befana

Forms

befana f (plural befane)^[1] The older name of the feast is befania.^[2][3] Old forms include Old Italian beffana and Old Italian beffano.^[4][5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin epiphănia (“Epiphany”), the Latin name of the feast, which was stressed both on the third and on the second syllable from the end.^[2][6] The two stresses explain the two Italian forms, befana and befania, both widespread in the dialects.^[2][4] The word lost its first vowel and voiced its ⟨p⟩ to ⟨b⟩, which marks it as a popular word beside the learned epifania.^[7][8][9] Nocentini sees it as taken from Befanìa, the popular outcome of the Latin.^[10]

The Latin is from Ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epipháneia, “manifestation”), used in the neuter plural for the feasts of the divine appearance, from ἐπιφαίνω (epiphaínō, “to appear”).^[2][1][7] For Christ the manifestations were the star that guided the Magi, the baptism in the Jordan and the miracle at Cana; in the West the first prevailed.^[2]

The LEI finds popular forms of the word in many Italian dialects and sporadically elsewhere: Old French bruvenie in Lorraine and Old Occitan brefanie.^[6] Meyer-Lübke adds Romansh bavania.^[11]

Earliest recorded meaning

The feast is called Befanie in a Florentine statute of 1284, and Bitfanie appears in a Latin charter of Siena of 1048.^[3] DELI's first record of befana is the puppet displayed on the night of the Epiphany, in Matteo Villani (before 1363); it dates befana for the feast itself to Burchiello, before 1449.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Francesco Berni (before 1535) still separates the two: il dì di befanía / vo’ porla per befana alla finestra, “on Epiphany day I'll set her at the window as a befana”.^[9][2] The befana was a rag puppet carried about on the eve of the feast and put at windows.^[9][12]

The puppet became the old woman who, children believe, comes down the chimney on the night of the Epiphany to bring presents, recorded in 1688.^[2] Nocentini explains her as the feast personified, taking over the figure of the old year from pagan folklore.^[10] The sense “ugly old woman” is recorded in Firenzuola, 1541.^[2] The presents themselves are also called la befana.^[13][14]

Timeline

• 1048 – Bitfanie appears in a Latin charter of Siena.^[3]
• 1284 – A Florentine statute names the feast Befanie.^[3]
• Before 1363 – Matteo Villani uses befana for the Epiphany puppet.^[2]
• Before 1449 – Burchiello uses befana for the feast.^[2][4]
• 1541 – Firenzuola uses befana for an ugly old woman.^[2]
• 1688 – The notes to the Malmantile describe the old woman who brings gifts to children.^[2]
• 1955 – Befanata is recorded.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. (usually capitalized) In folk tradition, the ugly but kind old woman who comes down the chimney on the night before the Epiphany to leave presents for good children and coal for bad ones.^[13][14][15]
2. (by extension) The presents given to children at Epiphany: quest'anno la befana è stata ricca.^[13][14][16]
3. (usually capitalized, colloquial) The feast of the Epiphany, 6 January: tornano a casa dopo la Befana.^[13][14][16]
4. (figurative, derogatory) An ugly, scruffy woman, especially an old and thin one.^[13][7][17]

Word family

• befanata
• befanino
• befanona
• befanaccia

Related words

• befania
• epifania

Usage notes

The name of the figure and of the feast is usually written with a capital, la Befana.^[13][16] The masculine befano, an ugly man, is very rare.^[15]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ a b c d Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
4. ^ a b c Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it
5. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
6. ^ a b Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it, p. 21, 493
7. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
8. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
10. ^ a b c Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
11. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
12. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975)
13. ^ a b c d e f De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
14. ^ a b c d Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
15. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
16. ^ a b c Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
17. ^ Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana