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disponibile

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Etymology and origin of the Italian word disponibile

Confidence
Disputed
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
before 1712, Lorenzo Magalotti
Borrowed from
French disponible
Ultimate origin
Latin dispōnō

Pronunciation

  • /dis.poˈni.bi.le/[1]

Forms

disponibile m or f by sense (plural disponibili)[1]

Etymology

Most of the modern dictionaries say it is borrowed from French disponible, which itself comes from Medieval Latin disponibilis, a derivative of Latin dispōnō (“to arrange, dispose”).[2][3][4][5] GRADIT, Nocentini and Treccani instead treat it as formed in Italian, from disponere, the old form of disporre, with the suffix -ibile;[6][7][8][1] GRADIT compares the Medieval Latin word and the French one, which goes back to the 14th century.[6][7][8][1] Compare Catalan disponible and Spanish disponible.[1]

The Latin adjective is formed from the verb with the suffix -bilis.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in a letter of Lorenzo Magalotti, before 1712, with the old sense “that can be arranged or put in order”: he writes of matter that could be ordered and arranged only over countless centuries.[9][10][11] Zingarelli dates the word to 1682.[4]

Semantic evolution

The sense “at one's disposal, that can be used” is recorded in 1797, in Giuseppe Compagnoni;[9][10] Vittorio Alfieri, D'Azeglio and Italo Svevo use it of money, time and resources.[9][10] Of a person, “free from commitments”, it is recorded in 1853, and the sense “open to new experiences, receptive” in 1947, in Gianna Manzini.[9]

The word is also used of people willing to help, to listen or to take part, and, with a negative shade, of someone thought ready for amorous adventures.[6][2][3] In law the quota disponibile is the part of an estate that a testator may leave freely, and in banking il disponibile is the sum that can be withdrawn from an account.[6][4][8]

Timeline

  • 1682 – Zingarelli's date for the first record.[4]
  • Before 1712 – Lorenzo Magalotti uses disponibile “that can be arranged”.[9]
  • 1797 – Giuseppe Compagnoni uses it for “available, at one's disposal”.[9][6]
  • 1853 – It is used of a person free from commitments.[9]
  • 1947 – Gianna Manzini uses it for “open to new experiences”.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. available, at one's disposal, that can be used: I risultati saranno disponibili domani.[6][2][3]
  2. Free, not taken: C'è ancora una stanza disponibile?[6][2][4]
  3. Of a person, free from work or other commitments: Sei disponibile giovedì pomeriggio?[6][2][8]
  4. Willing, ready to help or to accept requests and proposals, also with a and an infinitive; also, euphemistically, ready for amorous adventures.[6][2][3]
  5. Open-minded, without prejudice, open to new experiences.[6][2][5]
  6. (law) Quota or porzione disponibile, the part of an estate that a testator can leave as they wish.[2][4][5]
  7. (obsolete) That can be arranged or put in order.[6][4][8]

Noun

  1. (banking, masculine) The sum that the holder of an account can withdraw freely.[6][8][5]
  2. (law, feminine) The freely disposable share of an estate.[4][8]

Word family

  • disponibilità
  • indisponibile
  • disporre
  • disposizione
  • French disponible

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  3. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  5. ^ a b c d Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  7. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  10. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 4, 742
  11. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Disponibile.” Etymologically, 22 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/it/disponibile. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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