Emptio

/ɛmˈptiːoʊ/ noun

Definition

In Roman law, a purchase or act of buying; a contract of sale.

Etymology

Direct adoption from Latin emptio (a buying, purchase), derived from emere (to buy), possibly related to Indo-European root meaning 'to take' or 'to obtain,' reflecting the fundamental commercial concept in Roman legal terminology.

Kelly Says

Emptio is pure Roman legal Latin—it's the word for a basic purchase contract in ancient Rome, and legal scholars still use it when discussing Roman commerce. The fact that Romans had a specific legal term for this shows how trade and contracts were central to their civilization.

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