Etymologically

interventio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word interventio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ulpian
Ultimate origin
Latin (veniō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin interventio
English intervention

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪn.tɛrˈwɛn.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [in.terˈvɛn.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

interventiō f (genitive interventiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from interveniō “to come between, intervene” with the suffix -tiō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Ulpian, whom he dates before 223 AD, and the Digest uses it of standing surety.[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

In law it meant an intervention as a surety, an interposing, a giving of security.[2][5][6] Lewis & Short call it post-classical.[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant intervention, intercession.[7] In Medieval Latin it meant intercession, and presence, interference.[8] British Medieval Latin used it for intercession with God or with a person.[9] It gave English intervention in the early 15th century, “intercession, intercessory prayer”.[3]

Timeline

  • before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of surety.[4][6]
  • early 15th century – English intervention is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (law) A standing surety.[2]
  2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Intercession, intervention.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ 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

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Interventio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/interventio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·