operatio Latin · revision 7915

16 Oct 2026, 14:48 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Vitruvius|origins=la opus}}
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''operātiō''' ''f'' (genitive operātiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[operor]] “to work” with the suffix [[-tiō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Vitruvius, of the working of natural forces.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Vitruvius c. 84–c. 25 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant work, labour, activity, as Pliny the Elder's frogs lying in wait for bees at work, and in Vitruvius the operation of natural forces.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Lewis and Short note it is absent in Cicero and Caesar.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) Festus uses the plural of sacrifices.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Christian writers it meant Christian works, charity.^(Gaffiot 2016)
+ 
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant operation, work, toil, trade, business, virtue, action.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for labour service and meritorious acts, charity, and British Medieval Latin for monastic manual labour.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''operazione'' and French ''opération'', and Old French gave [[en|operation]] in the late 14th century, “action, performance”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of natural forces.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of work.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 14th century – English ''operation'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # Work, activity; [[m|en|operation]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # In the plural, sacrifices.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Good works, charity.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Labour service.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[operor]]
+ * [[opus]]
+ * [[en|operation]]
+ * [[en|operate]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}