Etymologically
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medicatio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:37. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [mɛ.dɪˈkaː.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [me.diˈkat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

medicātiō f (genitive medicātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from medicō “to heal, treat” with the suffix -tiō.[2][1][3] ⟨Medicō⟩ is from medicus “physician”, from medeor “to heal”, which de Vaan traces to Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure”).[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD and Köbler cite Columella, of treating food or seed with a preparation.[2][4] Köbler dates Columella to the 1st century AD.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Columella it was the treatment of food, wine or seed with a preservative or flavouring, such as sprinkling lentils with plant juices.[2][6] Gaffiot renders it the use of a remedy.[7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was a remedy, healing power, medicine.[8] British Medieval Latin used it for treatment, medication, curing.[9] English medication (early 15th century, medical treatment) came through Old French and directly from Latin.[3]

Timeline

  • 1st century AD – Columella uses it.[2][4]
  • early 15th century – English medication is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The treatment of food, wine or seed with a preservative or flavouring.[2]
  2. (Late Latin) A remedy, healing; medical treatment, medication.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e 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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ 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