Etymologically
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dictatura

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 16:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [dɪk.taːˈtuː.ra][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [dik.taˈtuː.ra][1]

Forms

dictātūra f (genitive dictātūrae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from dictō “to dictate” with the suffix -ūra, belonging to dictātor.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC.[3] Lewis & Short cite Cicero's Philippics and De officiis.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the office of dictator, dictatorship, and Cicero has dictātūram gerere “to hold the dictatorship”, and Caesar and Livy have dictātūrā sē abdicāre “to resign it”.[2][5] Tacitus notes that dictatorships were taken for a time.[5] Suetonius has a pun on its other sense, the dictating of lessons to schoolboys.[6]

British Medieval Latin used it for dictatorship, governance, and for writing, composition.[7] English formed dictatorship in the 1580s for the office of a Roman dictator.[8]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[4][3]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius puns on it.[6][3]
  • 1580s – English dictatorship is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The office of dictator, dictatorship.[2]
  2. Dictation (of lessons).[6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Writing, composition.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com