contradictio

Forms

contrādictiō f (genitive contrādictiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin contrādīcō (“to speak against”) + -tiō.^[2][1][3] That verb is formed from contrā (“against”) and dīcō² (“to say”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first known use is in the elder Seneca's Suasoriae, of a counterargument that has been put forward.^[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short note that it is post-Augustan and most frequent in Quintilian, for the replies and objections of judicial pleading;^[5] contradictionem sumere meant to anticipate an opponent's objection.^[5] Tacitus uses it of speaking in opposition.^[2] Boethius uses it in logic for the opposition of affirmation and negation, a contradiction.^[4]

In Medieval Latin it meant a refusal, and the denial or contesting of a right.^[6] English contradiction (late 14th century) comes from Old French or directly from it.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 55 BC–40 AD – The elder Seneca uses it of a counterargument.^[2][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it often for objections in court.^[5][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of repeated speaking in opposition.^[2][3]
• late 14th century – English borrows it as contradiction.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. Speaking in opposition, objection.^[2][5]
2. An argument put forward in opposition, a counterargument, reply.^[2][5]
3. (logic) Contradiction, the opposition of affirmation and negation.^[4]
4. (Medieval Latin) A refusal; a denial or contesting of a right.^[6]

Related words

• contrādīcibilis
• contrādīcō
• contrādictor
• contrādictōrius
• contrādictus
• English contradiction

Usage notes

The phrase contradictiō in adiectō names a contradiction between a noun and its adjective.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f 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 e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com