (see bile) + L. ruber "red" (see red).
- concubinage
- late 14c., from Fr. concubinage, from concubin, from L. concubina (see concubine).
- concubine
- c.1300, from L. concubina (fem.), from concumbere "to lie with," from com- "with" + cubare "to lie down." Recognized by law among polygamous peoples as "a secondary wife."
- connubial
- 1650s, from L. conubialis, from conubium "marriage," from com- "together" + nubere "to wed" (see nubile).
- cubic
- 1550s, from Fr. cubique (14c.), from L. cubicus, from Gk. kubikos, from kubos "cube" (see cube). Related: Cubical (1570s).
- cubicle
- late 15c., from L. cubiculum "bedroom," from cubare "to lie down," originally "bend oneself," from PIE base *keu(b)- "to bend, turn." Obsolete from 16c., but revived 19c. for "dormitory sleeping compartment," sense of "any partitioned space" (such as a library carrel) is first recorded 1926.
- cubism
- 1911, from Fr. cubisme, from cube (see cube), said to have been coined at the 1908 Salon des Indépendants in ref. to a work by Georges Braque.
- cubit
- early 14c., from L. cubitum "the elbow," ancient unit of measure based on the forearm from elbow to fingertip, usually from 18 to 22 inches. Such a measure, known by a word meaning "forearm" or the like, was known to many peoples (e.g. Gk. pekhys, Heb. ammah).
- decubitus
- 1866, Mod.L., from decumbere "to lie down."
- dubiety
- c.1750, from L.L. dubietas, from dubius (see dubious).
- dubious
- 1540s, from L. dubiosus "doubtful," from dubium "doubt," neuter of dubius "doubtful," from duo "two," in the sense of "of two minds, undecided between two things." O.E. also used tweo "two" to mean "doubt." Related: Dubiously.
- indubitable
- 1625, from L. indubitabilis "that cannot be doubted," from in- "not" + dubitabilis "doubtful," from dubitare "hesitate, doubt" (see doubt).
- jubilant
- 1667, from L. jubilantem (nom. jubilans), prp. of jubilare "to call to someone," in Christian writers, "to shout for joy," related to jubilum "wild shout." First attested in Milton. Jubilation is much older in Eng. (1388), from O.Fr. jubilacion, from L. jubilationem (nom. jubilatio), from jubilare.
- jubilee
- 1382, from O.Fr. jubilé, from L.L. jubilæus "the jubilee year," originally an adj., "of the jubilee," altered (by association with L. jubilare "to shout with joy") from Gk. iabelaios, from iobelos, from Heb. yobhel "jubilee," formerly "a trumpet, ram's horn," lit. "ram." The original notion was of a year of emancipation of slaves and restoration of lands, to be celebrated every 50th year (Levit. xxv.9); it was proclaimed by the sounding of a ram's horn on the Day of Atonement. The Catholic Church sense of "a period for remission of sin penalties in exchange for pilgrimages, alms, etc." was begun in 1300 by Boniface VIII. The general sense of "season of rejoicing" is first recorded 1592, though through early 20c. the word kept its specific association with 50th anniversaries. As a type of African-American folk song, it is attested from 1872.
- nubile
- 1640s, "marriageable" (said of a woman), from Fr. nubile, from L. nubilis "marriageable," from stem of nubere "take as husband." First used 1973 in sense of "young and sexually attractive."
- obnubilate (v.)
- 1580s, from L. obnibulat-, pp. stem of obnubilare "to cover with clouds or fog."
- pubic
- 1831, from pubis "bone of the groin" (1597), short for L. pubis os, from L. pubes (gen. pubis) "pubic hair," from L. pubes "genital area, groin," related to pubes "full-grown" (see puberty). For "pubic hair," pubes is attested from 1570.
- Rubicon
- in phrase "to cross (or "pass") the Rubicon "take a decisive step," 1626, in ref. to small stream to the Adriatic on the coast of northern Italy, which in ancient times formed part of the southern boundary of Cisalpine Gaul; crossed by Caesar Jan. 10, 49 B.C.E., when he left his province to attack Pompey. The name is from L. rubicundus "ruddy," in ref. to the color of the soil on its banks.
- Rubik's Cube
- 1980, named for teacher Ernö Rubik, who patented it in Hungary in 1975.