Etymologically

solstitialis

Etymology and origin of the Latin word solstitialis

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (sōlstitium)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin sol
English parasol
Latin solstitium
English solstice
Latin solstitialis

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [soːɫ.stɪ.tiˈaː.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [sol.stit.t͡siˈaː.lis][1]

Forms

sōlstitiālis (neuter sōlstitiāle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1] Hyginus has the spelling solistitiālis.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin sōlstitium (“solstice”) + -ālis, from sōl “sun” and sistō “to stand”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus.[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant of the summer solstice, solstitial, the opposite of brūmālis, as of the longest day in Cicero's diēs sōlstitiālis.[2][4][5]

British Medieval Latin used it of either solstice, and circulus sōlstitiālis for a tropic.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero has diēs sōlstitiālis.[5][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of the summer solstice, solstitial.[2][4]
  2. (Medieval Latin) Of the winter solstice.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b 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
Cite this entry

“Solstitialis.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/solstitialis. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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