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fidato

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Etymology and origin of the Italian word fidato

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1252–1258, Storie de Troia e de Roma
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ-

Pronunciation

Forms

fidato (feminine fidata, masculine plural fidati, feminine plural fidate, superlative fidatissimo)[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle of fidare (“to trust”), used as an adjective.[1][2][3][4] The verb continues a Vulgar Latin *fīdāre (“to trust”), a remake of classical Latin fīdere (“to trust”).[5][1] The same verb is French fier, Occitan fizar, Catalan fiar, Spanish fiar and Portuguese fiar.[5]

The Latin verb and the noun fidēs (“trust, faith”), the source of fede, go back to Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (“to trust”), which is also in Ancient Greek πείθομαι (peíthomai, “to obey, believe”) and in Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bidjan, “to ask, pray”).[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is the Roman Storie de Troia e de Roma of 1252–1258, in the sense “worthy of trust”.[7] DELI dates the adjective to Bartolomeo da San Concordio, before 1347, where wrongdoers bound by a shared secret become più fedeli e fidati, “more faithful and trusted”, to one another.[8][9] Nocentini and Devoto–Oli give a much later date, 1956, and Sabatini–Coletti the 14th century.[5][2][3]

Semantic evolution

Old Italian also used fidato for someone who trusts or feels safe, and for someone granted a safe-conduct: Boccaccio's Ghino di Tacco comes to court fidato, under a guarantee.[7][10] Boccaccio's lover goes to Pericone's house with alcuni suoi fidatissimi compagni, “some of his most trusted companions”.[9] Ariosto uses it for something familiar, one's fidato letto, and Manzoni as a noun, i suoi fidati, his trusted men.[11]

In modern Italian it is said of people one can trust, of places where one feels safe, and of products or machines of proven reliability.[12][2][3]

Timeline

  • 1252–1258 – The Storie de Troia e de Roma use fidato.[7]
  • Before 1347 – Bartolomeo da San Concordio uses it.[8][9]
  • 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses the superlative fidatissimi.[9]
  • 1956 – The date given by Nocentini and Devoto–Oli.[5][2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. trustworthy, trusted, reliable: Ho lasciato le chiavi a un vicino fidato.[12][2][3]
  2. Of a place: safe and familiar: un nascondiglio fidato.[12][2][4]
  3. Of a product or machine: of proven reliability: una bicicletta vecchia ma fidata.[2][3]

Noun

  1. (literary) A trusted person, a confidant.[11]

Word family

  • fidatamente
  • fidatezza

Usage notes

A separate fidato (1956) is a synonym of affidato: in the Papal States, one who had paid the fida, a fee for bringing animals or goods into Rome from the countryside or for grazing rights.[12][4][13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 e Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  4. ^ a b c Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  5. ^ a b c d e Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  7. ^ a b c Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
  8. ^ a b Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  9. ^ a b c d Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
  10. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
  11. ^ a b Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  12. ^ a b c d De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  13. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
Cite this entry

“Fidato.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/it/fidato. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·