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molestatio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word molestatio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
300s Chiron More words from the 3rd century
Ultimate origin
Latin molestō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin molestus
Latin molestō
Latin molestātiō
English molestation
From the same root
Latin molestē ← molestus
Latin molestia ← molestus

Forms

molestātiō f (genitive molestātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin molestō (“to annoy, trouble”), a noun of action formed with the suffix -tiō.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The veterinary treatise of Chiron (4th century AD)[1] has a chapter on the trouble caused by the blood (de sanguinis molestatione) in draught animals.[2]

Semantic evolution

In Late Latin it meant the act of troubling or annoying:[2] the Latin Alexander of Tralles speaks of medicines that purge without too much distress.[2] Its main life was in medieval charters and law, where it meant disturbance, harm or injury done to someone's rights or possessions, often in the formula “without any molestation” (sine omni molestatione);[3][4][5] Niermeyer also gives the sense of a dispute.[6][7] English borrowed it about 1400, partly through French.[8]

Timeline

  • 4th century AD – Chiron writes of the trouble caused by the blood in animals.[2][1]
  • 880 – A diploma of Charles III forbids inflicting any harm (molestationem) on the beneficiaries' houses.[3]
  • 1201 – An English patent roll has sine omni molestatione.[4]
  • c. 1400 – Borrowed into English as molestation.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Late Latin) The act of troubling, annoyance, distress.[2][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Disturbance, harm or injury done to a person's rights or property; molestation.[3][4][5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A dispute.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c Novum Glossarium Mediae Latinitatis ab anno DCCC usque ad annum MCC (1957–), Copenhagen / Geneva / Paris: Union Académique Internationale; IRHT
  4. ^ a b c 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
  5. ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard, Liber exquisiti xenii: Lexikon frühmittelalterlicher Rechtswörter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Molestatio.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/molestatio. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·