English
religiosity
Religiosity comes from Latin religiositas ‘religiousness’, and goes back to religiō ‘conscientiousness, sense of right, moral…’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEreligiō‘conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation, duty’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEreligiōsus‘pious, devout, religious’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEreligiositas‘religiousness’
- Englishearliest quotation 1976religiosity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEreligiō‘conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation, duty’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEreligiōsus‘pious, devout, religious’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEreligiositas‘religiousness’
- Englishearliest quotation 1976religiosity
Earliest quotation: 1976, Newsweek Magazine, For Jimmy Carter: “At least part of the stir over Carter’s shirtsleeve…”
Formed from religious + -ity
Latin religiō ‘scrupulousness’
Latin religiōsus ‘religious’
Old French religious
Anglo-Norman religieus
Middle English religiouse
English religious
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- ‘to bind, tie’
through Latin ligō ‘to tie, bind’
league, ally, liable, alloy, liaison, ligament, lien, ligand, ligature, liaise, obligate, legato, ligation, 16 more
through Latin religō ‘to bind fast’
Today it means
noun The quality of being religious or pious, especially when zealous.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin religiō / religiosity