figura

Forms

figura f (plural figure, diminutive figurìna or figurìno m or figurétta or figurettìna, augmentative (usually figurative) figuróna or (usually figurative) figuróne m, pejorative (usually figurative) figuràccia, derogatory figurùccia or figurettùccia)^[1]

Etymology

It is learned: it is borrowed from Latin figūra (“shape, form; image, statue”), from fingō (“to shape, mould”).^[2][3][4][5] The noun was formed on the root of the verb rather than on its participle, which would have given fictūra.^[6][1] De Vaan explains the ⟨g⟩ of the noun as analogical from the verb, which goes back to Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to form, shape”).^[7][1] In its concrete sense the Latin noun rendered Ancient Greek σχῆμα (skhêma) and Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eídōlon).^[8]

The same Latin word gave French figure, recorded from the 10th century, and Spanish figura.^[5][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is the Ritmo di Sant'Alessio, a poem from the Marche of the late 12th century.^[9] DELI dates the sense “drawing, illustration” from this text.^[2]

Semantic evolution

DELI dates the other early senses: “the human body, a person” in King Enzo, before 1272;^[2] “outer form or appearance” in Iacopone, before 1306; and the geometrical figure in Dante, before 1321.^[2] Old Italian also used figura for a reflection, for a likeness, and for a symbol that points to a hidden meaning, the sense of biblical exegesis that Auerbach studied.^[9][2]

New senses came with new fields: the charges of a coat of arms (Paolo Giovio, before 1552), the court cards (Berni, before 1535), a figure in dance (1651), “appearance, show” (Redi, before 1698) and the figures of figure skating (1965).^[2] In music figura, the sign for the length of a note, is recorded from 1562 and was borrowed into French (1703) and German (1732).^[10] The sense “face, look” came from French figure, which took it in the 16th century.^[5][11]

Several derivatives took French senses: figurare “to appear, be listed” and figurante copy French figurer and figurant.^[2][3] Figuraccia “bad impression” is recorded before 1799, in Parini, and figurino, the fashion plate, from 1802.^[2]

Timeline

• Late 12th century – The Ritmo di Sant'Alessio has figura “drawing, illustration”.^[2][9]
• Before 1272 – King Enzo uses it for the human body.^[2]
• Before 1306 – Iacopone uses it for the outer form of a thing.^[2]
• Before 1321 – Dante uses it for a geometrical figure.^[2]
• Before 1535 – Francesco Berni uses it for the court cards.^[2]
• 1562 – It is recorded as the musical sign for a note's length.^[10]
• 1651 – It is used for a figure in dancing.^[2]
• Before 1799 – Parini writes figuraccia “bad impression”.^[2]
• 1965 – It is recorded for the figures of figure skating.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Outer shape, form or appearance of a thing: un sasso dalla figura ovale.^[4][12][13]
2. Physique, a person's build or bodily appearance: una figura asciutta.^[4][12][14]
3. A person regarded for the qualities or the role they embody; a character in history or in a literary work: la figura del maestro di bottega.^[4][14][13]
4. (geometry) A set of points, lines or surfaces: una figura piana.^[4][12][15]
5. A picture or illustration; in art, the representation of a human or animal body: un atlante con molte figure.^[4][12][15]
6. The impression one makes on others: fare bella figura, to make a good impression;^[4][14] fare brutta figura, to make a bad one;^[4][14] che figura!^[4][14]
7. (rhetoric) A figure of speech.^[4]
8. A symbol or emblem; in biblical exegesis, a prefiguration.^[14][16]
9. (card games) A court card;^[4][13][15] (chess) a piece other than a pawn.^[4][13][15]
10. (dance, sport) A figure: a set position or series of movements in dancing or figure skating.^[4][15]
11. (logic) The form of a syllogism, set by the place of the middle term in the premisses.^[4][17]
12. (music) The sign that shows the pitch and length of a note.^[4][10]
13. (heraldry) Each of the images on a shield.^[4][2]

Word family

• figurare
• figuraccia
• figurante
• figurativo
• figurato
• figurazione
• figurina
• figurino
• figurinista
• figuro
• figurale
• figurone
• configurare
• controfigura
• raffigurare
• sfigurare
• trasfigurare

Related words

• fingere
• finzione
• effigie
• Latin figūra
• French figure

Usage notes

Figuro, a man of shady appearance, is a Tuscan word that entered common Italian in the second half of the 19th century.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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 Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
5. ^ 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. 5, 968
6. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
7. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
8. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 1636
9. ^ a b c Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
10. ^ a b c Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it
11. ^ Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
12. ^ 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
13. ^ a b c d Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
14. ^ a b c d e f Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
15. ^ a b c d e Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
16. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
17. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 1637