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stipulor

Etymology and origin of the Latin word stipulor

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Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (stipula)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈstɪ.pʊ.ɫɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈstiː.pu.lor][1]

Forms

stipulor (present infinitive stipulārī or stipulārier, perfect active stipulātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1] Plautus has the infinitive stipulārier.[2]

Etymology

It is apparently from stipula “straw” with -or, perhaps from a symbolic breaking of straws when an agreement was made, and the OLD compares Isidore of Seville.[3][1] Varro connected it with stips “coin”, and Lewis & Short preferred an unattested adjective ⟨*stipulus⟩ “firm”, from the root of stīpō.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Plautus, of exacting a promise.[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

In law it meant to exact a solemn promise or guarantee from someone in an oral contract by a set form of question, as in Plautus and Cicero, and apparently, in Ulpian, to promise in such a contract.[3][5]

English stipulate (1620s) is from its participle stipulātus.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[5][4]
  • 1620s – English stipulate is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (law) To exact a formal promise, stipulate.[3][2]
  2. (law) To promise formally.[3]

Word family

  • astipulor
  • instipulor
  • rēstipulor
  • stipulātiō
  • stipulātor
  • stipulātus
  • astipulātiō
  • astipulātor
  • astipulātus
  • stipulātiuncula
  • stipula
  • English stipulate

References

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

“Stipulor.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/stipulor. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·