Etymologically
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infatti

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Pronunciation

  • /inˈfat.ti/[1]

Forms

infatti[1]

Etymology

It is a compound from Italian in + fatti, the preposition with the plural of fatto (“fact”), literally “in facts, in reality”.[2][3][4][1] It is the same phrase as the older spelling written separately, ⟨in fatti⟩, which literary usage kept beside the joined form.[5][6][7] The parallel compound difatti was formed in the same way.[2]

DEI and GDLI compare French en effet, and Wiktionary also compares the English in fact.[8][9][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI dates the word to 1566, in Lionardo Salviati, with the sense “in reality, truly”.[2] Zingarelli gives an earlier date, before 1516, and DEI dates the phrase in fatti to the 14th century.[5][8]

Semantic evolution

As late as 1855 the grammarian Ugolini held that infatti and difatti should be written as separate words.[2] Tommaseo, on the contrary, wanted infatti written as one word, and distinguished it from invero: it brings in a proof drawn from the facts.[7]

GDLI's quotations, from Casti and Foscolo onwards, show it adding evidence for what has just been said, often after the first word of its clause, as in Manzoni's Agnese infatti, quando si parlava di lei, era già poco lontana (“Agnese in fact, when they spoke of her, was already not far away”).[9] In dialogue it is used alone as an answer of agreement, and ironically to say that what was promised did not happen.[4][10][6]

Timeline

  • 14th century – In fatti is recorded as a phrase, according to DEI.[8]
  • Before 1516 – Zingarelli's first record of the word.[5]
  • 1566 – Lionardo Salviati uses infatti.[2][4]
  • 1855 – Ugolini still asks for the separate spelling in fatti.[2]

Meanings

Conjunction

  1. indeed, in fact: introduces a clause that confirms or explains what was said before: Era stanco, infatti si è addormentato sul divano.[4][10][11]
  2. (ironic) Used to point out that something expected did not happen: Aveva promesso di chiamare, e infatti non s'è fatto sentire.[10][6][5]

Adverb

  1. In answers: exactly, just so: “Sembra difficile.” “Infatti!”[4][10][11]
  • fatto
  • difatti
  • French en effet

Usage notes

Infatti and difatti are synonyms, and in effetti is close in meaning.[11][12] The conjunction can come first in its clause or after the first word, usually set off by commas.[11][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 d e f De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  5. ^ a b c d Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  6. ^ a b c Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  7. ^ a b Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
  8. ^ a b c Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2014
  9. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
  10. ^ 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
  11. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  12. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli