Etymologically
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terminatio

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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]

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