curatio

Forms

cūrātiō f (genitive cūrātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from cūrō “to take care of” with the suffix -tiō; ⟨cūrō⟩ is from cūra “care”, which de Vaan reconstructs as Proto-Italic *kʷois-ā- (“care, watch”).^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of an office with duties.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was the taking charge of something, administration, superintendence, as in Cicero; care, attention; the treatment of a disease or wound, a cure, as in Cato; and an office with its duties, a charge, as in Plautus.^[2] Lewis & Short call it rare but classical.^[6] Isidore divides the treatment of diseases into pharmacy, surgery and diet.^[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was care, attention, healing, management.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it also for guardianship in law.^[9] English curation (late 14th century) first meant the curing of disease.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of an office.^[2][5]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of medical treatment.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of administration.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English curation is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Administration, superintendence.^[2]
2. Care, attention.^[2]
3. Medical treatment, a cure.^[2]
4. An office, a charge.^[2]
5. (law) Guardianship.^[9]

Related words

• cūrō
• cūra
• cūrātor
• English curation

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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