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respectivus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word respectivus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1198–1216, Innocent III
Ultimate origin
Latin respiciō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin respicio
Latin respectivus
English respective
From the same root
Latin respecto ← respicio
Latin respectus ← respicio

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [rɛs.pɛkˈtiː.wʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [res.pekˈtiː.vus][1]

Forms

respectīvus (feminine respectīva, neuter respectīvum, adverb respectīvē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is Medieval Latin,[2][3] from Latin respiciō (“to look back at; to regard”), formed on its perfect participle ⟨respectus⟩ with the suffix -īvus.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Du Cange cites it from a letter of Pope Innocent III, meaning “referring to something else”.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

In scholastic philosophy it means relative, as opposed to absolute: Roger Bacon contrasts absolute and relative dispositions.[4] For Thomas Aquinas it is a synonym of relativus and relatus.[6] In grammar it describes a word connected with another.[4][1] Niermeyer glosses it “respective, relative”,[7] and another sense Du Cange records is “circumspect, considerate”.[5]

It is the source of Italian rispettivo,[8] and English respective (mid-15th century), first in the sense “relative”, comes from it.[3]

Timeline

  • 1198–1216 – A letter of Innocent III uses it of what refers to something else.[5][2]
  • 1267 – Latham's first date for it.[2]
  • mid-15th century – English takes it over as respective.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) Relative, having relation to something else.[4][7][6]
  2. (Medieval Latin, grammar) Connected grammatically with another word.[4][1]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Particular, respective.[1][9]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Circumspect, considerate.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e 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 c d 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 Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  9. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Respectivus.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/respectivus. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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