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concitatio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word concitatio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (cieō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin cito
Latin incito
Latin incitatus
Latin incitamentum
Latin excito
Latin suscito
Latin recito
Latin recitatio
Latin concito
Latin concitatio
Latin concitatus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kɔŋ.kɪˈtaː.ti.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [kon̠ʲ.t͡ʃiˈtat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

concitātiō f (genitive concitātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin concitō (“to set in rapid motion, stir up”) + -tiō, an action noun.[2][1] De Vaan dates concitō from Accius; it belongs to the family of cieō (“to set in motion”), which fell out of use in Classical Latin and was replaced by the frequentative citāre.[3] He traces that family to Proto-Indo-European *(ḱ)ei(h₂)- (“to start to move”), with the participle *(ḱ)i(h₂)-to-.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Cicero,[4] who in the De oratore distinguishes two parts of a speech, one that wins favour and one that rouses the audience, concitationem.[2]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense is rapid or violent movement: Livy has the quick stroke of oars, Seneca winds, Columella horses after exercise, and Quintilian applies it to an impetuous style of speaking.[2] Most often it is the rousing of the passions or the state of excitement: Cicero defines a concitatio animi as what he calls a perturbatio, from which the wise man is always free, and Seneca calls anger a concitatio animi seeking revenge.[2][5] Pliny the Elder uses it of sexual arousal.[2] Concretely it is a disturbance or tumult: Cicero speaks of a sedition of the plebs against the patricians, and Caesar of frequent tumults in a crowd.[2][5][6] A British document of 1314 uses it of an assembly.[7] It is the source of Italian concitazione.[6]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of rousing an audience and of disturbances of the mind.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of tumults in a crowd.[2][4]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of the rapid movement of oars.[2][4]
  • 1314 – A British document uses it of an assembly.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Rapid or violent movement; impetuosity in speaking.[2][5]
  2. A rousing of the passions, stimulation; sexual arousal.[2]
  3. Excitement, a violent emotion, passion.[2][5]
  4. A disturbance, tumult, sedition.[2][5][6]
  5. (Medieval Latin) An assembly.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b c 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
Cite this entry

“Concitatio.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/concitatio. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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