Etymologically
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imperatorius

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:06. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪm.pɛ.raːˈtoː.ri.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [im.pe.raˈtɔː.ri.us][1]

Forms

imperātōrius (feminine imperātōria, neuter imperātōrium, adverb imperātōriē); first/second-declension adjective[1] It is also spelled inperātōrius.[2]

Etymology

It is from imperātor “commander” with the suffix -ius, from imperō “to command”.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of a commander.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant of a commanding officer, a general, as in Caesar and Cicero, and in Cicero of the title imperātor.[2][4] In Pliny the Elder and later it meant of the Roman emperor, imperial.[2]

British Medieval Latin used it of a military commander, as of the count of Flanders.[5] It was borrowed into Spanish imperatorio.[1]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[2][3]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of a general.[4][3]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the emperor.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of a general, commander's.[2]
  2. Of the title imperātor.[2]
  3. Of the emperor, imperial.[2]

Word family

  • imperātōriē

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ 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