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raptura

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word raptura

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
4th century AD, Probus
Ultimate origin
Latin rapiō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin rapio
Latin raptus
Latin raptura
From the same root
Latin abripio ← rapio
Latin corripio ← rapio
Latin deripio ← rapio
Latin diripio ← rapio
Latin eripio ← rapio
Latin praeripio ← rapio
Latin proripio ← rapio
Latin rapina ← rapio
Latin rapto ← rapio
Latin raptor ← rapio
Latin surripio ← rapio

Forms

raptūra f (genitive raptūrae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin raptus + -ūra, from the past participle of rapiō (“to seize, carry off”).[2][1] The TLL derives it from the verb and marks the word as doubtful in Classical texts.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The grammarian Probus names it as a noun formed from rapere, beside raptor.[3][1]

Semantic evolution

Medieval Latin used it for the carrying off of a person, an abduction, usually with sexual violence, that is, rape; a penitential attributed to Boniface punishes the rape of a virgin or a widow.[2] A charter of 749 uses it for catching fish in rivers, where a variant reading has captura.[2] The Anglo-Saxon glossary of Ælfric glosses raptura with an Old English word for whey.[4]

English took the word over around 1600 as rapture, first “the act of carrying off”, and soon also “spiritual ecstasy”.[5]

Timeline

  • 4th century AD – Probus cites it as a noun formed from rapere.[3][1]
  • 749 – A charter uses it for the catching of fish.[2]
  • c. 1600 – Borrowed into English as rapture.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) Abduction of a person, rape.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) The act of catching or taking, especially of fish.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin, glossary) Whey.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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
  3. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Raptura.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/raptura. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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