tractio

Forms

tractiō f (genitive tractiōnis); third declension^[1][2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin trahō (“to draw, drag”) + -tiō.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its only classical example is in Quintilian, where it names a type of adverb or the derivation of one; the OLD notes that the exact sense cannot be made out from that single passage.^[1][2][3]

Semantic evolution

Glossaries equate it with tractus and with Greek ἕλκυσις (hélkusis) and σύρσις (súrsis), and Du Cange lists dragging among the punishments for treason.^[4] Etymonline finds medieval tractio “a drawing” from the mid-13th century, the source of English traction.^[5] Italian trazione comes from it too.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it as a grammatical term.^[1][2][6]
• mid-13th century – Medieval Latin uses it for a drawing or pulling.^[5]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as traction, at first of pulling a dislocated limb.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (grammar) A type of adverb, or its derivation; the exact sense is uncertain.^[1][2][3]
2. (Medieval Latin) A drawing, pulling or dragging.^[5][4]

Related words

• English traction

References

1. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de