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silentium

Etymology and origin of the Latin word silentium

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (sileō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [sɪˈɫɛn.ti.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [siˈlɛn.t͡si.um][1]

Forms

silentium n (genitive silentiī or silentī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from silēns “silent”, the present participle of sileō “to be silent”, with the suffix -ium.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of quiet.[2] Köbler's first source is Plautus; he dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the absence of sound, quiet, and in augury ceremonial silence, as in Cicero.[2] From Caesar it meant keeping silent, in Horace keeping secrets, and in law failure to make a claim and being barred from pleading.[2] In Cicero it meant the silence of an audience, silentium facere to call for silence, failure to mention something, lack of comment, obscurity, and tranquillity.[2][5] In Livy it meant the absence of news, and in Terence inactivity.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant silence, and silentiō secretly.[6] Medieval Latin used it for a secret session and for psalmody.[7] It survives in Italian silenzio and French silence, and Old French silence gave English silence about 1200.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of quiet.[2][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of inactivity.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of ceremonial silence.[2][4]
  • c. 1200 – English silence is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Silence, quiet; ceremonial silence.[2]
  2. Keeping silent; reticence.[2]
  3. The silence of an audience.[2]
  4. Not mentioning; lack of news; lack of comment.[2]
  5. Obscurity.[2]
  6. Tranquillity; inactivity.[2]
  7. (Medieval Latin) A secret session.[7]

Word family

  • silentiarius
  • silentiōsus
  • silēns
  • silenter
  • silentiōsē
  • silentus
  • sileō
  • English silence
  • English silent

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Silentium.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/silentium. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·