lapidatio

Forms

lapidātiō f (genitive lapidātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin lapidō (“to stone”) + -tiō, from lapis “stone”.^[2][1][3] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨lapis⟩ as Proto-Italic ⟨*la/eped-⟩, compares Umbrian ⟨vapeře⟩ “stone seat” and Ancient Greek λέπας (lépas, “bare rock”), and takes it as probably a Mediterranean loanword.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, who writes fit magna lapidātiō “a great shower of stones follows”.^[5][6][7] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant the throwing of stones, a stoning, as in Cicero's Verrines.^[2][6][7]

British Medieval Latin used it for stoning a person and, with grandinis, for a hailstorm.^[8] English lapidation (1610s, “stoning to death”) is from it.^[3]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[6][5]
• 1610s – English lapidation is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A throwing of stones, stoning.^[2][6]
2. (Medieval Latin) A hailstorm.^[8]

Related words

• lapidō
• lapis
• English lapidation

References

1. ^ a b 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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ a b 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