Etymologically
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legislatio

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɫeː.ɡɪsˈɫaː.ti.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [le.d͡ʒizˈlat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

lēgislātiō f (genitive lēgislātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is a univerbation of the phrase ⟨lēgis lātiō⟩, “a carrying of a law”,[1][2] from lēx (“law”) and lātiō (“a carrying, proposing”),[1][3] the abstract noun of ferō (“to bear, carry”).[1][4] The DMLBS also finds the phrase written separately.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it first in Hilary,[3] and Lewis & Short cite the Vulgate's Romans 9:4, where it means the giving of the law.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Christian and medieval Latin it meant the giving of the law, above all through Moses: Bede uses it so,[5] and Robert Grosseteste contrasts the law given through Moses with that given through Christ.[5] It also came to mean an enacted law, legislation, as in a letter of Grosseteste of 1238.[5][6]

French formed législation in the 14th century, and English borrowed this as legislation in the 1650s.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 315–367/368 AD – Hilary uses it.[3]
  • 1238 – Robert Grosseteste uses it for enacted law.[5]
  • 1650s – English borrows the French derivative as legislation.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The giving of the law, lawgiving.[4][5]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Legislation, enacted law.[5][6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g 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
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson