limitare

limitare¹ threshold

Pronunciation

• /li.miˈta.re/^[1]

Forms

limitare m (plural limitari)^[2][3]

Etymology

The word for the threshold is borrowed from Latin līmitāris (“of the boundary”), a Latin adjective used as a noun.^[4][5][3][6] DELI, DEI and Nocentini call it a learned word.^[4][5][7] Nocentini explains the noun as short for the phrase iter līmitāre (“boundary path”).^[5]

Its meaning was confused with that of līmināris (“of the threshold”), the adjective of līmen (“threshold”).^[4][3][8][6] The Latin adjective is formed from līmes (“boundary, limit”) with the suffix -āris.^[9][1]

Outside Italian the Latin word lives on in Old French lintel, whence French linteau (“lintel”) and, by borrowing, Spanish dintel, and in Catalan llindar (“threshold”).^[10] In northern Italy it gave Old Pavese limeal and Friulian midal.^[10][7] DEI assumes a Latin variant with another suffix behind these northern forms.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is an Old Florentine version of Ovid's Ars amatoria from before 1313.^[11] DELI and GRADIT date the word from Andrea Lancia, before 1356, in the sense “threshold of a door”.^[4][12] In a passage of Lancia quoted by the GDLI, a wife stands in sullo limitare (“on the threshold”) holding the speaker's feet.^[13]

Semantic evolution

Early on the word named the stone slab at the foot of a doorway, and by extension the door frame, the door and the entrance itself.^[13] Boccaccio has a man sleep on il limitar della porta, between two dogs.^[2] In architecture Scamozzi used limitari for the lintels of doors.^[2]

The figurative sense “beginning” appears before 1375 in Boccaccio, who speaks of being already within the threshold of old age.^[4] Leopardi's lines il limitare / di gioventù salivi (“you were climbing the threshold of youth”) made this use familiar.^[12][8][14] Today the word is literary and also means the edge of an area, such as a wood.^[12][8][15] Zingarelli records a rare figurative use for the end of something, such as one's life.^[14]

Timeline

• Before 1313 – First record, in an Old Florentine version of Ovid's Ars amatoria.^[11]
• Before 1356 – Andrea Lancia uses limitare for the threshold of a door.^[4][12]
• Before 1375 – Boccaccio uses it figuratively for the beginning of a stage of life.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (literary) The threshold of a door: Si fermò sul limitare della chiesa.^{[12][8][14][15]}
2. The edge or margin of an area: al limitare della pineta.^[12][8][16]
3. (figurative, literary) The beginning of a period or stage: al limitare dell’adolescenza.^{[12][8][14][15]}
4. (figurative, rare) The end or completion of something.^[14]

limitare² to limit

Etymology tree of limitare²

inherited borrowed derived

Latin līmus

Italian limo

Romanian im

Latin līmes

Spanish linde

French limite

Romanian limită

Italian limite

Spanish límite

Latin līmitō

Italian limitare

From the same root · limitare²

Latin līmen ← līmus

Latin līmōsus ← līmus

Romanian imos ← im

Spanish lindar ← linde

Latin līmitātiō ← līmitō

Pronunciation

• /li.miˈta.re/^[1]

Forms

limitare (first-person singular present lìmito, first-person singular past historic limitài, past participle limitàto, auxiliary avére)^[1]

Etymology

The word meaning “to limit” is borrowed from Latin līmitō (“to mark out the boundaries of”), a learned word first used by Dante.^[4][5][3][7] The Latin verb, used by Varro and Pliny, is formed from līmes (“boundary, limit”).^[7][1][5] By popular sound change it became Spanish lindar and Portuguese lindar.^[10][7]

French limiter is recorded from 1311.^[7][3] The reflexive use “to confine oneself to” copies se borner.^[7][3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is Dante's Convivio (1304–1308), in the sense “to confine within limits”: sì come ciascuna arte e officio umano da lo imperiale è a certi termini limitato (“as every human art and office is limited by the imperial one to certain bounds”).^[4][11][13]

Semantic evolution

Old Italian already used the verb for restraining what someone may do or say, for shaping something to a set measure, and for reducing a penalty or the scope of a punishment.^[11] The sense “to reduce, diminish” is recorded before 1327 in Cecco d'Ascoli.^[4] Boccaccio writes of virtues “restricted and limited by their extremes”, and Guicciardini of a prince whose powers should be limited (limitargli le autorità).^[13]

The reflexive limitarsi “to keep within set limits” is recorded in 1761, in Giovanni Lami.^[4] In the 19th century limitarsi a “to do no more than” and the adjective limitato “narrow-minded” followed French models.^[7][6] Mathematics uses the verb for bounding the roots of an equation or an integral between two limits.^[6]

Timeline

• 1304–1308 – Dante uses limitare in the Convivio.^[4][11]
• Before 1327 – Cecco d'Ascoli uses it for “reduce, diminish”.^[4]
• 1531 – Limitazione is first recorded.^[7]
• 1761 – The reflexive limitarsi is recorded in Giovanni Lami.^[4]
• 19th century – Limitato “narrow-minded” and limitarsi a “do no more than” appear.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To mark the boundaries of an area, to enclose: Limitarono l’orto con una staccionata.^[12][16][8]
2. To form the border of: Due torrenti limitano la valle.^[12][16][15]
3. (figurative) To set a limit to, restrict, reduce: Bisogna limitare i consumi di acqua.^{[12][15][8][14]}
4. To curb or hold back: limitare gli sprechi.^[12][6]
5. (mathematics) To bound the roots of an equation, or an integral, between two limits.^[6]
6. (reflexive, limitarsi) To restrain oneself, not to go too far: Cerca di limitarti con il caffè.^[16][8][15]
7. (reflexive, limitarsi a) To do no more than: Si limitò a salutare.^{[8][15][14][16]}

Word family

• limitato
• limitazione
• limitativo
• limitante
• limitatore
• limitabile
• limitamento