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veneratio

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word veneratio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
116–27 BC, Varro
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*wenh₁-os)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin veneror
Latin veneratio
Latin venerabilis

Forms

venerātiō f (genitive venerātiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin veneror (“to worship, pay homage”) + -tiō.[2][1][3] De Vaan lists the verb among the derivatives of venus (“charm, desire”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *wenos- and Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁-os (“desire”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Varro,[3][4] who opens his work on farming by calling on the gods to be worshipped.[2]

Semantic evolution

It was first the act of seeking the goodwill of a god, then worship and deep respect shown to a person, homage: Pliny the Elder says the ancestors had heads uncovered at the sight of magistrates not out of respect but for health.[2] It is also the feeling of reverence, as in Cicero's “whatever excels deserves proper veneration”.[2][5] Döderlein contrasts vereri and revereri, to feel reverence, with venerārī, to show it.[6]

Church Latin glosses it “veneration, honour, great respect”.[7]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro of calling on the gods.[2][3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of reverence for what excels.[2][4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of homage to magistrates.[2][4]
  • early 15th century – Borrowed into English as veneration, through Old French.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Worship of a god; homage to a person.[2][1]
  2. Reverence, veneration, deep respect.[2][5][1]
  • venus
  • English veneration

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 d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Veneratio.” Etymologically, 19 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/veneratio. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·