improvvisare

Forms

improvvisare (first-person singular present improvvìso, first-person singular past historic improvvisài, past participle improvvisàto, auxiliary avére)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Italian improvviso + -are.^[2][3][4][1] The adjective improvviso “unexpected” is from Latin improvisus (“unforeseen”), from in- (“not”) and prōvīsus, the past participle of prōvideō (“to foresee”).^[5][6]

The verb was borrowed as French improviser in 1642 and as German improvisieren by the late 18th century.^[7][8] English improvise came through French, and Nocentini says the family of Spanish improvisar comes from French too.^[8][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO has a single early record, inprovvisò, in a Florentine commentary on Dante's Inferno of 1375, with the sense “to compose a text and recite it at the same time”.^[9] DELI dates the verb from 1547, in La Gigantea, with the sense “to speak or compose verse or music on the spur of the moment”: m'insegnaste improvvisare a catafascio (“you taught me to improvise helter-skelter”).^[5][4]

Semantic evolution

In the 17th and 18th centuries writers used it above all of poets who made verses on the spot before an audience.^[4] The noun improvvisatore is dated from 1722, and French borrowed it as improvisateur in 1765.^[6][7]

In the 19th century Giordani used it for “to arrange in a hurry” in 1846, and the reflexive improvvisarsi “to take on a role without training” is recorded in 1957.^[5] The noun improvvisata meant verses made on the spot in 1798 and later a pleasant surprise, as in Da Ponte in 1823–1827.^[5] The participle improvvisato often carries a negative judgement of work done without preparation.^[10]

Timeline

• 1375 – A Florentine commentary on the Inferno has inprovvisò.^[9]
• 1547 – La Gigantea uses improvvisare.^[5][4]
• 1642 – French improviser is first recorded.^[7][8]
• 1722 – Improvvisatore is first recorded.^[6]
• 1765 – French improvisateur is first recorded.^[7]
• 1787 – German improvisieren is first recorded.^[8]
• 1846 – Giordani uses the verb for “to arrange in a hurry”.^[5]
• 1877 – Improvvisazione is first recorded.^[6]
• 1957 – The reflexive improvvisarsi is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To improvise, extemporize: to compose or perform verse, music or a speech on the spot, without preparation, also without an object: ha improvvisato due strofe per gli sposi.^{[2][3][11][12][1]}
2. (theatre) To act without a set script.^[3]
3. To make up on the spot, such as an excuse or an answer, in a situation one is not prepared for.^[2][3][11]
4. To organize or prepare in a hurry, with whatever means are at hand: abbiamo improvvisato un picnic in giardino.^[2][3][13]
5. (reflexive, improvvisarsi) To act as something without the training for it: si è improvvisato idraulico.^[3][11][12]

Word family

• improvvisata
• improvvisatore
• improvvisazione
• improvvisante
• improvvisato
• improvvisatorio

Related words

• improvviso
• provvedere
• French improviser

Usage notes

In the present the stress falls on the syllable before the ending: improvvìso, improvvìsi.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
3. ^ a b c d e f Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e f g Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
6. ^ a b c d e Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 1971
8. ^ a b c d Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it
9. ^ a b Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
10. ^ Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
11. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
12. ^ a b Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
13. ^ Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana