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ratiocinor

Etymology and origin of the Latin word ratiocinor

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (ratiō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ra.tiˈoː.kɪ.nɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [rat.t͡siˈɔː.t͡ʃi.nor][1]

Forms

ratiōcinor (present infinitive ratiōcinārī, perfect active ratiōcinātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

It is from ratiō “reckoning, reason” with the suffix -cinor, which is generally traced to canō “to sing, recite”; compare vāticinor and sermōcinor.[2][1] De Vaan derives ⟨ratiō⟩ from ⟨ratus⟩, the participle of reor “to reckon”, Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁-.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Cicero.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to keep accounts, compute, calculate, as in Cicero's dē pecūniā ratiōcinārī “to make money calculations”; to reason, consider, deliberate, also in Cicero; and transitively in Vitruvius to calculate, consider something, and Lewis & Short call it rare but in good prose.[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to reckon, compute, calculate.[7] English ratiocinate (1640s) is from its participle ratiōcinātus.[8]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of computing and reasoning.[2][4]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it transitively.[2][4]
  • 1640s – English ratiocinate is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To keep accounts, compute, calculate.[2][5]
  2. To reason, consider.[2]

Word family

  • ratiōcinātiō
  • ratiōcinātīvus
  • ratiōcinātor
  • ratiōcinium

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. ^ 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Ratiocinor.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/ratiocinor. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·