Etymologically
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significantia

Etymology and origin of the Latin word significantia

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Quintilian
Ultimate origin
Latin (signum,faciō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin significantia
English significance

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [sɪŋ.nɪ.fɪˈkan.ti.a][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [siɲ.ɲi.fiˈkan.t͡si.a][1]

Forms

significantia f (genitive significantiae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from significāns, present participle of significō “to show, mean”, with the suffix -ia.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD and Lewis & Short cite Quintilian, of the force of words.[2][4] Köbler dates Quintilian c. 35–95/96 AD.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Quintilian it was meaningfulness, the expressive force of words, and it was also the conveying of information, indication, and Arnobius used it for meaning.[2][6] Lewis & Short call it post-Augustan.[4]

In Medieval Latin it was a hidden meaning, symbolism.[7] British Medieval Latin used it for meaning, significance.[8] English significance (about 1400, the meaning of an omen or dream) came through Old French or directly from Latin.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it.[2][5]
  • c. 1400 – English significance is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Meaningfulness, expressive force, significance.[2][6]
  2. Indication; meaning.[2][6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Hidden meaning, symbolism.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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

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Cite this entry

“Significantia.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/significantia. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·