radio

radio¹ radius (bone)

Etymology tree of radio¹

inherited borrowed derived

Latin radius

English radius

Italian radio

Pronunciation

• /ˈra.djo/^[3]

Forms

radio m (plural radi)^[3]

Etymology

The bone of the forearm is a learned word, borrowed from Latin radius (“rod, staff; ray; spoke”), named for its straight shape.^[1][4][3] Nocentini takes it from Late Latin, where the word had come to name the bone because it looks like the spoke of a wheel.^[2][5] The anatomical term is also French radius and Spanish radio.^[2] The same Latin noun, inherited, gave raggio “ray” and razzo “spoke; rocket”, which Wiktionary lists as doublets.^[3][6]

The origin of the Latin word is unknown.^[1][7] De Vaan rejects a link with Latin rādīx (“root”), because the meanings are too far apart, and finds no clear root for it.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in John Florio's Italian–English dictionary of 1598, for one of the two bones of the forearm, on the side of the thumb.^[1][4][8]

Semantic evolution

Before the anatomical term, Old Italian had used radio as a learned form of raggio “ray” from the 14th century, as in the commentaries on Dante, where the rays of the eyes are held back by the lead of a mirror;^[9][8] Tommaseo and Zingarelli mark that use as obsolete.^[9][8] Zingarelli also records an obsolete sense for the sliding rod of the cross-staff used to measure the height of the stars.^[8]

The adjective radiale “of the radius” is recorded in Giovanni Torriano's dictionary in 1659.^[1] In comparative anatomy the word also names the middle segment of the fore limb of the four-footed vertebrates.^[10][4]

Timeline

• 14th century – Radio is used in the sense “ray”.^[8][9]
• 1598 – John Florio records radio for the bone of the forearm.^[1][4]
• 1659 – Giovanni Torriano records osso radiale.^[1]

Meanings

Noun

1. (anatomy) The radius, the long bone on the thumb side of the forearm, which with the ulna forms its skeleton.^[4][11][5]
2. (obsolete) A ray of light, the same as raggio.^[8][9][3]

Word family

• radiale

radio² radium

Forms

radio m (plural radi)^[3]

Etymology

The chemical element is borrowed from French radium, the name Pierre and Marie Curie gave in 1898 to the element they had discovered, from Latin radius (“ray”), because it gives off rays.^{[1][2][8][11]} Wiktionary analyses the French name as radio(actif) with the suffix -ium.^[3]

Panzini's dictionary of 1905 records the French form beside the Italian one, and Migliorini explained that the form in “-ium” lived on less for international use than to avoid confusion with the anatomical word.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Nocentini, Zingarelli and Sabatini–Coletti date the word to 1904, and DELI to Panzini's dictionary of 1905.^{[2][8][11][1]} Prati gives 1904 for radioattività, the property that gave the element its name.^[12]

Semantic evolution

The element is a strongly radioactive alkaline-earth metal found in uranium ores, and it was used in medicine against tumours;^[11][8][1] Sabatini–Coletti speak of that use in the past.^[11][8][1] The GDLI notes that it has largely been replaced by cheaper radioactive substances.^[10]

The element and its rays also gave many scientific compounds in radio- in the 20th century, which DEI lists, such as radiologia, radiografia and radioterapia.^[13]

Timeline

• 1898 – The Curies name the element radium.^[1][2]
• 1904 – Italian radio for the element is first recorded.^[2][11]
• 1905 – Panzini's dictionary records both radium and radio.^[1]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) radium, the radioactive alkaline-earth metal with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88, found in small amounts in uranium ores.^[8][11][1]

radio³ radio (broadcasting)

Forms

radio f (invariable)^[3]

Etymology

The broadcasting word is a clipping of radiofonia, radiotelefonia, radiotelegrafia, radioricevitore and radiotrasmissione, compounds of the prefix radio-, from Latin radius (“ray”).^[1][2][4] Nocentini puts radiotelegraphy first, because radio waves were first used to send telegraph messages.^[2] Wiktionary compares English radio.^[3]

According to the GDLI the word was born in such compounds and soon came to be used on its own.^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

Panzini's dictionary of 1918 has the word for a radiotelegraph station, and DELI dates its use for radiotelephony, that is broadcasting, to 1931.^[1][2][4] DEI notes that broadcasting reached Italy in 1924.^[13]

Semantic evolution

The word came to mean the receiving set (1939–1940, Palazzi) and then a single broadcast (1959).^[1] From 1925 it is also used after a noun as an invariable adjective, as in stazione radio;^[1][10] Migliorini compared the type with treno merci, though radio behaves more like an adjective.^[1][10]

Many set phrases followed.^[14][15] Radio Londra was the BBC's Italian service in the Second World War, whose news and coded messages reached the partisans.^[15] Radio fante and radio gavetta are jocular names for the way rumours spread among soldiers, and radio carcere for the same among prisoners.^[14][8] The radio libere were the first private stations, which broke the state monopoly in the 1970s.^[14][15] The diminutive radiolina, a small portable set, is recorded in 1959.^[2]

Timeline

• 1918 – Panzini records radio for a radiotelegraph station.^[1][4]
• 1924 – Broadcasting is introduced in Italy.^[13]
• 1925 – Radio is used after a noun as an adjective.^[1][10]
• 1931 – The word is used for broadcasting.^[1]
• 1939–1940 – Palazzi uses it for the receiving set.^[1]
• 1959 – Radiolina and the sense “broadcast” are recorded.^[2][1]
• 1970s – The first private stations are called radio libere.^[14][15]

Meanings

Noun

1. radio, broadcasting by electromagnetic waves; also radiotelegraphy and radiotelephony: Il pilota ha chiesto aiuto via radio.^[4][8][15]
2. A broadcasting organisation, public or private, or a single station: Lavora da dieci anni per una radio locale.^[4][14][15]
3. A radio set, a receiver: Spegni la radio, per favore.^[4][14][8]
4. A radiotelegraph apparatus.^[4]
5. