Etymologically
Log in

defensio

This is an old revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 20:57. It may differ significantly from the current version. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Current version Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [deːˈfẽː.si.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈfɛn.si.o][1]

Forms

dēfēnsiō f (genitive dēfēnsiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off, defend”) + -tiō, a noun of action.[2][3][1] dēfendō is made from Latin dē- + *fendō (“to strike”); the simple verb, also found in offendō, goes back to Proto-Italic *fendō and Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“to strike, kill”), the root of Ancient Greek φόνος (phónos, “murder”), Sanskrit हन्ति (hánti, “strikes”) and Old Irish gonim (“I wound”).[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler first records it in the Rhetorica ad Herennium.[4] Cicero asks Milo's accusers ubi … tua … vōx atque dēfēnsiō?, “where is your voice and your defence?”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Dēfēnsiō is the act of defending, “protection, defence” (Caesar: Rēmīs cum spē dēfēnsiōnis studium prōpugnandī accessit, “with the hope of being defended the Remi gained the will to fight”).[2][3] In the courts it is the defence of a case or of a person, and more widely the justification of one's conduct or opinions, “an excuse”.[2][1] In Roman law dēfēnsiō mortis is the action taken to obtain satisfaction for a death (Ulpian).[2]

Church Latin glosses it “protection, defense”.[5] Medieval Latin adds “a fence, prohibition of access”, “a fortification”, “legal defence” and “guardianship”.[6]

Timeline

  • 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.[4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the defence of a client.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar: cum spē dēfēnsiōnis.[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. defence, protection.[2][3][1][5]
  2. The defence (of a lawsuit or of a person in court).[2][6]
  3. A justification, excuse.[2]
  4. (law) dēfēnsiō mortis: an action to obtain satisfaction for a death.[2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A fence, a prohibition of access;[6] a fortification;[6] guardianship.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c d e Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill