stituere

Stituere is a Latin verb generally translated as to place, set up, establish, or determine. It is used in a range of contexts to express making or fixing something in a position, whether physical (placing objects or structures) or abstract (establishing rules, decisions, or offices). In classical Latin, related forms are often discussed alongside statuere, with stituere appearing in similar senses but sometimes in more specific or stylistic contexts.

Common senses and usage

- To place or erect something, such as a fortification, camp, or monument. The phrase castra statuere or castra dicere can appear in texts describing the act of pitching camp.

- To establish or set up institutions, laws, or offices. The verb conveys the act of making something permanent or official.

- To determine or decide, especially in legal or political settings, where a policy, boundary, or arrangement is fixed or appointed.

Grammatical notes

- Stituere occurs in the standard Latin verb paradigms of its period, and is frequently treated in reference grammars as part of the broader family of verbs meaning to set or establish. In many cases, it is discussed in relation to statuere, with overlap in meaning and usage.

In literature and inscriptions, stituere appears in both narrative and ceremonial contexts, reflecting practical acts of organization, placement, and decision-making. The verb is less common in late classical and post-classical Latin compared with more frequent synonyms, but it remains a standard example of the thematic verb cluster around setting things in order or position.

See also: statuere, instituere, constituere, castra statuere.