quinci

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *eccu(m) hince, literally “here, from here”.^[2][3][4][1] The first part is eccum (“here he is”), the word behind ecco; the second, hince, is a variant of hinc (“hence, from here”) found in an inscription.^[3][5][6] Nocentini explains the final *-i* by the analogy of the adverbs qui and lì.^[3] Meyer-Lübke lists a Parmesan form beside the Italian word.^[7]

Latin hinc is formed on hic (“this”), through an older form ⟨*him-ce⟩.^[5][1] The Oxford Latin Dictionary takes eccum from ecce (“behold”) and probably an old accusative of the same pronoun.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is in Rustico di Filippo, before 1300, with the sense “from here”: e quinci si raccorga, s'alcun ci erra (and let anyone who errs here learn from this).^[2][8] Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to 1294, and the Zingarelli dictionary to about 1261.^[3][4][9]

Semantic evolution

Dante used quinci for time, “then, after this” (before 1321), and paired it with quindi for “on this side … on that side” (1313–1319).^[2] From place it passed to cause: “from this, therefore”.^[4][6] Phrases such as da quinci innanzi “from now on” and quinc'entro “in here” are common in Boccaccio and Sacchetti.^[6][9]

The word went out of ordinary use, and by about 1545 Alfano Alfani listed it among archaizing words.^[2] The joking parlare in quinci e quindi, “to speak affectedly”, began as satire against pedants who kept the old elegant pairing.^[2] From it came squinci, recorded in 1872.^[3] Today the word is archaic and literary.^[4][1]

Timeline

• 1294 – Nocentini and GRADIT date the word.^[3][4]
• Before 1300 – Rustico di Filippo uses quinci “from here”.^[2]
• 1313–1319 – Dante pairs quinci with quindi.^[2]
• Before 1321 – Dante uses it for “then, after this”.^[2]
• c. 1545 – Alfano Alfani lists quinci among archaizing words.^[2]
• 1872 – Squinci is recorded in senza tanti squinci e squindi.^[3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. (archaic, literary) From here, hence; also through here: Partimmo quinci all'alba.^{[4][10][11][1]}
2. (archaic, literary) Then, after this;^{[4][10][9][1]} da quinci innanzi, from now on.^{[4][10][9][1]}
3. (archaic, figurative) From this, therefore.^{[4][9][12][1]}
4. (literary) Paired with quindi: on this side … on that side: or quinci or quindi.^{[4][10][6][1]}

Word family

• squinci

Related words

• quindi
• qui
• ecco
• Latin hinc

Usage notes

As a masculine noun it survives only in the joking phrases parlare in quinci e quindi and stare sul quinci e sul quindi, to speak or behave with affectation.^[9][12][11] The GDLI records an old variant quince.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
9. ^ a b c d e f Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
10. ^ a b c d Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
11. ^ a b Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
12. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli