terminatio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [tɛr.mɪˈnaː.ti.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ter.miˈnat.t͡si.o]^[1]

Forms

terminātiō f (genitive terminātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin terminō (“to bound, end”) + -tiō, from terminus “boundary”.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, and the OLD's earliest citations include Cicero and Livy.^[3][2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant the marking of boundaries of a territory, as in Livy and inscriptions; a boundary, limit, borderland, as in Vitruvius; and an ending, close, as in Cicero; figuratively a fixing, determining.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means arrangement, fixing, decision, final modulation.^[5] Medieval Latin used it for demarcation, a boundary mark and a boundary.^[6] English termination (late 14th century) is from it.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of an ending.^[2][3]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of marking boundaries.^[2][3]
• late 14th century – English termination is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The marking of boundaries.^[2][4]
2. A boundary, limit.^[2][6]
3. An ending, conclusion.^[2]
4. A fixing, determining.^[4][5]

Related words

• terminō
• terminus
• English termination

References

1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com