consistentia

Forms

cōnsistentia f (genitive cōnsistentiae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin cōnsistō (“to stand firm”) + -ia, formed on the present participle cōnsistēns.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is Late Latin.^[4] The TLL's only ancient citation is from the letters of Leo the Great (440–461).^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Medieval Latin used it for the arrangement and state of a thing: its condition, its appearance, its structure or make-up, the bringing of something about, its continued existence, and presence at a place.^[6][5] The Latin version of Paulus Aegineta renders Ancient Greek σύστασις (sústasis) with it, of the make-up of litharge.^[6] British writers used it of a monk's stay in a place, of the soundness and durability of the body, and of the coherence of a story.^[7]

English consistence and consistency go back to it, both first recorded in the 1590s for firmness of matter;^[3] Italian consistenza is from the Late Latin word.^[4]

Timeline

• 440–461 AD – It occurs in the letters of Leo the Great.^[2][5]
• 1590s – English consistence and consistency are first recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin) State, condition; arrangement, constitution.^[6][5]
2. (Medieval Latin) Structure, make-up; consistence, soundness and durability of matter.^[6][7][1]
3. (Medieval Latin) Continued existence, preservation.^[6]
4. (Medieval Latin) Stay at a place; presence.^[7][6]
5. (Medieval Latin) Coherence, consistency (of a story or account).^[7]

Related words

• English consistency

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d e f Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b c d 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