-tio

See also: Appendix:Variations of "tio"

Latin

Alternative forms

-siō (in primarily third conjugation verbs with stems ending in -t-, -d-, -rg-, -ll-, or -rr-.)
-ciō (Medieval Latin)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *-tisder.

Proto-Italic *-tjō

Latin -tiō

Probably from Proto-Italic *-tjō, an n-stem extension of Proto-Indo-European *-tis.

Alternatively, from Proto-Indo-European *-Hō or from Proto-Indo-European *-tyon with Old Armenian -ութիւն (-utʻiwn) as a cognate. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ti.oː]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [t͡si.o] (stressed on the antepenult)

Suffix

-tiō f (genitive -tiōnis); third declension

-tion, -ation, -ing; suffixed to verbs to form action nouns denoting a process, action, or result of an action.
dictātiō (“a dictating, dictation”) ← dictō, dictātum (“to dictate”)

quadripartītiō (“a division into four parts”) ← quadripartiō, quadripartītum (“to divide into four parts”)

Usage notes

This suffix is one of many (including -tus, -tor, -tiō, -tim, -tō, -tūra) that all use the same verb stem as the supine, perfect passive participle, and/or future active participle, found in the verb's fourth principal part. This stem is conventionally considered to end in -t- (or for some verbs, -s-), which would imply analyzing the suffixes as -us, -or, -io, -im, etc. However, from an etymological perspective it is more accurate to identify -t-/-s- as the initial consonant of these suffixes.

Most 1st conjugation verbs attach -t- after the theme vowel -ā-: e.g. amō, amātor, but a few form this principal part differently: e.g. secō > sectiō. Similarly, many 4th conjugation verbs use -ī-t-, but some use other formations, e.g. saliō > saltō.
2nd conjugation verbs are less consistent. Many use -i-t- (moneō, monitor); some attach -t- after the final consonant of the root (doceō > doctor); a considerable number lack this principal part. Monosyllabic stems use -ē-t-: ex-pleō (stem plē-) > explētiō.
Many 3rd conjugation verbs (and some 1st, 2nd and 4th) attach -t- directly after a consonant, which can cause complex changes. When -t- is placed after -t- or -d-, the consonants merge to -ss- (simplified to -s- if not preceded by short vowel): metō > messor, caedo > caesūra. Occasionally -s- is used after other consonants: curro > cursim, mergo > mersō. Before -t-, -b- -g- are regularly devoiced to -p- -c-: scrībō > scrīptor; frīgō > frīctus. The addition of -t- can be accompanied by various other changes, including vowel shortening, vowel lengthening, consonant insertion, or consonant deletion; see -tus for more information.

The suffix is occasionally added to other parts of speech, or appears in situations where no related verb apparently exists; more at -ātiō.

gradātiō (“making of a staircase or steps”), from gradus (“step, pace”).

Nouns built using this suffix are sparsely used by Plautus quasi-verbally, alongside a copula in the third person, a dative as agent and an accusative as direct object: Quid tibi hūc ventiō est? Quid tibi hanc aditiō est? ¶ Quid tibi hanc nōtiō est, inquam, amīcam meam? (Truculentus, 622-623).

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Suffix

Usage notes

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

Descendants

References