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Origin and history of visitation

visitation(n.)

c. 1300, visitacioun, "act of going to a place," especially "a periodic visit by an ecclesiastical representative to examine the condition of a parish, abbey, etc.," also "act of visiting (prisoners, the sick, one of the works of mercy); from Anglo-French visitacioun, Old French visitacion and directly from Latin visitationem (nominative visitatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of visitare "go to see" (see visit (v.)).

The supernatural sense of "a sight, apparition, a coming of God to a mortal;" also "a special dispensation from heaven, of divine favor or retribution" are attested from mid-14c. The Christian Church festival is from Luke i.39 ff.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to visitation

visit(v.)

early 13c., visiten, "go or come to see" (a person or thing, originally often of God); also especially "come to (the sick, prisoners) to comfort or benefit them;" from Old French visiter "to visit; inspect, examine; afflict" (12c.) and directly from Latin visitare "to go to see, come to inspect." This is a frequentative of visere "behold, visit" (a person or place), itself formed from past-participle stem of videre "to see, notice, observe" (from PIE root *weid- "to see").

The general sense of "come or go, pay a call" is from mid-13c. The meaning "come upon, overtake, afflict" (in reference to sickness, punishment, etc.) is in English by mid-14c., originally of God, "send divine judgment upon." Related: Visited; visiting.

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