comperendinatio

Forms

comperendinātiō f (genitive comperendinātiōnis); third declension^[1] It is also spelled conperendinātiō.^[1] Cicero uses the fourth-declension noun comperendinātus in the same sense.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin comperendinō (“to adjourn a trial”) + -tiō,^[1][3] and that verb comes from comperendinus (“(of a day) on which an adjourned trial is resumed”), a compound of con- and perendinus (“of the day after tomorrow”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL finds it from Seneca the philosopher on, but calls it a term of the older law.^[3] Seneca writes that his promise will hold good within the adjournment (intrā comperendinātiōnem).^[3]

Semantic evolution

In law it was the putting off of a trial to the third day, a second hearing; the glossaries explain it as a trial deferred to the third day.^[3][2] Tacitus recalls that in the old forum no one was forced to finish a speech within a few hours and adjournments were unlimited,^[3][4] Pliny the Younger that the laws allow so many hours, days and adjournments,^[3] and Gellius mentions adjournments under the Julian law.^[3] Symmachus and the Itinerarium Alexandri use it for any delay, as of punishment,^[3][4] and Ambrose has sine ūllā comperendinātiōne, “without any delay”.^[5][2]

Medieval British writers kept it for a delay or postponement.^[6]

Timeline

• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of an adjournment.^[3][7]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of adjournments in the old courts.^[3][7]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius mentions adjournments under the Julian law.^[3][7]
• c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose uses it of delay in general.^[5][7]
• c. 340–402 AD – Symmachus uses it of delays.^[3][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (law) Adjournment of a trial for two days, to the third day.^[1][5][4]
2. (Late Latin) Delay, postponement.^[5][4][6]

Related words

• comperendinō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de