tractatus

Forms

tractātus m (genitive tractātūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from tractō “to handle, treat” with the suffix of action nouns -tus.^[2][1][3] ⟨Tractō⟩ is the frequentative of trahō “to draw”.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cicero, of the management of an activity.^[2] Köbler's first source is Livy; he dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense, a handling, touching, is rare and not in Cicero, as Pliny's handling of nuts and plants tamed by handling like wild beasts.^[5][2] It meant the management or exercise of an activity, as in Cicero and Quintilian, the treatment or discussion of a subject, a method of treatment, and in Ulpian the consideration of a proposal.^[2][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a tract, treatise, sermon, homily.^[6] Medieval Latin used it of a treatise or written exposition and of a homily, and British Medieval Latin also of a haul of fish.^[7][8] Old French traitié “agreement, dealings” gave English treaty in the late 14th century, and English tractate is a learned borrowing.^[9][1]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of management.^[2][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy has the word.^[4]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of handling and of treatment of a subject.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English treaty is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A handling, touching.^[2]
2. Management, practice.^[2]
3. Treatment, discussion of a subject.^[2]
4. Consideration of a proposal.^[2]
5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A treatise, homily.^[6]

Related words

• tractō
• trahō
• English treaty
• English tractate

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com