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suffragatio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word suffragatio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (suffragium,-tio)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin suffragium
English suffrage
Latin suffragor
Latin suffragatio
Latin suffragator

Forms

suffrāgātiō f (genitive suffrāgātiōnis); third declension[1] It is also spelled subfrāgātiō.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin suffrāgor (“to vote for, support”) + -tiō.[2][1] suffrāgor belongs with suffrāgium (“vote”), which de Vaan explains from a verb or noun ⟨*sub-frāg-⟩; since its oldest senses concern voting, he considers a link with frangō (“to break”), of people shouting in support of a candidate, but the connection is uncertain.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,[5] who in the speech for Plancius speaks of taking away canvassing support, attention and influence: suffragationem, observantiam, et gratiam tollere.[3]

Semantic evolution

It is the public expression of support for a candidate, especially by canvassing:[2] Cicero says the support of the soldiers carries great weight with the whole people when a consul is declared, and speaks of losing the recommendation to the consulship.[3] Livy uses it of the canvassing of powerful men, and Seneca of a mother's support.[3] By transfer it is promotion or support of an enterprise, as Valerius Maximus' affairs favoured by divine support.[2][3] In Church Latin it also means a prayer, a choice or a vote.[6]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero, of canvassing support for candidates.[3][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy, of the canvassing of powerful men.[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Public support for a candidate, canvassing; a recommendation.[2][3][1]
  2. Suffrage, voting.[1][6]
  3. Promotion, support, favour.[2][3][1]
  4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A prayer.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Suffragatio.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/suffragatio. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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