noun · femininethird declension
religiō
religiō f (genitive religiōnis)
Classical[rɛˈlɪ.ɡi.oː]Ecclesiastical[reˈliː.d͡ʒi.o]
Mille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- scrupulousness, conscientious exactness
- piety, religious scruple, religious awe, superstition, strict religious observance
- scruples, conscientiousness
- religious obligation, sacred obligation
nullam scelere religionem exsolvi
Translation by Rev. Canon Roberts No religious obligation could be dissolved by a crime27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita II.32 - sanctity
Est enim tanta apud eos eius fani religio atque antiquitas ut in eo loco ipsum Apollinem natum esse arbitrentur.
The sanctity and antiquity of that temple is so great that they think Apollo himself was born in that place.70 BCE, Cicero, In Verrem 2.1.46 - an object of worship, holy thing or place
- religious offence
religiōnem facere
to make a religious offenceTraditur inde, dictu mirabile et quod dimovendis statu suo sacris religionem facere posset, cum duodecim familiae ea tempestate Potitiorum essent, puberes ad triginta, omnes intra annum cum stirpe exstinctos;[…]
27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita 9.29 - Late Latina system of religious belief, religion
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
cūra deōrum et sacrōrum; timor sānctus.religiō -ōnis f — in Mille Verba, Deī et Sacra
superstitiōne perversāreligiōne prāvā — in Epistulae, ch. 6
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Religio · Fides
Religio (from ἀλέγειν) is conscientiousness, on the ground of an inward obligation, through the conscience; fides (from πιθεῖν) on the ground of an outward obligation, through a promise. (vi. 268.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | religiō | religiōnēs relligiōnēs |
| genitive | religiōnis relligiōnis | religiōnum relligiōnum |
| dative | religiōnī relligiōnī | religiōnibus relligiōnibus |
| accusative | religiōnem relligiōnem | religiōnēs relligiōnēs |
| ablative | religiōne relligiōne | religiōnibus relligiōnibus |
| vocative | religiō | religiōnēs relligiōnēs |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- nulla religio
- absence of scruples, unconscientiousness.
- novas religiones instituere
- to introduce a new religion, a new cult.
- religionem externam suscipere
- to embrace a strange religion.
- omnem religionem tollere, delere
- to annihilate all religious feeling.
- bellum pro religionibus susceptum
- a religious war.
- deum rite (summa religione) colere
- to honour the gods with all due ceremonial (very devoutly).
- aliquid in religionem alicui venit
- to make a thing a matter of conscience, be scrupulous about a thing.
- sacra, res divinae, religiones, caerimoniae
- ritual; ceremonial.
9 more phrases
- iusiurandum (religionem) servare, conservare
- to keep one's oath.
- religionem alicui afferre, inicere, incutere
- to inspire some one with religious scruples.
- religionem ex animis extrahere (N. D. 1. 43. 121)
- to banish devout sentiment from the minds of others.
- aliquid religioni habere or in religionem vertere
- to make a thing a matter of conscience, be scrupulous about a thing.
- audientium animos religione perfundere (Liv. 10. 388)
- to fill the souls of one's audience with devotion.
- imbuere (vid. sect. VII. 7, note imbuere...) pectora religione
- to inspire with religious feeling, with the fear of God.
- religione obstrictos habere multitudinis animos (Liv. 6. 1. 10)
- to have power over the people by trading on their religious scruples.
- religionem labefactare (vid. sect. V. 7, note In Latin metaphor...)
- to shake the foundations of religion.
- violatas caerimonias inexpiabili religione sancire (Tusc. 1. 12. 27)
- to invoke an irrevocable curse on the profanation of sacred rites.
rĕlĭgĭo (in poetry also rellĭgĭo, to lengthen the first syllable), ōnis, f. Concerning the etymology of this word, various opinions were prevalent among the ancients. Cicero (N. D. 2, 28, 72) derives it from relĕgere, an etymology favored by the verse cited ap. Gell. 4, 9, 1, religentem esse oportet, religiosum nefas; whereas Servius (ad Verg. A. 8, 349), Lactantius (4, 28), Augustine (Retract. 1, 13), al., assume religare as the primitive, and for this derivation Lactantius cites the expression of Lucretius (1, 931; 4, 7): religionum nodis animos exsolvere. Modern etymologists mostly agree with this latter view, assuming as root lig, to bind, whence also lic-tor, lex, and ligare; hence, religio sometimes means the same as obligatio; v. Corss. Aussprache, 1, 444 sq.; cf. Munro ad Lucr. 1, 109.
