descriptio Latin · revision 4090

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Rhetorica ad Herennium|origins=la scrībō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dēscrīptiō''' ''f'' (genitive dēscrīptiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|dēscrībō|-tiō|t1=to write down, describe]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) ''Dēscrībō'' is from [[de-|alt=dē-]] and [[scribo|alt=scrībō]] “to write”.^(Etymonline) Manuscripts and editions often confuse it with [[discriptio|alt=discrīptiō]] “distribution”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Rhetorica ad Herennium and Cicero use it as a rhetorical term for a vivid description.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates the Rhetorica ad Herennium 86/82 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal senses were a drawing, diagram or plan, as Cicero's mathematical figures and Vitruvius' maps of the world, and a copy or transcript, as of account books in the Verrines.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) Lewis & Short note that Cicero used it often, and that the figurative sense, a representation or description in words, was far more frequent, as of places and regions in Quintilian.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ It also meant an orderly arrangement, of a speech, a building, the legions or the classes of citizens.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The Vulgate uses it of a census of the people, and in medieval Latin it meant a census for taxation and a register of the fiscs and benefices of a kingdom.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Niermeyer 1976) English ''description'' came from Old French and Latin in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of description.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of diagrams and descriptions.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of maps.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of a census.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''description'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A drawing, [[m|en|diagram]], plan, map.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A copy, [[m|en|transcript]].^(Georges 1913)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(rhetoric)'' A [[m|en|description]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An arrangement, order.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''criminis descriptio'', an indictment.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Late and Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|census]]; a register.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[descriptiuncula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[describo]]

+ * [[en|description]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}