Etymologically
Log in

animadversio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 19 October 2026 at 19:01. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [a.nɪ.madˈwɛr.si.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [a.ni.madˈvɛr.si.o][1]

Forms

animadversiō f (genitive animadversiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin animadvertō (“to notice; to punish”) + -tiō, formed on the participle stem.[2][1][3] The verb is animus (“mind”) with advertō (“to turn towards”), literally to turn the mind to something.[1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,[4] who in the De oratore says knowing the regions is a matter of art, attention or habit.[2] Lewis & Short note that in good prose it is most frequent in Cicero.[5]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense is paying attention or notice, often with action following;[2] Celsus uses it of medical treatment, Vitruvius of an inquiry, and Cicero of a remark in discourse.[2] From notice it turned to unfavourable notice, criticism or censure, as Cicero writes that a speaker who always used the same rhythms would not escape censure.[2] It is also punishment, as the censors' penalties in Cicero, and in an inscribed law the right to punish.[2] Church Latin has perception, observation, reproach, censure and punishment.[6] English borrowed animadversion in the 1590s for criticism or blame.[3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of attention, of censure and of the censors' penalties.[2][7][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of an inquiry.[2][4]
  • 14–37 AD – Celsus of medical treatment.[2][4]
  • 1590s – Borrowed into English as animadversion.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Attention, notice; treatment; inquiry, consideration; a remark.[2][5][1]
  2. Unfavourable notice, criticism, censure.[2][6][1]
  3. Punishment; the right to punish.[2][6][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften