associatio

Forms

associātiō f (genitive associātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin associō (“to join with, associate”) + -tiō, a noun of action from the verb.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest instance the DMLBS gives is in the customs of Dunstable, about 1115: twelve burgesses settled all pleas on oath without the association of any outsider.^[4] Köbler also finds it in the Leges Henrici Primi of about the same time.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant joining and company in general: Gerhoch of Reichersberg uses it for sharing or communicating something,^[5][2] Albertus Magnus for the union of the head with the body or of several things in one time or place,^[5] and in church usage it could mean accompanying someone, an escort.^[6] In French law it named a pariage contract; an edict of Philip IV of 1301 forbids new ones made in the king's name without his order.^[7][8] Later medieval sources from Hungary and Poland use it for adding or attaching something, for the company of good or evil people, and for support.^[9][10] British sources have it for an association of persons, a fellowship or an enlistment.^[4]

English association, first recorded in the 1530s for coming together for a common purpose, comes from it; the sense of an organized body of people followed in the 1650s, and the mental sense in the 1680s.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1115 – The customs of Dunstable use it for joining an outsider to the burgesses.^[4][2]
• before 1169 – Gerhoch of Reichersberg uses it for sharing or communication.^[5][2]
• 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it for the union of the head with the body.^[5][2]
• 1301 – An edict of Philip IV uses it for the pariage contract.^[8]
• 1530s – English association is formed from it.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) A joining, union, connection.^[5][11][10]
2. (Medieval Latin) The act of sharing, communication.^[5]
3. (Medieval Latin) Company, fellowship; an association of persons.^[4][10]
4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Accompaniment, escort.^[6][11]
5. (Medieval Latin, law) A pariage contract.^[7][8]
6. (Medieval Latin) An addition, attaching.^[9]
7. (Medieval Latin) Support, help.^[10]

Related words

• socius
• societās
• English association

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d 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 c d e f Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
9. ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
10. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
11. ^ a b Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences