Etymologically
Log in

emergenza

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Italian word emergenza

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation, Semantic loan
First attested
1667, Vittorio Siri
Ultimate origin
Latin mergō

Pronunciation

  • /e.merˈd͡ʒɛn.t͡sa/[1]

Forms

emergenza f (plural emergenze)[1]

Etymology

It is from Italian emergere + -enza, the noun of action of the verb.[2][3][4][5][1] Wiktionary compares Medieval Latin ēmergentia, from the present participle of Latin ēmergō, which is formed ē- (“out”) and mergō.[1][6] The sense “sudden danger, crisis” follows English emergency, according to Nocentini, Devoto–Oli, Treccani and Devoto.[3][4][5][7] Sabatini–Coletti derives the word from English outright, while Zingarelli gives it numbered entries of its own: one from emergente (1641), the other from the English noun (1966).[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is in Vittorio Siri, 1667, in the sense “unforeseen circumstance, especially a dangerous one”: Siri writes of “those emergencies that make power uncertain” (quelle emergenze che rendono dubbioso il potere).[10][11][2] Zingarelli dates the sense “emergence” to 1641.[9]

Semantic evolution

In the 17th and 18th centuries emergenza was a learned word for an occurrence or turn of events: Davila writes of the emergenze delle occasioni, and Vico of laws made for two particolari emergenze.[11] Tommaseo, in the 1860s, found it more usual than the noun emergente “but not nice”.[12]

The modern sense of a crisis that calls for prompt and exceptional action came with the English model, and stato di emergenza is the state of emergency in which authorities take special powers.[4][5][9] Journalists put the word before another noun to name a public problem, as in emergenza droga or emergenza rifiuti.[4][5][8] In art criticism an emergenza is a monument or work that stands out from its setting, and in botany an outgrowth of the stem or leaves, such as the prickles of the rose.[5][2]

Timeline

  • 1641 – Zingarelli's date for the sense “emergence”.[9]
  • 1667 – Vittorio Siri uses emergenze for unforeseen circumstances.[10]
  • 1860s – Tommaseo records the word as more usual than emergente.[12]
  • 1966 – Zingarelli's date for the sense modelled on English emergency.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. emergency, a sudden difficulty that calls for quick action: Tieni sempre una torcia in macchina per le emergenze.[2][4][8][1]
  2. A situation of public danger or crisis requiring exceptional measures: stato di emergenza; also before another noun, emergenza smog, emergenza rifiuti.[2][4][8][5]
  3. An unforeseen circumstance, a contingency.[2][4][9]
  4. (uncommon) emergence; what juts out, a projection; also a notable fact or find: emergenze archeologiche.[2][4][9][1]
  5. (botany) An outgrowth on the surface of a stem or leaf, formed from the epidermis or deeper tissue.[2][5][9]

Word family

  • emergenziale

Usage notes

Di emergenza or d'emergenza is used of things meant for emergencies: uscita d'emergenza (emergency exit), freno d'emergenza (emergency brake) and corsia d'emergenza (hard shoulder).[2][4][9]

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 i De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  3. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  6. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
  7. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  10. ^ a b Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  11. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
  12. ^ a b Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
Cite this entry

“Emergenza.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/it/emergenza. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·