I. Reverence for God (the gods), the fear of God, connected with a careful pondering of divine things; piety, religion, both pure inward piety and that which is manifested in religious rites and ceremonies;
hence the rites and ceremonies, as well as the entire system of religion and worship, the res divinae or sacrae, were frequently called religio or religiones (cf. our use of the word religion): qui omnia, quae ad cultum deorum pertinerent, diligenter retractarent et tamquam relegerent, sunt dicti religiosi ex relegendo, ut elegantes ex elegendo, tamquam a diligendo diligentes, ex intellegendo intellegentes: his enim in verbis omnibus inest vis legendi eadem, quae in religioso, Cic. N. D. 2, 28, 72: religione id est cultu deorum, id. ib. 2, 3, 8: religio est, quae superioris cujusdam naturae (quam divinam vocant) curam caerimoniamque affert, id. Inv. 2, 53, 161: (Pompilius) animos ardentes consuetudine et cupiditate bellandi religionum caeremoniis mitigavit, etc., id. Rep. 2, 14, 26; with which cf.: illa diuturna pax Numae mater huic urbi juris et religionis fuit, id. ib. 5, 2, 3: de auguriis, responsis, religione denique omni, Quint. 12, 2, 21: unde enim pietas? aut a quibus religio? Cic. Rep. 1, 2, 2; cf. id. Leg. 2, 11, 26: aliquem a pietate, religione deducere, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 6, § 12: horum sententiae omnium non modo superstitionem tollunt, in quā inest timor inanis deorum, sed etiam religionem, quae deorum cultu pio continetur, etc., id. N. D. 1, 42, 117: quis enim istas (Democriti) imagines ... aut cultu aut religione dignas judicare? id. ib. 1, 43, 121; cf.: cum animus cultum deorum et puram religionem susceperit, id. Leg. 1, 23, 60: sacra Cereris summa majores nostri religione confici caerimoniaque voluerunt, id. Balb. 24, 55; cf. id. Leg. 2, 22, 55: in quibus erant omnia, quae sceleri propiora sunt quam religioni, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 50, § 112: nec vero superstitione tollenda religio tollitur, id. Div. 2, 72, 148; cf. id. Part. 23, 31: medemini religioni sociorum, judices, conservate vestram. Neque enim haec externa vobis est religio (sc. Cereris) neque aliena, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 51, § 114: istorum religio sacrorum, id. Fl. 28, 69; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 6, § 12; cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 8, § 18: religio deorum immortalium, id. Lael. 25, 96; cf.: per deos immortales! eos ipsos, de quorum religione jam diu dicimus, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 47, § 105: religio divum, Lucr. 6, 1276: mira quaedam totā Siciliā privatim ac publice religio est Cereris Hennensis . . . quantam esse religionem convenit eorum, apud quos eam (Cererem) natam esse constat? ... tanta erit enim auctoritas illius religionis, ut, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 107; cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 45, § 99: qui (Mercurius) apud eos summā religione coleretur, id. ib. 2, 4, 39, § 84; cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 39, § 85; 2, 4, 44, § 96: (simulacrum Dianae) translatum Carthaginem locum tantum hominesque mutarat: religionem quidem pristinam conservabat, id. ib. 2, 4, 33, § 72; cf., of the same, id. ib. 2, 4, 35, § 78: fanum Junonis tantā religione semper fuit, ut ... semper inviolatum sanctumque fuit, enjoyed such honor, was held in such reverence, id. ib. 2, 4, 46, § 103; 2, 4, 58, § 129: hac (panacea) evulsā scrobem repleri vario genere frugum religio est, is a religious custom, Plin. 25, 4, 11, § 30; cf.: et obrui tales religio est, id. 30, 5, 14, § 42: hi (barbari) ignari totius negotii ac religionis, of religious belief, of religion, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 35, § 77; cf.: venit mihi fani, loci, religionis illius in mentem, id. ib. 2, 4, 50, § 110: de religione queri, id. ib. 2, 4, 51, § 113.—In late and eccl. Lat., a religious ordinance, ceremony, rite: quae est ista religio? Vulg. Exod. 12, 26: ista est religio victimae, id. Num. 19, 2.—In plur.: expertes religionum omnium, Cic. N. D. 1, 42, 119: qui in bello religionum et consuetudinis jura continent, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 55, § 122; cf.: a quibus (rebus) etiam oculos cohibere te religionum jura cogebant, id. ib. 2, 4, 45, § 101: religiones expiare, id. Mil. 27, 73: ceterae (nationes) pro religionibus suis bella suscipiunt, istae contra omnium religiones, id. Font. 9, 30: Druides religiones interpretantur, religious matters, religion, Caes. B. G. 6, 13: scientia morum ac religionum ejus rei publicae, Quint. 12, 3, 1: civitas religionibus dedita, Plin. Pan. 74, 5: liberum a religionibus matutinum, Col. 6, 2, 3.II. Transf.
