Etymologically
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notatio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 19:13. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [nɔˈtaː.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [noˈtat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

notātiō f (genitive notātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from notō “to mark, note” with the suffix -tiō; ⟨notō⟩ is from nota “mark”, whose origin de Vaan finds unclear.[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is the Rhetorica ad Herennium, which he dates 86/82 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was the putting of a mark on something, as of voting tablets in Cicero, and the censors' mark of disgrace; a letter or symbol standing for a word, an abbreviation, as P. for Publius; the explanation of a word by its derivation, Cicero's rendering of Greek ⟨etumología⟩; defining; observation; and singling out, choice.[2][6][7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was observation, noting, designation, characterising.[8] British Medieval Latin used it for marking.[9] English notation (1560s) first meant the explanation of a term.[3]

Timeline

  • 86/82 BC – the Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.[5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for etymology.[2][5]
  • 1560s – English notation is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A marking; the censors' mark of disgrace.[2][7]
  2. An abbreviation, symbol.[2]
  3. Etymology, explanation of a word.[2]
  4. Observation; choice.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ 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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ 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