Etymologically
Log in

scriptum

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:37. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈskriːp.tũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈskrip.tum][1]

Forms

scrīptum n (genitive scrīptī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of scrīptus, perfect participle of scrībō “to write”, used as a noun.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨scrībō⟩ to Proto-Italic *skreif-e/o- (“to carve”), from Proto-Indo-European *skreybʰ- (“to carve”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of the letter of a law and of literary works.[2] Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a writing, inscription; the written text as against speech, as in Cicero; the letter of a law or document as against its intent; and a written work, usually plural.[2] Duodecim scrīpta “the twelve lines” was a board game.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was a publication, writing, document.[7] Medieval Latin used the plural for a letter, and the word for a charter.[8] Old French escrit and Latin scrīptum gave English script in the late 14th century, “a written document”.[3] Köbler traces Germanic ⟨*skrifti⟩ “writing”, Old Norse skript, to it.[5]

Timeline

  • 86/82 BC – the Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a written speech.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English script is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A writing, inscription.[2]
  2. A written text, script; the letter of a law.[2]
  3. A written work.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A letter; a charter.[8]

Word family

  • scriptulum

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  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 Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill