collectio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔlˈleːk.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kolˈlɛk.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

collēctiō f (genitive collēctiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from colligō “to gather together”, through its participle ⟨collēctus⟩, with the suffix -tiō, and is also spelled ⟨conlēctiō⟩.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cicero, of gathering, as his conlēctiō membrōrum of the scattered limbs of Absyrtus.^[2][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a bringing together, collecting, accumulation, as Cicero's gathering of Absyrtus' limbs and Petronius' collēctiō spīritūs “drawing of breath”.^[2][3] In Seneca's medicine it meant a gathering, an abscess.^[2] In rhetoric it meant a recapitulation, as in the Rhetorica ad Herennium, and in Seneca an inference, syllogism.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant collection, summary.^[6] Medieval Latin used it of a meeting, a congregation, and the collect, the first prayer of the Mass.^[7] English collection came in the late 14th century through Old French.^[8] Old French cueillaison “gathering” is an inherited descendant.^[1]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of recapitulation.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of gathering.^[2][4][5]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of an abscess and of inference.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English collection is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A gathering, collection; accumulation.^[2]
2. (medicine) An abscess.^[2]
3. (rhetoric) Recapitulation.^[2]
4. An inference, syllogism.^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) A congregation; the collect of the Mass.^[7]

Related words

• collēcta
• collēctāculum
• collēctāneus
• collēctārius
• collēctē
• collēcticius
• collēctim
• collēctīvus
• collēctor
• collēctus
• colligō
• English collection
• English collect

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com