visitatio

Forms

vīsitātiō f (genitive vīsitātiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin vīsitō (“to see often, visit”) + -tiō, the frequentative of vīsō “to go to see”.^[2][1][3] De Vaan explains ⟨vīsō⟩ as a desiderative of videō, Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Vitruvius, and Köbler's earliest source is Vitruvius.^[2][3] Köbler dates Vitruvius c. 84–c. 25 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In Vitruvius it meant a frequent seeing, a sight, appearance; post-classically it meant a visit, as in Tertullian.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means visitation, visit.^[7] Medieval Latin used it for a visit of inspection and a compulsory gift to a lord.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary and of divine grace.^[9] English visitation (c. 1300) is from it.^[10]

Timeline

• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of a sight.^[2][3]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of a visit.^[5][3]
• c. 1300 – English visitation is recorded.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. A frequent seeing; a sight, appearance.^[2][5]
2. (Late Latin) A visit.^[5][6]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A visitation.^[7][9]
4. (Medieval Latin) An inspection.^[8]

Related words

• vīsitō
• vīsō
• videō
• English visitation

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b 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
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com