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consensio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word consensio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (sentiō)

Forms

cōnsēnsiō f (genitive cōnsēnsiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from cōnsentiō “to agree” with the suffix -tiō; ⟨cōnsentiō⟩ is from con- and sentiō “to feel, think”.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨sentiō⟩ to Proto-Italic *s(e)nt-ije/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to notice”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It was agreement in opinion or feeling, consent, unanimity, as in Cicero's omnium gentium cōnsēnsiō “the agreement of all nations” and Caesar's agreement of all Gaul to win back its freedom; of things, harmony of action; and in rhetoric agreement with an opponent's statement, as in Quintilian.[2][5] Lewis & Short note it is most frequent in Cicero, and that in a bad sense it was a plot, a conspiracy, as in Cicero and Nepos.[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for consent, agreement, as in the council of 673 reported by Bede, and for privity, complicity.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[2][3]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it in rhetoric.[2][3]
  • 673 – a church council uses it of consent.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Agreement, consent, unanimity.[2]
  2. Harmony.[2]
  3. A plot, conspiracy; complicity.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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

“Consensio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/consensio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·