solvitur

Solvitur is a Latin verb form functioning as the present passive indicative of the verb solvo, meaning to loosen, untie, or solve. When used impersonally or in reference to a subject, solvitur translates as “it is loosened,” “it is solved,” or “it is being solved.” The form appears in classical and post-classical Latin texts as part of ordinary predicate constructions.

Etymology and grammar: Solvo belongs to the third conjugation. Its present passive stem is solv-, and the third-person singular ending -itur yields solvitur. As a passive form, solvitur can denote a state resulting from action (it is solved) or an ongoing process (it is being solved). The participle solvatus, meaning loosened or solved, and the noun solutio (the act of solving or a solution) are related.

Usage in Latin literature: Solvitur is found in various genres, including philosophy, law, and scholastic prose, to indicate that a problem, question, or contract has reached resolution or dissolution. It is commonly paired with nouns such as quaestio (question), problemum (problem), or pactum (agreement). In legal Latin, phrases like pactum solvitur illustrate the dissolution of a treaty, while in logic or mathematics, quaestio solvitur signals a concluded solution.

Examples:

- Quaestio solvitur. (“The question is solved.”)

- Pactum solvitur. (“The agreement is dissolved.”)

Relation to related terms: The verb’s root gives rise to solutio (solution), solutus (solved), and solvere (to solve or loosen). Solvitur remains primarily a grammatical form rather than a distinct lexical entry in most modern contexts, but it is informative for understanding Latin sentence structure and the expression of resolution in classical texts.