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gratitudo

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word gratitudo

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
2nd century AD (?), Acts of Polycarp
Ultimate origin
Latin grātus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin gratus
English grateful
Latin gratitudo
From the same root
Latin grate ← gratus
Latin gratificor ← gratus
Latin grator ← gratus
Latin ingratus ← gratus
Latin pergratus ← gratus

Forms

grātitūdō f (genitive grātitūdinis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin grātus (“pleasing, thankful”) + -tūdō.[1][2][3] Its base goes back to Proto-Italic *gʷrātos and Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH-.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLL records it, with a question mark, in a Latin version of the Acts of Polycarp, which Köbler dates doubtfully to the 2nd century AD.[2][3] It is otherwise a medieval word for thankfulness.[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

Medieval Latin used it both for thankfulness and for goodwill or favour shown to someone.[4][5][7] Ecclesiastical Latin has it for gratitude and thanks.[8] The humanists wrote it in their letters: Petrarch speaks of having nothing to give in return for a gift but bare gratitude.[9]

English took it over in the 15th century as gratitude, first in the sense “goodwill”; the sense “thankfulness” is recorded from the 1560s.[6]

Timeline

  • 2nd century AD (?) – A Latin version of the Acts of Polycarp has it, in a doubtful record of the TLL.[2][3]
  • 1206 – A Hungarian charter speaks of repaying merits with gratitude.[7]
  • 1243 – A letter of the emperor Frederick II uses it.[10]
  • 1390 – Coluccio Salutati uses it in a letter.[9]
  • mid-15th century – English borrows it as gratitude “goodwill”.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) Gratitude, thankfulness.[4][5][8][9]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Goodwill, favour, kindness.[4][5][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b c Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  10. ^ 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
Cite this entry

“Gratitudo.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/gratitudo. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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