Etymologically
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corruptio

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔrˈrʊp.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [korˈrup.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

corruptiō f (genitive corruptiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from corrumpō “to destroy, spoil, corrupt” with the suffix -tiō, and is also spelled ⟨conruptiō⟩.[2][1][3] Diomedes distinguishes ⟨corruptēla⟩, the thing, from ⟨corruptiō⟩, the act of corrupting.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cicero, of a diseased condition.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a diseased or corrupt condition, as Cicero's Tusculans, and the corrupting of loyalty by bribery or other means, as in Sallust and Tacitus' corruptiō mīlitum.[2][5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it of physical corruption, decay, rot and infection.[7] Medieval Latin also used it of moral depravity.[8] English corruption came in the mid-14th century, of the decay of bodies and of moral depravity.[9]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a diseased state.[2][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of bribery.[2][4]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of corrupting soldiers.[5][4]
  • mid-14th century – English corruption is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A diseased or corrupt condition.[2]
  2. Bribery, seduction from loyalty, corruption.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Decay, rot; moral depravity.[7][8]

Word family

  • incorruptiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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 Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b 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
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com