Etymologically
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electio

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Forms

ēlēctiō f (genitive ēlēctiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from ēligō “to pick out, choose” with the suffix -tiō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis and Short's earliest citation is from Cicero's Orator, of choice.[4][5] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant the action, right or faculty of choosing, choice, selection, as in Cicero, Quintilian, Velleius and Tacitus.[2][4] The plural appears in Tacitus' Dialogus and in Augustine.[3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant election, choice, selection, and election to salvation.[7] Medieval Latin used it of election to bliss, the elect, a statutory law and a bishop's dignity.[8] British Medieval Latin used it in law of a party's choice of procedure, and in astrology of the choice of a favourable time.[9] English election came about 1300, of choosing someone for an office.[10]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of choice.[4][6]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of selection.[4][6]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it.[4][6]
  • c. 1300 – English election is recorded.[10]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Choice, selection.[2][4]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Election; election to salvation.[7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) The elect.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b 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 Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com