fido

fido¹ faithful

Etymology tree of fido¹

inherited borrowed derived

Latin fidus

Italian fido

From the same root · fido¹

Latin infidus ← fidus

Pronunciation

• /ˈfi.do/^[6]

Forms

fido (feminine fida, masculine plural fidi, feminine plural fide)^[6]

Etymology

The adjective is a learned word, borrowed from Latin fīdus (“trusty, faithful”), from fīdō (“to trust”).^[4][2][1][6] The Latin word continues Proto-Italic *feiþos and Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰós, from the root *bʰeydʰ- (“to trust”) of Ancient Greek πείθομαι (peíthomai, “to be persuaded, obey”); fidēs (“faith”) and foedus (“treaty”) are related.^[7][6] Inherited reflexes are Old French fi and Old Occitan fi, while Spanish fido and Portuguese fido are learned like the Italian word.^[2][8][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is a Pisan translation of Albertano da Brescia's treatises (1287–88); DELI dates it to Dante, who calls Virgil la fida compagna (the faithful companion) in Purgatorio III.^[9][4][10]

Semantic evolution

Old Italian used it of people bound by loyalty, of things that can be relied on, and of safe, sheltering places; as a plural noun i fidi were one's faithful followers.^[9] Tommaseo distinguished it from fidato and fedele as implying lasting, active affection.^[11] Today it is literary or elevated, and is also used of a trusty object, such as one's old car.^[3][12][1]

Timeline

• 1287–1288 – A Pisan translation of Albertano da Brescia has fido.^[9]
• Before 1321 – Dante uses fida of Virgil.^[4][10]
• Early 15th century – Infido “unfaithful” is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (literary) faithful, loyal: il suo fido scudiero.^{[1][3][13][6]}
2. Of a thing, reliable, trusty: la mia fida bicicletta.^[1][3][14]

Noun

1. (literary) A faithful companion or follower: il capo e i suoi fidi.^[1][13][12]

Word family

• infido

fido² credit

Pronunciation

• /ˈfi.do/^[6]

Forms

fido m (plural fidi)^[6]

Etymology

The noun is formed from fidare “to trust”, as a deverbal noun without suffix, like fida (1492), a southern contract for renting grazing land.^[4][2][1][6] The verb continues Vulgar Latin *fīdāre, the Vulgar Latin replacement of Latin fīdere.^[4][15]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is a Tuscan tariff of 1781, in the sense of commercial credit, the limit up to which goods or money are given on trust.^[4][1]

Semantic evolution

Tommaseo records the phrase dare a fido, to sell on credit, and in shops non si fa fido.^[11] Carlo Cattaneo explained that credit comes from trusting, and that this fido is either personal or real.^[10] In modern banking it is the credit line a bank grants a customer, backed by personal or real guarantees.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 1492 – Fida, a contract for grazing land, is recorded in the Aragonese code.^[4]
• 1781 – A Tuscan tariff has fido “credit”.^[4][1]

Meanings

Noun

1. (banking) A credit line granted by a bank to a customer, and the maximum amount of it: La banca gli ha negato l'aumento del fido.^{[1][3][13][6]}
2. Commercial credit, dare a fido, to sell on trust.^[12][11][14]