Imponitur

Imponitur is a Latin verb form meaning “it is imposed” or “it is laid upon.” It is the third-person singular present passive indicative of imponere, the verb that means “to impose, to place upon, to lay.” The present passive ending -itur marks the form as passive, with the sense that something is being laid on or charged to someone or something.

Etymology and form: Imponere is built from the prefix in- (on, upon) plus ponere (to place). In the passive, the subject of the sentence is the thing being laid upon or burdened, while the agent (who places) is often omitted or expressed with a different construction. Imponitur thus typically corresponds to English “it is imposed” or “it is laid upon,” depending on context.

Usage: In classical Latin, imponere is used with burdens, taxes, laws, or other obligations that are imposed on someone or something. A common Latin construction is Tributum civibus imponitur, meaning “A tax is imposed on the citizens.” In ecclesiastical Latin and liturgical texts, imponere and its passive form appear in phrases describing rites such as the laying on of hands, where actions are described with verbs like imponitur in the passive to indicate the ritual act being performed.

Translations and nuance: The exact translation of imponitur depends on context. It can convey the imposition of a material burden (a tax or obligation) or the performance of a ritual act (a hand is laid upon). In English translations, imponitur is usually rendered as “is imposed” or “is laid on,” with the object case (accusative) and recipient (dative) clarifying who bears the burden or who receives the action.

Overall, imponitur is a standard Latin passive form used to express that something is being imposed or laid onto someone or something.