A. Subject., conscientiousness, scrupulousness arising from religion, religious scruples, scruples of conscience, religious awe, etc. (cf. sanctimonia):
refrenatus religione, Lucr. 5, 1114: oppressa gravi sub religione vita, id. 1, 64: sese cum summā religione, tum summo metu legum et judiciorum teneri, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34, § 75; cf.: ut eam non metus, non religio contineret, id. ib. 2, 4, 45, § 101: memini perturbari exercitum nostrum religione et metu, quod serenā nocte subito candens et plena luna defecisset, id. Rep. 1, 15, 23: tantā religione obstricta tota provincia est, tanta superstitio ex istius facto mentes omnium Siculorum occupavit, ut, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 51, § 113; cf.: obstrinxisti religione populum Romanum, id. Phil. 2, 33, 83: recitatis litteris oblata religio Cornuto est, etc., id. Fam. 10, 12, 3: ad oblatam aliquam religionem, id. Agr. 1, 2, 5: non recordabantur, quam parvulae saepe causae vel falsae suspicionis vel terroris repentini vel objectae religionis magna detrimenta intulissent, Caes. B. C. 3, 72: obicere religionem, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 40; cf.: inicere religionem alicui, Cic. Caecin. 33, 97: vide ne quid Catulus attulerit religionis, id. de Or. 2, 90, 367: Gracchus cum rem illam in religionem populo venisse sentiret, ad senatum retulit, id. N. D. 2, 4, 10: nec eam rem habuit religioni, id. Div. 1, 35, 77: ut quae religio C. Mario non fuerat, quo minus C. Glauciam praetorem occideret, eā nos religione in privato P. Lentulo puniendo liberaremur, id. Cat. 3, 6, 15: tunc quoque, ne confestim bellum indiceretur, religio obstitit, Liv. 4, 30: cum ibi quoque religio obstaret, ne, etc. . . augures consulti eam religionem eximere, id. 4, 31: cum plenā religione civitas esset, id. 7, 28; 21, 62: nihil esse mihi, religio'st dicere, Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 16; cf.: ut velut numine aliquo defensa castra oppugnare iterum, religio fuerit, Liv. 2, 62; 6, 27: rivos deducere nulla Religio vetuit (with fas et jura sinunt), Verg. G. 1, 270: nulla mihi Religio est, Hor. S. 1, 9, 71: nullā religione, ut scelus tegat, posse constrin gi, Curt. 6, 7, 7: quosdam religio ceperit ulterius quicquam eo die conandi, Liv. 28, 15; cf.: movendi inde thesauros incussa erat religio, id. 29, 18: religio fuit, denegare nolui, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 71.—In plur.: non demunt animis curas ac religiones Persarum montes, Varr. ap. Non. 379, 11: artis Religionum animum nodis exsolvere, Lucr. 1, 932; 4, 7: religionibus atque minis obsistere vatum, id. 1, 109: plerique novas sibi ex loco religiones fingunt, Caes. B. G. 6, 37: natio est omnis Gallorum admodum dedita religionibus, id. ib. 6, 16: religionibus impediri, id. ib. 5, 6; Auct. B. Alex. 74; Phaedr. 4, 10, 4: plenis religionum animis, prodigia insuper nunciata, Liv. 41, 16: nullus locus non religionum deorumque est plenus, id. 5, 52, 2: pontifices flaminesque neglegentiores publicarum religionum esse, id. 5, 52, 5.—b. Meton. (effect. pro causā), a religious offence, giving rise to scruples of conscience:
ut si profectus non esset, nullā tamen mendacii religione obstrictus videretur, Caes. B. C. 1, 11: liberaret religione templum, Liv. 45, 5: se domumque religione exsolvere, id. 5, 23.—In plur.: inexpiabiles religiones in rem publicam inducere, Cic. Phil. 1, 6, 13.—c. In partic.: religio jurisjurandi, or absol., scrupulousness in the fulfilment of an oath, the obligation of an oath, plighted faith:
