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seditio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word seditio

History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [seːˈdɪ.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [seˈdit.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

sēditiō f (genitive sēditiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from sēd- (“apart”) and itiō “a going”, from īre “to go”.[2][3][1][4] The original sense was thus “a going apart”, and Cicero explains it as the division of citizens who go apart to different sides.[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,[5] who uses it of a quarrel between husband and wife that the god will calm.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Its main sense was violent political discord, the strife of factions or a rising against the authorities, and a dictator could be appointed seditionis sedandae causa “to quell sedition”.[2][3] In the army it meant mutiny, as in Cicero and Caesar.[2] It also meant strife within other groups, such as a family or the fans of pantomime actors in Suetonius.[2][6]

Figuratively it was used of the turmoil of the tides and of bodily upsets.[2] English borrowed it in the mid-14th century as English sedition.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for a quarrel between spouses.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero defines it as citizens going apart and mentions a mutiny of soldiers.[3][2][5]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar reports legions demanding pay almost in mutiny.[2][5]
  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius mentions riots of pantomime fans.[2][5]
  • mid-14th century – English borrows it as English sedition.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Violent political discord; an insurrection, sedition.[2][3]
  2. A mutiny in the army.[2]
  3. Strife, quarrel within a group.[2][6]
  4. (figurative) Turmoil, disturbance.[2]

Word family

  • sēditiōsus
  • sēditiōsē
  • eō
  • English sedition

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
Cite this entry

“Seditio.” Etymologically, 10 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/seditio. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on .