Lewis & Short

tractātĭo, ōnis, f. [tracto].

  1. I. In gen., a handling, management, treatment (class.): nec vero qui fidibus aut tibiis uti volunt, ab haruspicibus accipiunt earum tractationem, sed a musicis, Cic. Div. 2, 3, 9: armorum, id. de Or. 3, 52, 200: beluarum, id. Off. 2, 5, 17: magnarum rerum, id. Rep. 3, 3, 5: tractatio atque usus vocis, id. Or. 18, 59: usus et tractatio dicendi, id. de Or. 1, 23, 109: philosophiae, id. Ac. 2, 2, 6: litterarum, id. Brut. 4, 15: assidua veterum scriptorum, Gell. 5, 21, 3: quaestionum, Quint. 4, 5, 6: reipublicae, Sen. Tranq. 3, 1: est in utroque (in poësi et in oratione solutā) et materia et tractatio, materia in verbis, tractatio in collocatione verborum, Cic. Or. 59, 201.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. Treatment of a person, i. e. conduct, behavior towards him (post-Aug., and mostly in jurid. lang.): maritus uxori, si malae tractationis accusabitur, non inverecunde dicet, etc., of maltreatment, Quint. 7, 4, 10 sq.; so id. 7, 4, 24; 7, 4, 29; 7, 3, 2; 4, 2, 30; 9, 2, 79; Sen. Contr. 3, 7; Tert. Poen. fin.
    2. B. In rhet. lang.
      1. 1. A rhetorical figure, the treatment, handling, discussion of a subject, Cic. de Or. 2, 41, 177; Quint. 9, 1, 33; Sen. Contr. 1, 1 med.
      2. 2. A special use, usage of a word, Cic. Part. Or. 5, 17.