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correspondentia

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word correspondentia

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1238, Robert Grosseteste
Ultimate origin
Latin correspondeō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin spondeo
Latin respondeo
Italian rispondere
Latin correspondeo
Latin correspondentia
From the same root
Latin conspondeo ← spondeo
Latin sponsio ← spondeo
Latin sponsor ← spondeo
Latin sponsus ← spondeo
Latin responso ← respondeo
Latin responsus ← respondeo

Forms

correspondentia f (genitive correspondentiae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin correspondeō (“to correspond”),[2] formed from its present participle correspondēns.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest dated example is in a letter of Robert Grosseteste of 1238, which calls it severe justice to punish the guilty in correspondentia, in proportion, to their desert.[4]

Semantic evolution

In scholastic Latin it meant correspondence or agreement between things: Roger Bacon writes of a correspondence between the natures of the signs and the elements.[4] The MLW and the medieval dictionaries of Bohemia and Poland give the senses mutual relation, agreement, likeness and fitness,[1][5][6] and the Polish material also has requital or gratitude.[6] A Hungarian charter of 1500 uses it for compensation in value between estates.[7]

Neo-Latin authors used it for agreement and for a good understanding between powers.[8] English took correspondence from the Medieval Latin word in the early 15th century, in the sense of congruence or agreement.[3]

Timeline

  • 1238 – Robert Grosseteste uses it for punishment in proportion to desert.[4]
  • c. 1240 – It is recorded in British Medieval Latin.[2]
  • early 15th century – English borrows it as correspondence, “congruence, agreement”.[3]
  • 1500 – A Hungarian charter uses it for compensation in value.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) Correspondence, agreement, mutual relation.[4][1][5]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Proportion, as of a punishment to the offence.[4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Compensation in value.[7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Requital, gratitude.[6]
  5. (New Latin) An agreement or good understanding between parties.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  2. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e 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
  5. ^ a b Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
  6. ^ a b c Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  7. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  8. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
Cite this entry

“Correspondentia.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/correspondentia. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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