sponsio

Forms

spōnsiō f (genitive spōnsiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin spondeō (“to pledge”) + -tiō.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨spondeō⟩ to Proto-Italic *spondeje/o- (“to libate many times; pledge”), Proto-Indo-European *spond-éye/o- (“to libate”), cognate with Ancient Greek σπένδω (spéndō, “to pour a libation”) and Hittite išpant- (“to libate”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Plautus, of a legal wager and of money given as security, and Köbler lists the Twelve Tables.^[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

A legal and diplomatic term, it meant a solemn promise, guarantee, pledge, as in Cicero; in law a kind of wager in which a litigant undertook to pay a sum if his claim failed, as in Plautus and Cicero; and money given as security.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means promise, guarantee, security, agreement, bet.^[7] Medieval Latin used it for a surety, pledge, and British Medieval Latin also for a promise of marriage.^[8][9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a wager and of security.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a solemn promise.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A solemn promise, pledge, guarantee.^[2][5]
2. (law) A wager on the outcome of a suit.^[2][7]
3. Money given as security.^[2]

Word family

• sponsiuncula

Related words

• spondeō
• spōnsor
• spōnsa

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ 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