devotio Latin · revision 33263

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la voveō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [deːˈwoː.ti.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [deˈvɔt.t͡si.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dēvōtiō''' ''f'' (genitive dēvōtiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|dēvoveō|-tiō|t1=to devote, vow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) [[m|la|dēvoveō]] is a compound of [[m|la|dē-]] and [[m|la|voveō|t=to vow]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who says that a son imitated Publius Decius in devoting his life.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Roman religion it was the act by which a general devoted himself, and his army, to the gods of the underworld for his country;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero speaks of the gods appeased by the self-sacrifices of the Decii, and Livy, Valerius Maximus and Seneca also use it.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It also meant a formal curse: Nepos has pillars on which a curse had been written.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Tacitus and Suetonius use it of spells and magical formulas joined with poisons,^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) and Apuleius of auspicious prayers.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) In late writers it is loyalty or allegiance,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Christian authors use it for piety and devotion: Lactantius says that a man without devotion is useless to God.^(Lewis & Short 1879) In medieval Latin it is obedience and loyalty, a vow, piety and worship, a pious deed, and compliance.^(Niermeyer 1976) Church Latin keeps both the good and the bad senses.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|devotion]] (c. 1200) came from it partly through Old French, first meaning profound religious feeling.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero, of the self-sacrifice of the Decii.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 100–24 BC – Nepos, of a written curse.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus, of spells.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–317 AD – Lactantius, of Christian devotion.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|devotion]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|self-sacrifice]] of a general to the gods of the [[m|en|underworld]] for his country; a devoting, consecrating.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|curse]], [[m|en|imprecation]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) a spell, magical formula;^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) a prayer.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' Loyalty, [[m|en|allegiance]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Piety, [[m|en|devotion]];^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) ''(Medieval Latin)'' a vow; a pious deed.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dēvōtus]]

+ * [[dēvoveō]]

+ * [[voveō]]

+ * [[en|devotion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}