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redditus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word redditus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
from 643, Leges Langobardorum
Ultimate origin
Latin reddō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin do
Italian dare
Latin reddo
Latin redditus
From the same root
Latin datus ← do
Latin dedo ← do
Latin dido ← do
Latin obdo ← do
Latin prodo ← do
Latin rentale ← reddo

Forms

redditus m (genitive redditūs); fourth declension[1][2]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from Latin reddō (“to give back, pay”),[1][3] confused with reditus (“return; revenue”).[1][4] Gaffiot treats it simply as a spelling of the latter.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest dated source is the Lombard laws (from 643), beside the Lex Ribuaria, capitularies, formulae and charters,[3][5] where it means a surrender or gift, and a due or tax.[1]

Semantic evolution

In medieval Latin it became a common word for a payment due and for revenue;[1][6] Du Cange glosses it as income.[6] British sources use it for the rendering of an account, for revenue, for rent paid in money, in kind or in service, with set phrases such as redditus assisus “fixed rent” and redditus albus “blanch-farm”, and for property that yields rent.[4]

Timeline

  • from 643 – The Lombard laws use it.[3]
  • 1070 – An English charter speaks of tithes from all the redditibus of manors.[4]
  • 1392 – Durham accounts use in redditu compoti for the rendering of an account.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) Surrender, handing over; a gift.[1][4]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A due, tax.[1][5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Revenue, income.[4][6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Rent, in money, kind or service;[4] redditus assisus, fixed rent.[4]
  5. (Medieval Latin) Property that yields rent.[4]

Usage notes

Classical redditus is only the perfect passive participle of reddō.[7][8] Niermeyer also has a second-declension medieval noun redditus, a lay brother;[1] Du Cange explains it as a monk or hermit who had given himself up to the monastic life.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  2. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Köbler, Gerhard, Liber exquisiti xenii: Lexikon frühmittelalterlicher Rechtswörter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
Cite this entry

“Redditus.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/redditus. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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