religione jurisjurandi ac metu deorum in testimoniis dicendis commoveri, Cic. Font. 9, 20; so, jurisjurandi, Caes. B. C. 1, 76 fin.; 3, 28; cf.: nec Achaeos religione obstringerent, Liv. 39, 37; Just. 1, 9, 18; 18, 6, 11. — Absol., Caes. B. C. 2, 32: nocturna proelia esse vitanda, quod perterritus miles in civili dissensione timori magis quam religioni consulere consuerit, id. ib. 1, 67: religionem servare, Nep. Ages. 2, 5.—2. In gen., a strict scrupulousness, anxiety, punctiliousness, conscientiousness, exactness, etc.: Atheniensium semper fuit prudens sincerumque judicium, nihil ut possent nisi incorruptum audire et elegans. Eorum religioni cum serviret orator, nullum verbum insolens, nullum odiosum ponere audebat, Cic. Or. 8, 25; cf. id. ib. 11, 36; id. Brut. 82, 283:
fide et religione vitae defendi, id. Deiot. 6, 16; cf.: propter fidem et religionem judicis, id. Rosc. Com. 15, 45; and: testimoniorum religionem et fidem, id. Fl. 4, 9: homo sine ullā religione ac fide, Nep. Chabr. 8, 2: sin est in me ratio rei publicae, religio privati officii, etc., Cic. Sull. 3, 10; so, officii, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 1, § 2: religio in consilio dando, id. Fam. 11, 29, 1: alicujus facta ad antiquae religionis rationem exquirere, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 5, § 10; so, antiqua, id. Caecin. 10, 28: nefas est religionem decipi judicantis, Amm. 30, 4, 10.—In plur.: judicum religiones, Cic. de Or. 1, 8, 31.—B. Object.
1. Abstr., the holiness, sacredness, sanctity inhering in any religious object (a deity, temple, utensils, etc.; cf.
sanctitas): quae (fortissimorum civium mentes) mihi videntur ex hominum vitā ad deorum religionem et sanctimoniam demigrasse, Cic. Rab. Perd. 10, 30: propter singularem ejus fani religionem, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44, § 96: in sacerdotibus tanta offusa oculis animoque religio, Liv. 2, 40, 3; so, fani, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 50, § 110; id. Inv. 2, 1, 1: sacrarii, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 3, § 5: templorum, Tac. H. 1, 40: signi, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 57, § 127: jam tum religio pavidos terrebat agrestes Dira loci, Verg. A. 8, 349.— 2. Concr., an object of religious veneration, a sacred place or thing:
uno tempore Agrigentini beneficium Africani (sc. signum Apollinis), religionem domesticam, ornamentum urbis, etc. . . . requirebant, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 93; cf.: religionem restituere, id. ib. 2, 4, 36, § 80: sacrorum omnium et religionum hostis praedoque, id. ib.; cf.: praedo religionum, id. ib. 2, 4, 43, § 95: quem tibi deum tantis eorum religionibus violatis auxilio futurum putas? id. ib. 2, 4, 35, § 78; cf.: est sceleris, quod religiones maximas violavit, id. ib. 2, 4, 41, § 88.— Poet.: quae religio aut quae machina belli, of the Trojan horse, Verg. A. 2, 151.—(b). A system of religious belief, a religion (late Lat.):
Christiana, Christianity, Eutr. 10, 16 fin.; Leo M. Serm. 66, 2 init.: Christianam religionem absolutam et simplicem anili superstitione confundens, Amm. 21, 16, 18; Lact. 5, 2, 8.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
religiō (not rell-; the first syl. lengthened in hexameter verse), ōnis, f
