Etymologically
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collegium

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 06:47. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔlˈleː.ɡi.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kolˈlɛː.d͡ʒi.um][1]

Forms

collēgium n (genitive collēgiī or collēgī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from collēga “colleague” with the suffix -ium, and ⟨collēga⟩ is from con- and legō “to choose”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is an inscription of the 3rd century BC.[3] The OLD's first literary citation is Plautus, of a guild.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant the connection of colleagues, the holding of a joint office, as Livy's harmony between consuls, and a college or board of priests, as in Cicero.[2][4][5] It meant a guild, club, fraternity of those in the same trade or with a common interest, as in Plautus, a board of magistrates, as the tribunes, and a committee.[2] Inscriptions have forms such as conlegium and colegi.[2]

In Medieval Latin it meant a fellowship, corporation, a monastic community, a collegiate church, and a college of a university.[6][7] Italian collegio and Spanish colegio are borrowings.[1] Through Old French it is the source of English college in the late 14th century.[8]

Timeline

  • 3rd century BC – An inscription uses it.[3]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a guild.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a college of priests.[2][3]
  • late 14th century – English college is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A college or board of priests.[2]
  2. A guild, club, society.[2]
  3. A board of magistrates; a committee.[2]
  4. Colleagueship, joint office.[2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A college; a collegiate church.[6]

Word family

  • collēgiālis
  • collēgiārius
  • collēgiātus

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b 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
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com