perno

Forms

perno m (plural perni)^[1] The variant pernio is also used, more in Tuscany.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin perna (“thigh; ham”) according to DELI, named for the likeness of shape.^[5][1] Nocentini calls it a Romance formation from perna, extended by metaphor to long objects with a rounded head, while GRADIT and DEI start from a Latin adjective Vulgar Latin *perneus, derived from that noun.^[2][6][7] Körting doubted the connection.^[8]

Other derivatives of perna are Catalan pern, from which Spanish perno, and Portuguese perno, Occitan pern (“big-headed nail”).^[9][2] The simple Latin noun survives with the sense “leg” in the southern dialects and in Catalan perna, Spanish pierna and Portuguese perna.^[2][9]

perna is from Proto-Italic *persnā, from a PIE word for the heel, Proto-Indo-European *tpḗrsneh₂; its cognates include Ancient Greek πτέρνη (ptérnē, “heel”), Sanskrit पार्ष्णि (pā́rṣṇi) and Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌶𐌽𐌰 (fairzna, “heel”).^[10][1] In Latin the sense shifted from “heel” to “thigh”.^[10][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is from Francesco da Buti's commentary on Dante, before 1406, for the part of a rotating shaft that rests in its bearing.^[5][6] DEI dates the word to the 14th century.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The figurative sense of a main support came soon: Luca Pulci has it before 1470.^[5] Tommaseo's dictionary describes the perno as a round piece that joins two parts so that they can turn about its axis.^[4]

In modern Italian the word names a pin joining two pieces, the rotating joint of a machine, a ship's nail and a pintle of the rudder, and a spin in figure skating.^[6][11] Figuratively it is the central element of an argument or the person on whom a group depends, and fare perno su means to lean on something as a starting point.^[6][3][12] German has Perno as a music term for the endpin of a double bass.^[13]

Timeline

• Before 1406 – Francesco da Buti uses perno for the end of a shaft.^[5]
• Before 1470 – Luca Pulci uses it for a main support.^[5]
• 17th century – The diminutive pernetto is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (mechanics) A pivot: a usually cylindrical part that, with its bearing, allows one part of a machine to rotate about an axis.^[6][3][14]
2. A pin or rod of metal or wood driven into two pieces to hold them together.^[6][14][11]
3. (nautical) A kind of nail used in shipbuilding; the pintle of the rudder.^[6][3]
4. (sport) In figure skating, a spin in which one foot turns in a circle while the other supports the crouching body.^[6][12]
5. (figurative) The central point of something: il perno del ragionamento.^[6][3][15]
6. (figurative) A person on whom a group depends: il nonno era il perno di tutto il paese.^[6][14][12]

Word family

• imperniare
• pernotto
• controperno

Related words

• perla
• Latin perna

Usage notes

Fare perno su qualcosa means to use it as the basis or starting point of an action.^[3][12][15] In nave perno the word is an invariable adjective: the ship round which the others manoeuvre.^[16]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
5. ^ a b c d e 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 d e f g h i j De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
7. ^ a b c Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2861
8. ^ Körting, Gustav (1907), Lateinisch-romanisches Wörterbuch: etymologisches Wörterbuch der romanischen Hauptsprachen, 3rd ed., Paderborn: Schöningh
9. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
10. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
11. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
12. ^ a b c d Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
13. ^ Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it
14. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
15. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
16. ^ Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli