exorcismus

Forms

exorcismus m (genitive exorcismī); second declension^[1][2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐξορκισμός (exorkismós, “administering of an oath; exorcism”),^[1][3][4] from ἐξορκίζω (exorkízō, “to bind by oath, exorcise”), from ἐξ (ex, “out of”) and ὅρκος (hórkos, “oath”).^[5][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Tertullian (c. 160–220 AD),^[5] who in De corona speaks of driving away demons with exorcisms.^[6][1] In De spectaculis it appears in the spelling exorchismus.^[7]

Semantic evolution

It was a word of the Church from the start: the casting out of evil spirits.^[6][8] Cyprian's council of bishops uses it,^[7] and in medieval Latin it named both the act and the words or rite of exorcism, applied to persons and to things,^[3][9] and more loosely an incantation or a curse.^[9] English took it over in the early 15th century as exorcism.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian speaks of putting demons to flight with exorcisms.^[6][5]
• beginning of the 3rd century–258 AD – The bishops' opinions in Cyprian's Sententiae episcoporum use it.^[7][5]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it in his prose De virginitate.^[3][5]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as exorcism.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) An exorcism, the driving out of evil spirits.^[6][8][3]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) The words or rite of exorcism.^[3][9]
3. (Medieval Latin) An incantation; a curse.^[9]

Related words

• exorcista
• English exorcism

References

1. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
2. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c d e 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
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften