Etymologically
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colonia

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 11:27. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔˈɫoː.ni.a][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [koˈlɔː.ni.a][1]

Forms

colōnia f (genitive colōniae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from colōnus “farmer, settler” with the suffix -ia, and colōnus is from colō “to till, inhabit”.[2][1][3] Isidore of Seville explained that a colony is filled with new cultivators when natives are lacking, and so is named from tilling the land.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Cato, of a settlement of citizens.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a settlement of Roman citizens sent out from Rome, or the settlers themselves, with colōniam dēdūcere “to found a colony”, as in Cicero; a colōnia Latīna had settlers with Latin rights.[2][6] It was also used of colonies of other states, as in Caesar, and in Varro of a swarm of bees.[2] In Columella and the Digest it meant a landed estate, a farm.[2][7] Several provincial cities bore the name, as Colōnia Agrippīna, modern Cologne.[7]

In Medieval Latin it was the holding of a colōnus, the dues owed from it, and figuratively a monastery.[8][9] It survives in Italian and Spanish colonia and French colonie.[1] English colony came in the late 14th century, and English cologne comes from the city's name, as in eau de Cologne.[3]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a settlement of citizens.[2][5]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a swarm of bees.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of founding colonies.[6][5]
  • late 14th century – English colony is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A colony, settlement of citizens; the settlers.[2]
  2. A landed estate, farm.[2][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) The holding of a colōnus.[8]

Word family

  • colōniārius
  • colōnārius

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ 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