inoltre

Etymology

It is from Italian in + oltre (“beyond”), the phrase ⟨in oltre⟩ written solid.^[2][3][4][1] DELI takes it as a learned word modelled on Late Latin in ultrā, used in the Vulgate before 420, with the preposition as an intensifier: “well beyond”.^[5][6][7] DEI compares Late Latin phrases strengthened the same way, such as in invicem and in palam, and French en outre.^[8][1]

That adverb continues Latin ultrā (“beyond”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Zingarelli dates the word to before 1463, Nocentini to the 15th century.^[4][2] DELI's first records are 16th-century: the Ricettario fiorentino, Giovan Battista Adriani and Francesco Guicciardini.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century the phrase was still often written separately, as in the Ricettario fiorentino: si cuocono e rimenano al sole, ed in oltre agitandole.^[9] Adriani has Era inoltre in questi giorni nata mala contentezza fra la nazione spagnuola e la franzese (“moreover, ill feeling had arisen in those days between the Spanish nation and the French”).^[9] The old dictionaries also record inoltro.^[9]

The purist Ugolini still considered the joined spelling an error in the 19th century and advised writing in oltre.^[5] Today it is a basic word that links a sentence to what precedes, and Sabatini and Coletti class it as a textual conjunction.^[6][7]

Timeline

• Before 420 – Late Latin in ultra is used in the Vulgate.^[5]
• Before 1463 – Zingarelli dates inoltre.^[4]
• 16th century – The Ricettario fiorentino, Adriani and Guicciardini use it.^[5]
• 19th century – Ugolini objects to the spelling as one word.^[5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. moreover, besides, in addition to what has been said: La casa è grande e inoltre ha un bel giardino.^[6][3][7][1]

Related words

• oltre
• oltretutto
• French en outre

Usage notes

Inoltre can stand at the start of a sentence, inside it or, less often, at the end, usually set off by commas, and it is often reinforced by e: e inoltre.^[7][3]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b c De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
7. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
8. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2041
9. ^ 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. 8