diversio

Forms

dīversiō f (genitive dīversiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is a noun of action from Latin dīvertō (“to turn aside, part”), formed with the suffix -tiō.^[2][1][3] The TLL notes that the spelling ⟨deversio⟩ also occurs.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The dictionaries cite it first from the Novellae of Justinian, issued after AD 534,^[2][4] where it means a turning aside or diversion, rendering Greek ἐκτροπή (ektropḗ).^[3]

Semantic evolution

The word belongs to Late Latin and stayed rare in antiquity: Georges, Gaffiot and the TLL know only the passage in the Novellae.^[3][5][2]

Medieval Latin used it much more widely.^[6][7] The MLW records the senses of a visit or stay (a saint's sojourn with another), a bend or winding (of veins, in Albertus Magnus), a drawing off, a difference or deviation, an indisposition, and a taking away or theft.^[6] British sources use it for the diversion of a watercourse.^[7] Neo-Latin also has it for a residence.^[8] English borrowed it as diversion in the early 15th century, from the Medieval Latin word.^[9]

Timeline

• after AD 534 – The Novellae of Justinian use it for a turning aside.^[2][4]
• 13th century – Albertus Magnus uses it for the winding of a vein.^[6]
• 1222 – A British record speaks of the diversion of the course of a stream.^[7]
• early 15th century – Borrowed into English as diversion.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A turning aside, diversion, digression.^[3][5][2]
2. (Medieval Latin) A visit, stay, sojourn.^[6][8]
3. (Medieval Latin) A bend, winding, curve.^[6]
4. (Medieval Latin) The diverting of something, especially of water from its course.^[7]
5. (Medieval Latin) A difference, deviation.^[6]
6. (Medieval Latin) A taking away, theft.^[6]

Related words

• English diversion

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e f g Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b c d 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 Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com