axioma

Forms

axiōma n (genitive axiōmatis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀξίωμα (axíōma),^[2][1][3] from ἀξιόω (axióō), from ἄξιος (áxios, “worthy”).^[1][4] The Greek word meant “that which is thought worthy or fit”, hence “authority”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Apuleius uses it in his work on Plato's teaching,^[3][5][6] and Aulus Gellius heads a chapter with the question of what the dialecticians mean by axioma and what Latin writers called it.^[7][8][6]

Semantic evolution

In Latin it remained a term of logic and philosophy, a basic proposition.^[2][3] Writers who avoided the Greek word used proloquium, pronuntiatum or profatum; a treatise on logic transmitted under Apuleius' name says that Varro called it proloquium and Cicero enuntiatum.^[3][7] Boethius uses it in his work on music.^[5]

In Medieval Latin it meant a proposition that needs no proof:^[9] Gerbert sends a correspondent such axioms about the abacus, and Albertus Magnus uses it in his philosophical works.^[9] English borrowed it through French in the late 15th century.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it in his work on Plato.^[3][5][6]
• c. 165 AD – Aulus Gellius discusses what the dialecticians call axioma.^[7][6]
• 983–997 – Gerbert, in a letter, calls rules of the abacus axiomata.^[9][6]
• late 15th century – Borrowed into English, through French, as axiom.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A fundamental proposition, an axiom.^[2][3][8]
2. (Medieval Latin) A proposition that needs no proof; a principle.^[9][1]

Related words

• axiomaticus

Usage notes

Lewis and Short note that the pure Latin words for it are proloquium, pronuntiatum and profatum.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften