Meanings
alternative sensu stricto
- academicssciencesNarrowly: in the narrow sense (of a polysemic word with narrow and broad senses).
Near-synonym: technically
1 more example
Although we cannot use the difference between the nominal natural and observed yield curves as a measure of the monetary policy stance stricto sensu (since this would require an estimate of the real natural yield curve), extending the concept of the natural rate to the entire yield curve provides a useful benchmark for whether, at each point in time, the actual nominal natural yield curve is close to its estimated long-run level or whether one would expect adjustments towards it over time.
2025 December 3, Claus Brand, Gavin Goy, Wolfgang Lemke, “Estimating the natural rate of interest in a macro-finance yield curve model”, in ECB Working Paper Series, number 3160, page 11Synonyms: strictly speaking, true, per se, technically
Synonyms & antonyms
phraseNarrowly: in the narrow sense (of a polysemic word with narrow and broad senses).
Origin
- Latinstrictō sēnsū
- Englishstricto sensu
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.)
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch in enge zin, stricto sensu
- in enge zinin the strict sense — see also technically
- stricto sensuin the strict sense — see also technically
Finnish suppeassa merkityksessä
- suppeassa merkityksessäin the strict sense — see also technically
French au sens strict, techniquement
- au sens strictin the strict sense — see also technically
- techniquementin the strict sense — see also technically
German im engeren Sinne (i. e. S.), stricto sensu
- im engeren Sinne (i. e. S.)in the strict sense — see also technically
- stricto sensuin the strict sense — see also technically
Italian in senso stretto, a rigor di termini
- in senso strettoin the strict sense — see also technically
- a rigor di terminiin the strict sense — see also technically
Latin sensu stricto
- sensu strictoin the strict sense — see also technically
Polish sensu stricto, ściśle mówiąc
- sensu strictoin the strict sense — see also technically
- ściśle mówiącin the strict sense — see also technically
Portuguese stricto sensu
- stricto sensuin the strict sense — see also technically
Romanian stricto sensu
- stricto sensuin the strict sense — see also technically
Russian стро́го говоря́
- стро́го говоря́ (strógo govorjá)in the strict sense — see also technically
Cite this entry
stricto sensu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stricto%20sensu
“stricto sensu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stricto%20sensu. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stricto sensu,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stricto%20sensu.
Source: stricto sensu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.