annuitas

Forms

annuitās f (genitive annuitātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin annuus (“yearly”) + -tās.^[1] Etymonline traces it to annus (“year”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Medieval Latin word:^[1][3] Köbler dates its first record to about 1350, after Latham,^[3] and the DMLBS has it from about 1400 for an annual payment, in a York record of a man without a chantry, annuity or other church benefice.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In British records it meant a yearly sum granted to someone for life or for a term, often beside annualis redditus “yearly rent”;^[4][5] Du Cange, after Cowell, defines it as a yearly income granted to someone without burdening a freehold.^[5] It could also mean an anniversary service.^[4] Wiktionary adds the sense of being annual.^[1]

English borrowed the word in the 15th century, from Anglo-French or Old French or directly from Medieval Latin.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1350 – First record of the word, according to Köbler.^[3]
• c. 1400 – A York record names an annuitas beside a chantry and a benefice.^[4]
• 1404 – A Scottish record mentions the grant of an annuity of 40 pounds.^[4]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as annuity.^[2]
• 1547 – A Glamorgan charter pairs it with annualis redditus.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) An annuity, a yearly payment or allowance.^[4][1][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) An anniversary service.^[4]
3. (Medieval Latin, New Latin) The quality of being annual.^[1]

Related words

• annuus
• annus
• English annuity

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre