exploratio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɛk.spɫoːˈraː.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ek.sploˈrat.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

explōrātiō f (genitive explōrātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from explōrō “to search out, investigate” with the suffix -tiō.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short and Gaffiot cite Columella, of examining a shoot.^[3][4] Köbler's first source is Suetonius.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant searching out, investigation, examination, and in the army a reconnaissance unit.^[2] Tacitus has explōrātiō occulta “secret spying”.^[4] Lewis & Short note it is post-Augustan.^[3]

British Medieval Latin used it for exploration, reconnoitring, scouting, spying, with reference to Numbers 14.^[6] It was borrowed into French and English exploration.^[1][7]

Timeline

• 1st century AD – Columella uses it.^[3][5]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of spying.^[4][5]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Investigation, examination, exploration.^[2]
2. (military) Reconnaissance; a scouting unit.^[2][4]

Related words

• explōrō
• explōrātor
• English exploration

References

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