Etymology and origin of the Latin word degeneratio
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 354–430 Augustine, De beata vita More words from the 4th century
- Ultimate origin
- Latin dēgenerō
Etymology tree
From the same root
Forms
dēgenerātiō f (genitive dēgenerātiōnis); third declension[1][2]
Etymology
It is formed from Latin dēgenerō + -tiō.[3][4]
Earliest recorded meaning
Augustine is the first to use it, in De beata vita and De ordine, of the perfect God whom no degeneration hinders and of what flows from the first principle without any degeneration.[3][1][2]
Semantic evolution
Ecclesiastical Latin has it for degeneration.[5] In medieval Latin it could mean the loss of equal noble birth: Rupert of Deutz sees it in the story of Esau, who gave way to his younger brother;[6] Gerhoh of Reichersberg uses it in theology.[6] British sources have it for degeneracy and for degradation.[7] Italian degenerazione comes from it.[2]
Timeline
- 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it for degeneration.[3][1][4]
- 1st third of the 12th century – Rupert of Deutz uses it.[4][6]
- 1423 – An English source speaks of a degeneracy of nature that makes men worse than brute beasts.[7]
Meanings
Noun
- degeneration, a falling away from one's nature; corruption.[1][2][5]
- (Medieval Latin) Loss of equal noble birth.[6][4]
- (Medieval Latin) degradation.[7]
References
- ^ 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 Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
- ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
- ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ 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
Cite this entry
“Degeneratio.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/degeneratio. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.
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