retributio

Forms

retribūtiō f (genitive retribūtiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin retribuō (“to give back, repay”) + -tiō.^[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a word of Church Latin.^[2] Tertullian has it in the Apologeticum of the recompense of eternal life,^[2] meaning “recompense, repayment”.^[2][1]

Semantic evolution

Lactantius, Augustine and Sidonius used it of the requital of good and evil, Augustine of a return of evil for good, and the Vulgate has it in the Psalms.^[2] Medieval Latin used it for a reward and for retaliation,^[4] and in Britain for the eternal reward and in dies retributionis, the day of the Last Judgement.^[5]

It lives on in French rétribution and Italian retribuzione, and Dutch borrowed it as retributie.^[1] English retribution (late 14th century) is from Old French and directly from the Latin noun; it first meant repayment for good or evil alike.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of the recompense of eternal life.^[2][7]
• c. 250–317 AD – Lactantius uses it of requiting an insult.^[2][7]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate has it in the Psalms.^[2][7]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine speaks of a return of evil for good.^[2][7]
• late 14th century – English borrows it as retribution.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Recompense, repayment, requital.^[2][3][1]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Retribution, the eternal reward or punishment.^[1][5]
3. (Medieval Latin) Retaliation.^[4]

Related words

• tribuo
• English retribution

Usage notes

Dies retributionis, “the day of retribution”, was a medieval name for the Last Judgement.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c 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
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de