Etymologically
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termino

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛr.mɪ.noː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛr.mi.no][1]

Forms

terminō (present infinitive termināre, perfect active termināvī, supine terminātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from terminus “boundary, limit, end” with the verb suffix -ō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of marking boundaries and of ending.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to mark the boundaries of a territory with stones or posts, of natural features to form a boundary, as Lucretius' land and sea bounding each other, and in Livy to separate public land from private.[2][3][5] From Cicero it meant to define, delimit abstract things, to limit, restrict, and to bring to a close, end, and in Ulpian to settle an issue.[2] Döderlein explains that fīnīre and termināre denote merely ending something, without regard to whether its purpose is achieved.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to limit, define, end, finish, determine.[7] English terminate came in the early 15th century from its participle terminātus.[8]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of bounding.[3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of boundaries and of ending.[2][4]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of separating public land.[5][4]
  • early 15th century – English terminate is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To mark the boundaries of; to form the boundary of.[2]
  2. To define, delimit.[2]
  3. To limit, restrict.[2]
  4. To end, conclude, terminate; to settle.[2]

Word family

  • atterminō
  • circumterminō
  • contermino
  • dēterminō
  • disterminō
  • exterminō
  • interminātus
  • prōterminō
  • terminātiō
  • terminātor
  • terminātus
  • terminātē

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d 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. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com