legiendum

Legiendum is a Latin term that functions as a neuter form derived from the verb legere, meaning “to read.” In its substantive use, legiendum conveys the sense of “that which is to be read” or, in certain contexts, “the thing to be read.” It can appear as a predicative expression indicating obligation, roughly equivalent to “it must be read” when used with appropriate verbal support.

In classical and medieval Latin, legiendum is most often encountered in editorial, scholastic, or manuscript-notational contexts. Editors and commentators may employ legiendum to mark passages that readers should examine, study, or read aloud, especially within apparatus criticus, glosses, or interpretive notes. Because it is a gerundive-derived form, legiendum emphasizes the prospective action of reading rather than the act itself.

Legiendum contrasts with other Latin phrases that indicate reading, such as legenda, which in various uses refers to things “to be read” or “readings” in a broader sense. While legiendum is encountered primarily in scholarly editions, textual criticism, and palaeography, it is not a common everyday term in plain Latin prose and is most familiar to readers dealing with manuscript custom, editorial instructions, or linguistic description.

Examples of usage include constructions like hoc legiendum est, “this is to be read,” or libri legiendum, “books to be read.” In modern reference works, legiendum is typically described as a formal, technical form, preserved for historical and linguistic interest rather than active, widespread usage.