insomma

Forms

insomma^[1] Old forms include Old Italian insonma, Old Italian insumma and Old Italian ensomma.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Italian in + somma (“sum; substance”), the phrase written as one word.^[4][5][1][6] It renders the phrase Latin in summā (“in sum, on the whole”), which stood beside ad summam.^[4][1][6] DEI cites the Latin phrase from Cicero and compares French en somme, recorded from the 14th century.^[3] The separate spelling is still listed as uncommon.^[7][6]

Its use changed in the late 16th century.^[4] Until then, as the linguist Marcello Durante noted, it drew a conclusion from what had just been said; from then on it could also sum up a situation both speakers knew, and so could open a speech.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is Brunetto Latini's Rettorica (Florence, about 1260–1261), in the sense “in conclusion, all things considered”.^[2] DELI cites the Detto d'Amore of the late 13th century and Dante: “In somma sappi che tutti fur cherci / e litterati grandi” (in short, know that they were all clerics and great men of letters).^[4][8][9]

Semantic evolution

In Old Italian it could also mean “in total, altogether”.^[2] Petrarch and Ariosto used it to round off a list, and so did Castiglione in his praise of Love, “in somma principio e fine d'ogni bene” (in short, the beginning and end of every good).^[10]

As an interjection of impatience or irritation it is recorded from 1509, in Ariosto's comedies.^[4] The colloquial answer insomma “so-so” to a question such as “how are you?” is a later development.^[11][7] The reinforced insomma delle somme is recorded from the 14th century.^[3][6] Maltese borrowed the word.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 1260–1261 – Brunetto Latini uses it in the Rettorica.^[2]
• 1300–1313 – Dante writes In somma sappi in the Inferno.^[4]
• 14th century – In somma delle somme is recorded.^[3]
• 1509 – Ariosto uses it as an exclamation of impatience.^[4]
• Late 16th century – It begins to open a speech.^[4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. in short, in conclusion, all things considered: Pioveva, faceva freddo: insomma, una giornata da dimenticare.^{[11][7][12][1]}
2. (colloquial, as an answer) so-so, not very well: «Ti è piaciuto lo spettacolo?» «Insomma.»^[11][7][1]

Interjection

1. Expressing impatience or irritation: Insomma, vi decidete o no?^{[11][7][12][1]}

Related words

• somma
• in
• French en somme

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
3. ^ a b c d Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975)
4. ^ 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
5. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c d Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
7. ^ a b c d e Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
8. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
9. ^ Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
10. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 8
11. ^ a b c d De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
12. ^ a b Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse