masturbatio

Forms

masturbātiō f (genitive masturbātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin masturbor + -tiō.^[1][2] The origin of the verb is disputed: Etymonline reports the long-standing view that it is an alteration of a compound of manus (“hand”) and stuprō (“to defile”), probably influenced by turbō¹ (“to disturb”), while the OED suggests that its first element may be a word meaning “penis”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ramminger records it in the Neo-Latin of the humanist Cuspinianus, in a list of vices.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It is listed in the vocabulary of Ecclesiastical Latin as masturbation or self-abuse.^[5] English took masturbation in 1711 from French and directly from the Modern Latin noun, replacing the earlier mastupration.^[3]

Timeline

• 1711 – English borrows it, partly through French, as masturbation.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. masturbation.^[1][5][4]

Related words

• masturbor
• English masturbation

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson