Etymologically

aplecăciune

Etymology and origin of the Romanian word aplecăciune

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1799 Iorgovici More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Latin applicō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin plicō
Italian piegare
Romanian pleca
Latin applicō
Romanian apleca
Romanian aplecăciune
French appliquer
Spanish aplicar
From the same root
English ply ← plicō
Latin complicō ← plicō
Latin dēplicō ← plicō
Latin displicō ← plicō
Latin explicō ← plicō
Latin implicō ← plicō
Latin replicō ← plicō
Romanian explica ← plicō
Italian piega ← piegare
Latin applicātiō ← applicō

Forms

aplecăciune f (plural aplecăciuni)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Romanian apleca + -ciune.[2][3][1][4] The DA thought it a coinage of Țichindeal that never entered the common language.[3] Wiktionary compares Latin applicātiō and calls it a doublet of aplicație.[1] The verb apleca is from Latin applicō.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELR dates the first record to 1799, in Iorgovici, with the sense “inclination, disposition; bow”.[5] The DA's quotations are from Țichindeal: people „au de tot feliul de aplecăciuni” “have all kinds of inclinations”.[3]

Semantic evolution

Both senses follow those of the verb: an inclination of the mind and a bodily bow, the same as plecăciune; Țichindeal has „cu mare aplecăciune” “with a deep bow”.[3][2] The word fell out of use and is now marked archaic.[2][4]

Timeline

  • 1799 – Iorgovici, the first record.[5]
  • 1931 – CADE records it with Țichindeal's quotation.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (archaic) inclination, natural disposition, liking for something; the same as aplecare.[2][3][6]
  2. (archaic) A bow, prostration.[2][3]
  • plecăciune
  • aplicație

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 80
  3. ^ a b c d e f Academia Română (1913–1949), Dicționarul limbii române (DA), ed. Sextil Pușcariu, tom I (A–B, C, D–De) and tom II (F–I, J–Lojniță), București: Socec / Universul / Monitorul Oficial și Imprimeriile Statului; page scans at cflr-scans.solirom.ro, p. s.v. aplecăciune
  4. ^ a b Academia Republicii Populare Romîne (1958), Dicționarul limbii romîne moderne, București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 35
  5. ^ a b c Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. apleca
  6. ^ a b Candrea, I.-A.; Adamescu, Gh. (1926–1931), Dicționarul enciclopedic ilustrat „Cartea Românească”, București: Cartea Românească, p. s.v. aplecăciune

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Aplecăciune.” Etymologically, 11 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/ro/aplec%C4%83ciune. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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