re-+2 LIG-, conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation, duty : nihil esse mihi, religiost dicere, i. e. I say on my conscience , T.: Heium a religione deducere: quid lex et religio cogat cogitare: quaeris aliquem praestantiorem virtute, religione?: iudiciorum religionem veritatemque perfringere: iudicum religiones oratione converti, the conscientious convictions.— A regard for sacred things, devoutness, piety, reverence, religious feeling : sese summā religione teneri: religio, quae deorum cultu pio continetur: sacra summā religione confici velle: omnia, quae sceleri propiora sunt quam religioni: religioni servire.— A religious scruple, scruple of conscience, apprehension of divine anger, fear of the gods, superstitious awe : ut eam, non religio contineret: nullā mendaci religione obstrictus, superstition , Cs.: tantā religione obstricta provincia: obstrinxisti religione populum R.: parvulae causae vel terroris repentini vel obiectae religionis, Cs.: rem habere religioni, i. e. as a divine warning : ne bellum indiceretur, religio obstitit, L.: plena religione civitas, L.: liberatae religione mentes, L.: rivos deducere nulla Religio vetuit, V.: nulla mihi Religio est, H.: movendi thensauros, L.: novas sibi ex loco religiones fingunt, Cs.: religionibus impediri, Cs.: plenis religionum animis prodigia insuper nuntiata, L.— A sense of religious obligation, religious sanction, duty to the gods : viri religione potius quam veritate fides constricta: iuris iurandi.— A religious obligation, oath, pledge of faith, religious sanction : timori magis quam religioni consulere, Cs.: Achaeos religione obstringere, L.: relinquitur nova religio, ut, etc., i. e. a new view of your obligation , Cs.: ius iurandum servabat conservatā religione, N.: religioni potius vestrae quam odio parere.— Divine service, worship of the gods, religious observance, religion, worship : religione, id est cultu deorum: illa pax mater huic urbi iuris et religionis fuit: deorum.— A religion, faith, religious system, mode of worship, cult : venit mihi religionis illius in mentem: neque enim haec externa vobis est religio: expertes religionum omnium: in bello religionum et consuetudinis iura retinere: pro religionibus suis bella suscipere: religiones interpretantur, religious matters , Cs.: publicae religiones, L.— Sacredness, sanctity, holiness, claim to reverence : fanum Iunonis tantā religione semper fuit, ut, etc.: in sacerdotibus tanta offusa oculis animoque religio, i. e. such sacred majesty of expression and feeling , L.: Iam tum religio pavidos terrebat agrestīs Dira loci, V. — An object of veneration, sacred place, consecrated thing, hallowed object : religionem restituere: tantis eorum religionibus violatis: ad deorum religionem demigrasse, i. e. shrines : quae religio aut quae machina belli (the Trojan horse), V.—Of places, a claim resulting from consecration, religious liability : aram si dedicasti, sine religione loco moveri potest: liberaret religione templum, L.: locus religionum deorumque plenus, L.
Origins
- Proto-Italic*wre-
- Latinreligiō
Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti Proto-Italic *legō Latin legō Latin relegōder.? ▲ Latin re- Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ-der. Latin ligō Latin religōder.? Proto-Indo-European *-ōder. Proto-Indo-European *-Hōder.? Latin -ō Latin -iō Latin religio Attested in classical Latin (1st century BCE); perhaps from the unattested verb *religō (“to observe, to venerate”) + -io, which could go back (via Proto-Italic *legō (“to care”)) to Proto-Indo-European *h₂leg-. Frequently used by Cicero, who alternatively linked the word with relegō. Afterwards, the word was linked (mainly by Christian authors) to religō and obligātiō. De Vaan (2008:341), too, tentatively suggests a connection to ligō (“to bind”).
Descendants
- Catalanreligió
- Italianreligione
- Frenchreligionfrom Old French religion
- Englishreligionfrom Old French religion
- Portuguesereligião
- Romanianreligie
- Spanishreligión
- GermanReligion
- Aragoneserelichión
- Maltesereliġjonfrom Italian religione