lodo

Forms

lodo m (plural lodi)^[1]

Etymology

In most dictionaries it is borrowed from Medieval Latin laudum (“approval”), properly the approval given by a feudal lord, a noun formed from Latin laudō (“to praise”) in its medieval sense “to approve”.^[2][3][4][5] The Medieval Latin noun is recorded from the 11th century according to the DEI, and in the sense “written judgement” at Piacenza in 976 according to DELI.^[4][6] DELI itself treats the Italian word as a deverbal noun from Italian lodare, from the sense the verb had in the Latin of the courts, “to testify in someone's favour”;^[6] the verb in the sense “to arbitrate” is recorded at Orvieto in 1353 and in a document from Monte Amiata in 1374.^[6] GRADIT and Zingarelli also derive it from the verb.^[7][8]

The old sense “praise” is a separate deverbal noun of the same verb for the GDLI, which gives it a headword of its own.^[9] Tommaseo compares the pair frodo and frode, and the Treccani gives both senses to the Medieval Latin noun.^[10][11]

laudō is formed from laus (“praise”).^[12][1] The only connection proposed for laus is with Proto-Germanic *leuþa- (“song”).^[13]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is from 1283, with the sense of a decision of arbitrators.^[6][7] The GDLI quotes the chronicle of Matteo Villani, Per sentenza di lodo poterono usare i detti beni, “by an arbitration award they were able to use the said property”, and the account books of the Peruzzi company, which name the arbitrators who gave a lodo.^[9]

Semantic evolution

In the old language lodo also meant “praise” and “fame, honour”: Dante describes the souls of those who lived sanza 'nfamia e sanza lodo, “without disgrace and without praise”.^[9][5] That sense is now archaic and survives mainly in this quotation.^[3][8]

The legal sense continued: in Guicciardini a lodo is an arbitrated settlement between states, and the word also meant a compromise between parties with opposed interests.^[9] Tommaseo records the sense “approval of finished work”, and the DEI the same sense, collaudo.^[10][4] In the old administration of the Venetian communes a lodo was the set of rules of a neighbourhood community.^[4] In modern use the word also names a settlement proposed by a respected, impartial person.^[3][8]

Timeline

• 976 – Medieval Latin laudum “written judgement” is recorded at Piacenza.^[6]
• 1283 – Italian lodo is first recorded, for an arbitrators' decision.^[6][7]
• 14th century – The DEI's date, with Dante for the sense “praise”.^[4]
• 1353 – Lodare “to arbitrate” is recorded at Orvieto.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (law) An arbitration award: the decision taken jointly by the arbitrators of a dispute, which becomes enforceable by decree of the court; also lodo arbitrale.^[3][14][5]
2. A solution of a dispute proposed by an impartial, respected person: Le parti hanno accettato il lodo del mediatore.^[3][8]
3. (archaic) Praise; fame, honour.^[3][8][9]

Related words

• lodare
• lode
• laudo
• Medieval Latin laudum

Usage notes

Lodo arbitrale is the full name of the arbitration award.^[7][14] Tommaseo also records an old plural lodora for the sense “praise”.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
3. ^ a b c d e f 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 d e Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2260
5. ^ a b c Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
6. ^ a b c d e f g Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
7. ^ a b c d De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
8. ^ a b c d e Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
9. ^ a b c d e 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 Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
11. ^ Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
12. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
13. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
14. ^ a b Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse