viaticus
noun
Viaticus — a rare term naming the same transaction as viatication
Definition
Purchasing insurance policies for cash from terminally ill policy holders
In depth
Viaticus, like viatication, names the purchasing of insurance policies for cash from terminally ill policyholders. The word is a considerably rarer variant, sharing the same essential meaning and the same deep etymological roots, though 'viatication' has become the standard and far more commonly used term in financial and insurance industry writing.
Origin
The word shares its root entirely with 'viatication,' both descending from Latin viaticum, provision for a journey. Its near-total displacement by the more commonly adopted 'viatication' illustrates how, even among closely related variant terms, English usage tends to settle decisively on one dominant form, leaving alternatives like 'viaticus' as historical curiosities.
Usage examples
"Some older industry documents use the term viaticus interchangeably with the now more standard viatication."
"Legal scholars studying the history of such arrangements occasionally encounter the now uncommon term viaticus."
"The distinction between viaticus and viatication appears to be largely one of historical usage rather than any substantive legal difference."
How to use it
Viaticus is extremely rare in contemporary usage, almost entirely superseded by 'viatication'; writers will rarely, if ever, need this form in practical writing, though it may appear in older or more obscure historical sources.
Related concepts
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