Etymologically

spatio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 15:46. This address is a permanent link to this version.

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈspa.ti.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈspat.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

spatiō (present infinitive spatiāre, perfect active spatiāvī, supine spatiātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin spatium (“space, room”) + -ō,[1] a rare active form beside the usual deponent spatior, under which Georges lists it.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded in Venantius Fortunatus (536–c. 610 AD),[3] in his poem on Saint Martin (4.108), used intransitively in the sense “to wander, move about”.[4][5]

Semantic evolution

The dictionaries cite it from this one passage only,[4][5] and Wiktionary marks both its senses, “to wander, roam” and “to circulate”, as rare.[1]

Timeline

  • 536–c. 610 AD – Venantius Fortunatus uses it of wandering about.[4][5][3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To wander, roam.[1][4][5]
  2. To circulate, move about.[1][4]

Usage notes

The ordinary verb is the deponent spatior;[2] Georges gives spatio only as a cross-reference to it.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier