auctorizo

Forms

auctōrizō (present infinitive auctōrizāre, perfect active auctōrizāvī, supine auctōrizātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin auctor (“originator, guarantor, authority”) + -izō, formed on the stem ⟨auctōr-⟩ with the verbal suffix of Greek origin.^[1] Wiktionary connects it with auctōricō.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Wiktionary dates its first appearance to 838.^[1] In the acts of a Carolingian council it is used of the emperor giving his advice and sanction, beside God's assent.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Its first meaning was to approve or sanction: a bishop or lord gives his consent and authority to an act of others.^[2][3] From this it meant to prove, or to declare something true or genuine, and in the language of the Church to declare a saint, as in Widric's Life of Gerard, where a feast is authorized by an apostolic edict.^[2][1] In law it meant to guarantee a grant against claims: a Hungarian charter of 1311 promises to defend and warrant an exchange of land.^[2][3] In charters it meant to confirm, issue or renew a document, or to grant by charter.^[2][3] Hungarian sources also use it figuratively, to give authority to something.^[3] English authorize (late 14th century) comes from French and directly from it.^[4]

The MLW records spellings with ⟨hauc-⟩, ⟨ac-⟩, ⟨oc-⟩, ⟨aut-⟩ and ⟨auth-⟩.^[2] It survived in Old French otroiier and Old Occitan autreiar, and was borrowed again by Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan as autorizar and autoritzar.^[1]

Timeline

• 838 – First recorded.^[1]
• 1311 – A Hungarian charter uses it of warranting an exchange of land.^[3]
• late 14th century – English authorize is formed from it and its French descendant.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. (Medieval Latin) To authorize, sanction, approve.^[1][2][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) To prove; to declare true or genuine, authenticate.^[1][2]
3. (Medieval Latin, Ecclesiastical Latin) To canonize, declare a saint.^[1][2]
4. (Medieval Latin, law) To warrant a grant against claims; to defend, justify.^[2][3]
5. (Medieval Latin) To confirm, ratify (a charter); to grant by charter.^[2][3][1]
6. (Medieval Latin) To give authority to.^[3]

Related words

• auctōricō
• auctōritās
• augeō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
4. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com