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decisivus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word decisivus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
13th century, Albertus Magnus
Ultimate origin
Latin decido#2
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin caedo
Latin decido
French décider
Italian decidere
Latin decisivus
English decisive
From the same root
Dutch precies ← caedo
Latin caementum ← caedo
Latin discido ← caedo
Latin lapicidinae ← caedo
English decide ← decido

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [deː.kiːˈsiː.wʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [de.t͡ʃiˈs̬iː.vus][1]

Forms

dēcīsīvus (feminine dēcīsīva, neuter dēcīsīvum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dēcīdō2 (“to cut off; to decide”),[1][2] a Medieval Latin formation[1] on its past participle stem ⟨dēcīs-⟩[3] with the suffix -īvus.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler and the MLW record it first in Albertus Magnus (13th century), where it means “separating”: he speaks of an operation that separates matter.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

From “separating” it came to mean “deciding, decisive”, of a consultation in Pope Urban IV's register[4] and of a decisive judgement in British documents of the 1290s and 1300s.[5] In Neo-Latin it was used for a deciding as against a merely consultative vote (votum decisivum, non consultivum) and for a deciding authority (ius decisivum) in Calvin.[6] English decisive comes from it.[3]

Timeline

  • 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it in the sense “separating”.[2][4]
  • 1291 – A royal letter calls something “decisive” of all doubt.[5]
  • 1452 – A Sforza archive document speaks of “decisive” statutes.[6]
  • 1493 – Caoursin contrasts a deciding vote with a consultative one.[6]
  • 1610s – English borrows it as decisive.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) Separating, cutting off.[4]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Decisive, conclusive.[4][5][1]
  3. (New Latin) Having the power to decide (of a vote or right), as opposed to consultīvus.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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 Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ 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
  6. ^ a b c d Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Decisivus.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/decisivus. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·