neanche

Forms

neanche (invariable; also written as né anche; archaic and Tuscan neanco)^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is from Italian né (“nor”) + anche (“also”), “not also”, written as one word.^[5][6][7][1] The spelling with a space, ⟨né anche⟩, is still found, and older and Tuscan Italian also had ⟨neanco⟩, with the variant anco of the second part.^[3][4][8]

The sources date it differently: Zingarelli gives before 1328, Nocentini, Devoto–Oli and Sabatini–Coletti the 15th century, and DELI and GRADIT 1686, in Paolo Segneri.^{[9][6][2][3][5][7]}

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is in Paolo Segneri in 1686, with the sense “absolutely not”, adding a negation to one already expressed.^[5] Tommaseo quotes a Gospel translation: “Che se voi non rimetterete, neanche il Padre vostro che è ne' cieli rimetterà a voi i peccati vostri” (for if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins).^[10]

Semantic evolution

The concessive use as a conjunction, “even if … not”, is first recorded in Tommaseo's dictionary in 1869.^[5] Tommaseo also has the emphatic answer neanche per sogno “not even in a dream”, beside which modern Italian uses neanche per idea.^[10][7][9] In colloquial Italian neanche followed by the subjunctive means “as if”.^[7][3] It is a synonym of nemmeno and neppure.^[3][1]

Timeline

• Before 1328 – Zingarelli's date for neanche or né anche.^[9]
• 15th century – The date given by Nocentini and Devoto–Oli.^[6][2]
• 1686 – Paolo Segneri uses it for “absolutely not”.^[5]
• 1869 – Tommaseo records it as a concessive conjunction.^[5]

Meanings

Adverb

1. neither, not … either, adding a negation to one already expressed: Lui non ha capito, e neanche io.^[7][3][9]
2. Alone, as a reply: — Il pesce non mi piace. — Neanche a me.^[7][3][4]
3. not even, strengthening a negation: Non ho avuto neanche il tempo di mangiare.^[7][9][8]
4. Not even, excluding every possibility: Neanche il più ingenuo ci cascherebbe.^[7][9][4]

Conjunction

1. Even if … not, introducing a concessive clause with the gerund, with a and the infinitive, or with se: Non lo convinci neanche pregandolo in ginocchio.^[3][9][8]
2. (colloquial) As if, with the subjunctive: Urlava, neanche fosse in pericolo di vita.^[7][3]

Related words

• nemmeno
• neppure
• né
• anche

Usage notes

When neanche comes before the verb, the verb takes no non (neanche io lo so); when it follows, non is needed (non lo so neanche io).^[3] Set replies are neanche per sogno, neanche per idea and neanche per scherzo.^[7][9] Neanche a farlo apposta means “as if on purpose”, of a coincidence.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
4. ^ a b c d Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
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 Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
8. ^ a b c Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
10. ^ a b Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET