prolatio

Prolatio is a Latin noun meaning the act of carrying forward, extending, or prolonging. In English-language scholarship it appears mainly as a historical or philological term rather than as a standard technical term. The root is pro- “forward” plus latio “carrying,” forming a word that denotes prolongation, extension, or postponement depending on context.

In classical and medieval writings, prolatio is used to describe the idea of extending something in time or space, such as a period, an argument, or a physical dimension. In modern science, the term is rarely employed; contemporary terminology tends to use “elongation,” “extension,” or “prolongation.” When encountered in translations or discussions of Latin sources, prolatio should be interpreted from its context rather than read as a standard contemporary term.

In English, a related term, prolation, exists with specialized meaning in the field of medieval music, where it refers to the division or prolongation of note values under certain mensural systems. This is etymologically related but distinct in usage from the Latin prolatio.

See also: prolongation, elongation, prolation (music). Notes: The term may appear in etymological dictionaries and Latin glossaries; it is not a common modern technical term.