duplicatio

Forms

duplicātiō f (genitive duplicātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin duplicō (“to double”) + -tiō.^[2][1] duplicō is derived from duplex (“double”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Vitruvius (c. 84–c. 25 BC) is the first to use it,^[2][4] for doubling: in the preface to his ninth book of an area, and in his third book of rows of columns set twice over.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Seneca used it of the sun's rays that rebound from the earth and so act twice: “horum duplicatio proxima quaeque a terris calefacit” (“their doubling warms whatever is nearest the earth”).^[2][5] The jurists used it for doubling a period of punishment,^[2][5] and Gaius for the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's replication, a further step in pleading.^[2][6] In arithmetic it meant multiplication by two.^[6][7]

In medieval Latin it meant doubling in general, and more loosely increase or growth; it was also a term of law (the defendant's rejoinder) and of music.^[8] British sources use it in anatomy, mathematics and grammar,^[9] and Hungarian charters for the fork of a valley or river.^[10] English took duplication from Old French and directly from Latin in the early 15th century.^[11]

Timeline

• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it for doubling.^[2][4]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of the doubled action of the sun's rays.^[2][4]
• 140–180 AD – Gaius uses it of a plea in reply to a replication.^[2][4]
• before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of doubling a term of punishment.^[2][4]
• 5th century AD – Martianus Capella uses it for multiplication by two.^[6][4]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as duplication.^[11]

Meanings

Noun

1. A doubling, increase to twice the number or amount.^[2][6]
2. The doubling back of rays, reflection.^[6][7]
3. (arithmetic) Multiplication by two.^[6][7]
4. (law) A plea by the defendant in answer to the plaintiff's replication, a rejoinder.^[2][6]
5. (Medieval Latin) Increase, growth.^[8]
6. (Medieval Latin) The fork of a valley or river.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ 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
10. ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
11. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com