divortium Latin · revision 7544

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [diːˈwɔr.ti.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [diˈvɔr.t͡si.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dīvortium''' ''n'' (genitive dīvortiī or dīvortī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[dīvertō]] “to turn aside, separate” with the suffix [[-ium]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) The spelling ⟨dīvortium⟩ is the common one, but ⟨dīvertium⟩ is found at all periods.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of a divorce.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the severing of a marriage, divorce, ''dīvortium facere'' “to divorce”, as in Plautus, who plays on separation in general, and in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Cicero it meant a watershed, ''dīvortia aquārum'', and in Virgil a fork of roads, a parting of the ways.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Tacitus it meant an intervening strip, and in Columella a dividing line in time.^(OLD 2012) In Apuleius it meant the dissolution of a marriage however brought about, and incompatibility.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein explains that ''repudium'' is a one-sided putting away, while ''dīvortium'' is a dissolution by mutual consent.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant divorce or division.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin also used it for a by-road.^(DMLBS) It survives in French ''divorce'' and Italian ''divorzio'', and [[en|divorce]] came in the late 14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of divorce.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''dīvortia aquārum''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a fork in a road.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A fork, parting of the ways.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|watershed]]; a dividing line; a turning point.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An intervening strip.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|Divorce]], ''dīvortium facere'', to divorce.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Incompatibility.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dīvertō]]

+ * [[vertō]]

+ * [[en|divorce]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes it from [[repudium]], a one-sided repudiation.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}