consideratio

Consideratio is a Latin noun meaning the act of considering, contemplation, reflection, or deliberation, as well as regard or esteem toward someone or something. The term is formed from the verb considerare, with the common nominalizing suffix -atio, and it is grammatically feminine. In Latin, it is declined as a third‑declension noun: consideratio, considerat ionis, and so on.

In classical and medieval Latin, consideratio denotes the mental act of considering or weighing something carefully, often within philosophical, rhetorical, or theological discourse. It can refer to careful examination of premises in argument, moral reflection, or meditative attention to divine or moral matters. Scholastic writers occasionally distinguish consideratio from related acts such as deliberatio (deliberation) and contemplatio (contemplation), using the term to describe mindful examination as part of judgment or study.

In later usage, consideratio can also mean regard or esteem shown toward a person or thing, or the weight and importance given to a subject in reasoning or decision-making. In modern contexts, the word survives mainly in Latin dictionaries and scholarly discussion of Latin language and medieval philosophy; in English, the term is usually rendered as consideration, contemplation, or deliberation depending on the sense.

See also: considerare; cogitatio; deliberatio; contemplatio; ratio.

References to standard Latin lexica, such as Lewis and Short, note consideratio as a lexical item with senses aligned to examination, reflection, and consideration in philosophical and theological writings.