Etymologically
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inflatio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:11. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ĩːˈfɫaː.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [iɱˈflat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

īnflātiō f (genitive īnflātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from īnflō “to blow into, inflate” with the suffix -tiō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cicero, of flatulence.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

In medicine it meant distention of the stomach or intestines with gas, flatulence, as in Cicero, and in Vitruvius expansion, swelling, as of boiling water.[2][5][6]

In Medieval Latin it meant pride.[7] British Medieval Latin used it for distension by air.[8] It survives in Spanish hinchazón “swelling”, and gave English inflation in the mid-14th century, “swelling caused by wind in the body; flatulence”, and figuratively pride.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of flatulence.[2][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of boiling water.[5][4]
  • mid-14th century – English inflation is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (medicine) Flatulence, distension.[2]
  2. Swelling, expansion.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Pride.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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