Captation

/kæpˈteɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The act of capturing, seizing, or taking something; the process of gaining control or possession of something.

Etymology

From Latin captatio, derived from captare (to seize repeatedly) plus the suffix -tion. It describes the action or process of capturing, with roots in the legal and military vocabulary of ancient Rome.

Kelly Says

Roman law used captatio as a formal term, and it's especially interesting in medieval documents where captatio of property could mean everything from taxation to military siege—one word for all those different takings.

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