indosso

Etymology

It is from Italian in (“on”) + dosso (“back”), the preposition with the noun for the back, first written separately as ⟨in dosso⟩.^[2][3][4][5] Zingarelli gives its literal meaning as “on the back”.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Guidotto da Bologna, before 1266, in ci viene indosso “comes against us”.^[2] Zingarelli dates the word to 1287.^[6] The modern sense “on one's body”, of clothes, comes in Dante's Convivio (1304–1308): portare due guarnacche in dosso “to wear two cloaks”.^[2][7][5]

Semantic evolution

From the 14th century writers use it for clothes, arms and jewels worn on the body: Petrarch's avea in dosso sì candida gonna, Ariosto's indosso la corazza.^[7] The verb indossare “to put on, wear” followed before 1503; purists of 1831 still did not approve of it.^[2] From it came indossatrice, a fashion model (1936), which replaced French mannequin for the person, and indossatore (1963).^[2]

Timeline

• Before 1266 – Guidotto da Bologna uses indosso in the sense “against”.^[2]
• 1304–1308 – Dante uses in dosso of clothes worn.^[2][7]
• Before 1503 – The verb indossare is first recorded.^[2]
• 1936 – Indossatrice “fashion model” appears.^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. on one's body, especially of clothes and ornaments; addosso: aveva indosso un cappotto blu.^[5][4][6]

Word family

• indossare
• indossatore
• indossatrice

Related words

• addosso
• dosso

Usage notes

Indosso is mostly used of clothes and valuables; for other things addosso is more common.^[8] Also written in dosso.^[4][9] A separate disused noun indosso “endorsement” of a bill of exchange is a back-formation from indossare, found in Cesare Beccaria;^[7][10] German borrowed it as Indosso (1712).^[7][10]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
6. ^ a b c Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
7. ^ a b c d e Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
8. ^ Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
9. ^ Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
10. ^ a b Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it