stricto sensu

• sensu stricto

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. In the narrow sense; narrowly.

• lato sensu, sensu lato

• sensu stricto

From Latin sēnsus (“sense”) and strictus (“tight, close”) in the ablative case.

• IPA^(key): /stʁik.to sɛn.sy/, /stʁik.to sɑ̃.sy/

stricto sensu

1. In the narrow sense; narrowly

   Synonym: au sens strict

   Antonyms: sensu lato, au sens large

• “stricto sensu”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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