situation
/ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃən/
noun
Origin
Latin
situs — site, position, location
Overview
Meaning Now
- A set of circumstances in which one finds oneself; a state of affairs.
- The location or relative position of a place or object.
Literal older meaning
the act of being placed or positioned
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
situacion
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The word entered English during the Renaissance, originally referring primarily to physical geography (the 'situation' of a house or city). By the 18th century, the sense evolved to denote social or personal circumstances.
Evolution
- Latin
situs
“position, site”
- Medieval Latin
situatio
“a placing, position”
formation of abstract noun from past participle base
- Old French
situacion
“position, status”
- English
situation
“location; state of affairs”
Connections
Word parts
situ-
root
place, position
-ation
suffix
state or process of
Related across languages
French
situation
Spanish
situación
situation
Explore next
Related to situation
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.