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reservatio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word reservatio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
572, a Ravenna papyrus
Ultimate origin
Latin reservō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin reservo
French réserver
Latin reservatio
From the same root
French réserve ← réserver

Forms

reservātiō f (genitive reservātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin reservō (“to keep back, save up”) + -tiō.[2][1] The verb is re- with servō (“to keep, save”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is Late Latin,[3][4] and a legal term from its first records: the TLL cites the Interpretatio of the Theodosian Code, on the reservation of a usufruct, and a papyrus from Ravenna of 572, where something is given away with the usufruct reserved.[2]

Semantic evolution

Gregory the Great speaks of giving something from the Church's patrimony “not without reservation”.[2] In medieval sources it is the keeping back of something for later use or for a purpose,[4][1] and in canon law the papal act reserving to the pope the appointment to benefices when they fall vacant;[5][1] it also named a superior's reserving to himself the power to absolve.[1] A letter of Guarino of 1449 speaks of reservation of a prebend.[6]

English reservation, from the late 14th century, comes from Old French and directly from Late Latin.[3]

Timeline

  • 572 – A papyrus from Ravenna records a gift with the usufruct reserved.[2]
  • 540–604 AD – Gregory the Great uses it of gifts from Church property.[2][7]
  • 1258 – A British source uses it of keeping back merchandise.[4]
  • late 14th century – English borrows it as reservation.[3]
  • 1449 – Guarino uses it of the reservation of a Church post.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Late Latin, law) The reserving of a right, as of a usufruct.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A keeping back for future use; reservation.[4][1]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Preservation, keeping from perishing.[1]
  4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A papal reservation of the right to fill benefices; a superior's reserving of absolution.[5][1][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d 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 du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  6. ^ a b c Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Reservatio.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/reservatio. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·