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insomma

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Pronunciation

  • /inˈsom.ma/[1]

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]
  • 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