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intentionalis

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word intentionalis

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1290, Fleta
Ultimate origin
Latin tendō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin intentio
French intention
Italian intenzione
Latin intentionalis
English intentional

Forms

intentiōnālis (neuter intentiōnāle); third declension[1][2]

Etymology

It is a medieval formation,[3][1] from Latin intentiō (“intention; concept”) + -ālis.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The MLW's earliest examples are from Albertus Magnus, who speaks of the “intentional” being of an odour or of a universal, existing only as a likeness in the senses or the mind.[2]

Semantic evolution

It was a technical term of scholastic logic and philosophy: Thomas Aquinas opposes it to realis,[4] and Duns Scotus says that an object in the intellect has no real being but only an intentional one.[3] It also meant “intended, deliberate”, as in Fleta[1] and in Wyclif, who speaks of things produced according to God's intention.[3] It is recorded in the Latin of Bohemia and Poland too.[5][6] English intentional is formed from intention or taken from the Medieval Latin word.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 1290 – Fleta uses it for “intentional, deliberate”.[1]
  • 1520s – English intentional, perhaps from this word.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (philosophy) Existing only in the mind, conceptual, as opposed to real (esse intentionale).[2][3][4]
  2. Of intention or purpose; intentional, deliberate.[3][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e 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
  4. ^ a b Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  5. ^ Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
  6. ^ Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Intentionalis.” Etymologically, 25 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/intentionalis. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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