Etymologically
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actio

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈaːk.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈak.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

āctiō f (genitive āctiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin agō (“to drive, do”) + -tiō.[2][1] The verb agō is inherited from Proto-Italic *ag-e/o- (“to do, act”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-e/o- (“to drive, lead”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Varro.[3] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant activity, doing, the conduct of life (āctiō vītae), and grātiārum āctiō was the giving of thanks.[2] From this it was an act or deed, a proposal or policy, and the delivery of an orator, which Cicero says must be varied and full of feeling.[2] It also meant a speech, and in law a legal process or suit and the plea in its set form.[2] In drama it was the action or plot.[1]

In medieval Latin it was a lawsuit, judicial revenue, a session of a synod and a public office.[5] It was borrowed into Italian azione and French action, and English action first meant “cause for a lawsuit” in the mid-14th century.[1][6]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses the word.[3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of an orator's delivery and of lawsuits.[2][4]
  • Middle Ages – It is used of a session of a synod.[5]
  • mid-14th century – English action “cause for a lawsuit” is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Activity, action, doing, grātiārum āctiō, giving of thanks.[2]
  2. An act, deed.[2]
  3. A proposal; a course of action, policy.[2]
  4. (rhetoric) Delivery.[2]
  5. A speech.[2]
  6. (law) A lawsuit; a plea in set form.[2]
  7. (drama) The plot.[1]
  8. (Medieval Latin) A session of a synod; a public office.[5]

Word family

  • actiuncula

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com