occasio Latin · revision 6849

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la cadō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɔkˈkaː.si.oː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [okˈkaː.s̬i.o]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''occāsiō''' ''f'' (genitive occāsiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[occidō]] “to fall, happen”, with the suffix -tiō, so first “a falling out, happening”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) ''Occidō'' is from [[m|la|ob-]] and [[cadō]] “to fall”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Festus defines it as the opportune moment that comes by chance.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus, whose character is told he still has a chance to leave.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant favourable circumstances for an action, the right moment, an opportunity, the Greek εὐκαιρία, often with a genitive of the action, as ''abeundī occāsiō'' “a chance to get away”.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In the jurist Paulus it meant a contingency, accident.^(OLD 2012) The ''Appendix Probi'' corrects ''occansio'' to ''occāsiō''.^(Appendix Probi)

+

+ In Late and Medieval Latin it meant a cause or reason, a pretext, and a seizing of the opportunity.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) Through Old French ''ochaison'' it survives in Italian ''cagione'' “cause”.^(Wiktionary) [[en|occasion]] is recorded in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a chance to leave.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero equates it with Greek εὐκαιρία.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|opportunity]], the right moment.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A contingency, [[m|en|accident]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' A cause, reason; a [[m|en|pretext]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[occāsiuncula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[occidō]]

+ * [[cadō]]

+ * [[en|occasion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}