definio Latin · revision 6300
16 Oct 2026, 06:36 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la fīnis}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [deːˈfiː.ni.oː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈfiː.ni.o]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''dēfīniō''' (present infinitive dēfīnīre, perfect active dēfīnīvī, supine dēfīnītum); fourth conjugation^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[dē-]] and [[fīniō]] “to bound, limit”, from [[fīnis]] “boundary”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's first citation is Plautus, of settling something.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant to fix the limits of, bound, as Cicero's olive trees marking the end of an estate, to limit, restrict, and to put an end to, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant to determine, settle, as in Plautus, to ordain for someone, to define, describe exactly, as in Cicero, and to specify.^(OLD 2012) In law it meant to assert, as in Ulpian, and to lay down a rule.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short call it frequent in Cicero.^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to solve, define, determine, limit.^(Stelten 1995) Italian ''definire'' and Spanish ''definir'' are borrowings.^(Wiktionary) [[en|define]] came through Old French in the late 14th century, and [[en|definition]] from ''dēfīnītiō''.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of settling.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of boundaries and of definition.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of asserting.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 14th century – English ''define'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To bound, mark the limits of.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To limit, restrict.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To end.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To determine, settle.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To [[m|en|define]]; to specify.^(OLD 2012)
+ # To assert; to lay down.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[dēfīnītiō]]
+ * [[dēfīnītīvus]]
+ * [[dēfīnītor]]
+ * [[indēfīnītus]]
+ * [[dēfīnienter]]
+ * [[dēfīnītē]]
+ * [[dēfīnītus]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[fīniō]]
+ * [[fīnis]]
+ * [[en|define]]
+ * [[en|definition]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}