Etymologically
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basta

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Pronunciation

Etymology

It is the third person singular present of bastare (“to be enough”), “it is enough”, used as an exclamation.[2][3][4][5][6] Devoto–Oli calls it the imperative, and Zingarelli sees both the impersonal and the imperative in it.[7][8] DEI notes that it corresponds to and replaced Latin sufficit (“it is enough”), and GRADIT compares French il suffit.[2][3]

The origin of the verb is unknown according to DELI.[9] Most sources derive it from Vulgar Latin *bastāre, from Ancient Greek βαστάζω (bastázō, “to carry, bear”), passing from “carry” through “endure, last” to “suffice”.[10][11][12][1] Others proposed a link with ⟨*bastum⟩ “stick”, “to serve as a support”, or, with Devoto, with basto (“pack-saddle”), the load a pack-saddle can carry.[9][10]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO records the exclamation in an anonymous Tuscan poem of the 13th century, with the sense “stop!, that is enough!”.[6] DEI dates it to the early 16th century, and DELI and GRADIT to John Florio's dictionary of 1598.[2][9][3]

Semantic evolution

Old Italian also used basta as an adverb, “enough”.[2] It also became a conjunction, “provided that”, and basta che with the subjunctive.[8][13] In the north ma basta là! expresses surprise.[8] Phrases include punto e basta “and that's that” and dire basta “to say enough”.[3]

The exclamation went into other languages: French baste (1532, used by Rabelais) and later basta (1830–1836), English basta (1596) and German basta (1610).[14][2] Norwegian Bokmål also borrowed it.[1]

Timeline

  • 13th century – An anonymous Tuscan poem uses basta!.[6]
  • 1532 – French baste is recorded.[14]
  • Before 1543 – An Italian use as an order to be silent is recorded.[14]
  • 1596 – English basta is recorded.[14]
  • 1598 – John Florio's dictionary records basta.[9][3]
  • 1610 – German basta is recorded.[14]
  • 1830–1836 – French basta is recorded.[14]

Meanings

Interjection

  1. enough!, stop!: Basta con le scuse![3][4][5][1]
  2. Closes a digression or introduces a conclusion: Basta, parliamo d'altro.[4][8]

Conjunction

  1. provided that, as long as (also basta che): Puoi uscire, basta che torni per cena.[8][13]

Usage notes

A separate basta is a tailoring term, a tacking stitch or a deep hem that lets a garment be lengthened; it comes from bastire “to baste”, of Germanic origin.[9][3][4] It is recorded at Forlì in 1359.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 454
  3. ^ a b c d e f g De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  4. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  5. ^ a b Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  6. ^ a b c Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
  7. ^ Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c d e Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  9. ^ a b c d e f Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  10. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  11. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 455
  12. ^ Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it, p. 5, 96
  13. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
  14. ^ a b c d e f Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it