ipse dixit

The story

1. Ancient Greek · calque ofαὐτὸς ἔφα
2. Latin · borrowed fromipse dīxit“he himself said it”
3. English todayipse dixit

Borrowed from Latin ipse dīxit (“he himself said it”), calque of Ancient Greek αὐτὸς ἔφα (autòs épha). Originally used by the followers of Pythagoreanism, who claimed this or that proposition to be uttered by Pythagoras himself. Extended during the Middle Ages to the statements of Aristotle, and more famously used in such contexts.

Words from the same roots