finitio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [fiːˈniː.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [fiˈnit.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

fīnītiō f (genitive fīnītiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin fīniō (“to limit, finish”) + -tiō, from fīnis (“boundary, end”).^[2][1] De Vaan calls the etymology of ⟨fīnis⟩ disputed: Walde and Hofmann reconstruct ⟨*fīg-s-ni-⟩ “driven in”, of a boundary marker, but a root ⟨*bʰiH-⟩ “to strike” is also possible.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Vitruvius, of boundaries and limits, and Lewis & Short call it post-Augustan.^[2][4] Köbler dates Vitruvius c. 84–c. 25 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a boundary, border, the circuit of a city's walls; a limitation, restriction; the end point, extremity, conclusion of a book, and a state of completeness, as in Vitruvius; a rule, prescript, as in Pliny; an exact description, definition, as in Seneca and Quintilian; and in an inscription the end of life, death.^[2][4]

In Medieval Latin it was the decision of a lawsuit.^[6] It survives as French finition and Italian finizione.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of boundaries.^[2][5]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of a definition.^[2][5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of a rule.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A boundary, border; the circuit of walls.^[2]
2. A limitation, restriction.^[2]
3. A rule, prescript.^[2]
4. A definition, exact description.^[2]
5. An end point; a conclusion, ending; death.^[2]
6. (Medieval Latin) The decision of a lawsuit.^[6]

Word family

• īnfīnītiō
• perfīnītiō

Related words

• fīnālis
• fīniēns
• fīniō
• fīnis
• fīnitimus
• fīnītīvus
• fīnītor
• fīnītus
• dēfīnītiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill