acquitrino

Forms

acquitrino m (plural acquitrini)^[1] The literary form is aquitrino.^[2][3] Older forms are acquidrino and acquatrino, and Wiktionary also lists acquastrino.^[4][5][1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *aquatrinum, a derivative of Latin aqua (“water”).^[6][3][1] Nocentini, Devoto–Oli and Gabrielli write the base as *aquitrinum.^[7][8][5]

Alessio, in the DEI, took it as a noun meaning “place where water collects”, modelled on Latin pistrīnum (“place where grain is pounded, mill”).^[9][10] The LEI prefers an adjective *aquatrinus (“relating to water”), formed on aquātor as pistrīnus was formed on pistor, because a noun does not explain the earliest adjectival use, in a phrase meaning “marshy place” (1359), nor the senses that match those of the Latin noun.^[9] The GDLI also derives it from this agent noun.^[11] The TLIO leaves the question open, since in the 1359 phrase the word may stand in apposition.^[12] Devoto compares it in the same way with aquor (“to fetch water”).^[10] All the forms need a base with a doubled /kw/, as in acqua.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Boccaccio's Ninfale (1344–1348, the date is uncertain), for a place where running water gathers and stands still: l'altre in un canto / a un acquitrin, che 'l fossato menava, / sedeano (“the others sat in a corner by a pool fed by the ditch”).^[12][11][7]

Semantic evolution

In 1359 the word is an adjective, loco acquitrino, “marshy place”.^[9] From the mid-16th century it meant also water seeping up or welling from the ground (Cecchi, 1550–1551). From 1598 it also meant marshy ground and a small stream.^[13][9] Tommaseo defines it as a slow seepage of water from springs that keeps the ground damp without forming a real current.^[4] Caro (before 1566) has acquitrino da cimatore, a tool that lets out very little water.^[9]

Sienese had acquatrino (1602), and the adjective acquitrinoso “marshy” is recorded from 1803, after Soderini's aquidrinoso (before 1597).^[9] Pascoli wrote of the water lily blooming nell'acquitrino.^[11][5]

Timeline

• 1344–1348 – Boccaccio uses acquitrino in the Ninfale.^[12][7]
• 1359 – loco acquitrino “marshy place” is recorded.^[9]
• 1550 – Cecchi uses acquitrino.^[13]
• Before 1566 – Caro writes acquitrino da cimatore.^[9]
• Before 1597 – Soderini uses aquidrinoso.^[9]
• 1598 – acquitrino is used for marshy ground and for a small stream.^[9]
• 1602 – Sienese acquatrino is recorded.^[9]
• 1803 – acquitrinoso is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Marshy ground, where water lies.^[6][8][3]
2. A thin sheet of stagnant water, often covered with marsh plants.^{[6][8][14][3]}
3. Water seeping or welling up from the ground.^[6][4]
4. A small stream, a rivulet.^[6][4]

Word family

• acquitrinoso

Related words

• acqua
• Latin aqua

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
3. ^ a b c d Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
4. ^ a b c d Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
5. ^ a b c Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
6. ^ a b c d e De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
7. ^ a b c Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b c Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it, p. 3, 633
10. ^ a b Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
11. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
12. ^ a b c Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
13. ^ a b Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
14. ^ Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli