conspiratio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kõː.spiːˈraː.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kon.spiˈrat.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

cōnspīrātiō f (genitive cōnspīrātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from cōnspīrō “to breathe together, agree” with the suffix -tiō.^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL dates it from Cicero, and the OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of concord and of conspiracy.^[3][2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In Columella it meant the unison of instruments, literally a breathing together.^[6][7] In Cicero it meant agreement, harmony, concord, as cōnspīrātiō bonōrum omnium “the union of all good men”, and a combination for a hostile or unlawful end, a conspiracy, and its members.^[2][7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant agreement, common opinion, cooperation, conspiracy.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it for a conspiracy and for champerty.^[9] It survives in Italian cospirazione and French conspiration, and Anglo-French conspiracie gave English conspiracy in the mid-14th century.^[1][4]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of concord and of conspiracy.^[2][5]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it of instruments in unison.^[6][5]
• mid-14th century – English conspiracy is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Unison (of instruments); agreement, harmony.^[2][6]
2. A conspiracy; the conspirators.^[2]

Related words

• cōnspīrō
• spīrō
• English conspiracy
• English conspire

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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