propositum

Forms

prōpositum n (genitive prōpositī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of prōpositus, the perfect passive participle of prōpōnō (“to put forward, set before”), used as a noun: “what has been set before one”.^[2][1] ⟨prōpōnō⟩ is prō- with pōnō (“to put”), which de Vaan explains as ⟨*po-sinō⟩ “to put down”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero.^[4] In De finibus Cicero speaks of doing everything to attain one's goal (quō prōpositum adsequātur).^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is first a purpose, aim or intention, and prōpositō means “on purpose”.^[2] It then became one's chosen way of life or conduct: Velleius praises a man most brilliant in talent and most upright prōpositō, “in his principles”.^[2] In speech it is the subject or point, from which one may digress (Cicero), and in rhetoric a general question, translating Ancient Greek θέσις (thésis); in logic it is a proposition or premise.^[2] Late jurists used it for an issued summons.^[2]

Church Latin glosses it “design, purpose, plan, resolution”.^[5] In medieval Latin it also meant a precept or command, and a monastic community, living by a common rule of life.^[6]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero of a goal and of the subject of a speech.^[2][4]
• c. 20 BC–30 AD – Velleius Paterculus of a man's principles.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A purpose, aim, intention, plan.^[2][1][5]
2. One's chosen way of life, practice, principles.^[2][1]
3. The subject, theme or point (of what is said).^[2][1]
4. (rhetoric) A general question;^[2] (logic) a proposition, premise.^[2]
5. (law) A summons.^[2]
6. (Medieval Latin) A precept, command; a monastic community.^[6]

Related words

• prōpōnō
• prōpositiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill