indagine

Forms

indagine f (plural indagini)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned word, borrowed from Latin indāgō (“a ring of hunters or nets; a search”).^[2][3][4][5] The Latin noun first meant a hunt in which the game was surrounded and driven into nets, and then a search or investigation.^[3][5][6] It is formed from indu-, an old form of in- (“in”), and the root of agō (“to drive”) with a lengthened vowel, as in ambāgēs (“windings”).^[3][7][1] The same prefix is in the words that gave indigeno, indigente, indole and industria.^[3]

Sabatini–Coletti, Zingarelli and Gabrielli derive the Latin noun from the verb that gave indagare, but the OLD makes the verb a derivative of the noun.^{[8][9][10][7]}

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO has one early example, in the Rime of the Sienese Domenico da Monticchiello (1358), with the sense “an order to do something”.^[11] DELI's first record is in Galileo (1630–1631), for a study or analysis.^[2][5] Zingarelli dates the word to 1480.^[9]

Semantic evolution

Galileo's Dialogo discusses an author's dodici indagini (“twelve inquiries”) into the new star of 1572.^[12][13] DELI dates the sense “careful, systematic research” to Metastasio in 1770, and “investigation” to Carducci in 1861.^[2] The indagine conoscitiva, an inquiry held by a parliamentary committee to gather information, is recorded in 1973.^[2]

In modern law the plural indagini is the investigation by the police and the judiciary, and the indagini preliminari are those that decide whether a prosecution is brought.^[5][6] The word is also used for market research and statistical surveys.^[5][6]

Timeline

• 1358 – Domenico da Monticchiello uses the word for an order.^[11]
• 1630–1631 – Galileo uses it for a study or analysis.^[2]
• 1770 – Metastasio uses it for careful research.^[2]
• 1861 – Carducci uses it for an investigation.^[2]
• 1973 – Indagine conoscitiva is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Systematic research or study to discover something: un'indagine sulle abitudini alimentari dei giovani.^[5][14][8]
2. (often plural) An investigation by the police or the judiciary: La procura ha aperto un'indagine sull'incendio.^[5][14][6]
3. A survey or poll: indagine di mercato.^[5][6][1]
4. (economics) A survey of businesses on their present situation and short-term prospects.^[14]

Word family

• indaginoso
• preindagine

Related words

• indagare
• Latin indāgō

Usage notes

Giudice per le indagini preliminari, abbreviated GIP, is the judge who oversees the preliminary investigation.^[6][5]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 d Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975)
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b c d e f Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
7. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
9. ^ a b Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
10. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
11. ^ a b Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
12. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
13. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
14. ^ a b c Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier