Etymologically
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condicio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word condicio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (dīcō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔnˈdɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [konˈdiː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

condiciō f (genitive condiciōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from condīcō “to agree upon, fix” with the suffix -iō, from con- and dīcō “to say”.[2][1][3] It was often confused with ⟨conditiō⟩, because ⟨-ti-⟩ and ⟨-ci-⟩ were pronounced alike in later Latin, and Lewis and Short note the false derivation from condō.[1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of a marriage, and Plautus uses it of terms offered.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a contract, agreement, a truce, condiciōnēs pācis, and in Ennius a marriage, match, a love affair, and a prospective partner.[2] It meant terms offered, a proposal, and a term or stipulation of an agreement, and nūllā condiciōne “on no terms”.[2] In Plautus it meant an option, choice, and in Cicero a situation, a plight, one's position or fortune, legal status, and nature, character.[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant condition, agreement, compact, stipulation, terms.[7] Medieval Latin used it of mutual relations and of a legal provision.[8] Through Old French condicion it gave English condition in the mid-14th century.[9]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of marriage.[2][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of terms and of options.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of agreements and of status.[2][5]
  • mid-14th century – English condition is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An agreement, contract; a truce.[2]
  2. A marriage, match; a prospective partner.[2]
  3. Terms offered, a proposal.[2]
  4. A stipulation, condition, nūllā condiciōne, by no means.[2]
  5. An option, alternative.[2]
  6. A situation; a plight; one's position.[2]
  7. Legal status.[2]
  8. Nature, character.[2]

Word family

  • condiciōnābilis
  • condiciōnālis

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 m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Condicio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/condicio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·