divinatio Latin · revision 8427

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=la dīvus}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dīvīnātiō''' ''f'' (genitive dīvīnātiōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[dīvīnō]] “to foresee, divine” with the suffix [[-tiō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of foreseeing the future.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant foreseeing the future, prophecy, and an intuition, a guess.^(OLD 2012) In law, as in Quintilian, it was the inquiry that decided which of several accusers should prosecute.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant divination, foreseeing.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it for fortune-telling, as in Theodore's penitential against women who practise devilish incantations or divinations.^(DMLBS) It was borrowed into Italian ''divinazione'' and French ''divination'', and through Old French it gave [[en|divination]] in the late 14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it in law.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|Divination]], prophecy.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Intuition, a guess.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(law)'' The choice of a prosecutor.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dīvīnō]]

+ * [[dīvīnus]]

+ * [[en|divination]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}