relatio

Relatio is a Latin noun meaning a relation or a report. The feminine noun relatio, relationis, arises from the verb referre, and in English texts the word appears primarily in its Latin form to denote either a connection between things or an account of events. Its core senses are: 1) relation or connection between collaborators, objects, or concepts; and 2) a narrative, report, or record of proceedings, findings, or events.

In philosophy and logic, relatio is used to designate a relation between terms or predicates. In Aristotelian and scholastic traditions, discussion of relations (relatio) was part of broader analyses of how terms relate to one another, and it is encountered in Latin commentaries on logic and metaphysics.

In administrative, legal, and ecclesiastical contexts, relatio commonly refers to a formal report or account. For example, a relatio finalis is a final report presented to a superior authority, summarizing investigations, decisions, or outcomes. Such documents have been produced in papal, episcopal, or secular administrative settings and are preserved in archives or scholarly editions.

In modern usage, relatio appears mainly in historical or philological writing as a Latin term for describing reports or relational concepts within classical sources. It is often encountered in studies of Latin language, medieval philosophy, or archival documents, where it serves as a citation or a title element within Latin records.

See also: relation, relate, relational (as English cognates), and relatio as used in scholarly Latin sources.