substructio

Forms

substrūctiō f (genitive substrūctiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin substruō (“to build beneath, lay a foundation”) + -tiō.^[2][1][3] That verb is formed with sub- (“under”) from struō (“to pile up, build”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Cicero,^[4] who in the Pro Milone speaks of an estate where, because of its “insane substructures” (īnsānae substrūctiōnēs), a thousand men were easily kept busy.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It meant both the work of building a foundation and the supporting structure itself.^[2] Caesar mentions the very large substructures of a theatre,^[3][5] Livy and Columella use it,^[3] and Vitruvius insists that the greatest care must be given to foundations (maxima dēbet esse cūra substrūctiōnum).^[3][5] Frontinus uses it in his work on the aqueducts,^[3] and an inscription records a substructure built together with a record office (tabulārium).^[2]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of extravagant building works.^[2][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar mentions the substructures of a theatre.^[3][5][4]
• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius discusses foundations under the name.^[3][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it.^[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The building of a foundation or substructure.^[2]
2. A supporting structure, substructure, foundation.^[2][3][5]

Related words

• struō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn