Etymology and origin of the Latin word deflexio
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- c. 300 Chalcidius, commentary on the Timaeus More words from the 3rd century
- Ultimate origin
- Latin dēflectō
Etymology tree
From the same root
Forms
dēflexiō f (genitive dēflexiōnis); third declension[1] Köbler also records the spelling dēflectiō.[2]
Etymology
It is formed from Latin dēflectō + -tiō.[3][4]
Earliest recorded meaning
The TLL's first record is Chalcidius' commentary on the Timaeus, where the planets wander from north to south with a wider deviation.[3][5]
Semantic evolution
Macrobius uses it for a turning aside,[4][6] and figuratively it is a straying: a panegyric to Constantine praises a mind without any deviations of desire (nullae cupiditatum deflexiones),[4] and Ambrose uses it for going astray.[5]
In medieval Latin it is an inclination, as Rupert of Deutz writes of a reverent bowing of the head,[7] and in astronomy a revolving motion.[7] It is glossed by difortium in an early English glossary and appears in John of Howden for the course of the stars.[8]
Timeline
- c. 300 AD – Chalcidius uses it of the planets.[3][5][2]
- c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose uses it for going astray.[5][2]
- 1st half of the 5th century AD – Macrobius uses it for a turning aside.[4][6][2]
Meanings
Noun
- A bending or turning aside, deflection.[4][6][1]
- (astronomy) The deviation of the planets;[3][5][7] (Medieval Latin) a revolving motion.[3][5][7]
- (figurative) A straying, going astray.[6][5][4]
- (Medieval Latin) An inclination, bow.[7]
References
- ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b c d e Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
- ^ a b c d e f g Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
- ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
- ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ 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
Cite this entry
“Deflexio.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/deflexio. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.
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