crucifixio

Forms

crucifīxiō f (genitive crucifīxiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin crucifīgō (“to crucify”), a noun of action built on the stem of its past participle ⟨crucifīx-⟩.^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Jerome's commentary on Galatians, where it speaks of the crucifixion of the Lord's flesh.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It is a word of Late and Christian Latin, used of the crucifixion of Christ.^[2][1][5] Augustine also uses it figuratively: the crucifixion of the inner man stands for the pains of penitence, and the crucifixion of the old man is signified by the Lord's cross.^[2] British medieval writers also used it for the crucifixion of Christ and, figuratively, for mortification.^[6]

English borrowed it in the early 15th century as crucifixioun.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it of the crucifixion of the Lord's flesh.^[2][3]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it figuratively for the pains of penitence.^[2][3]
• early 15th century – Borrowed into English as crucifixioun.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Late Latin) Crucifixion, especially that of Christ.^[2][1][5][6]
2. (Late Latin, figurative) The mortification of the self, as in penitence.^[2][6]

Related words

• crux
• English crucifixion

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
6. ^ a b c 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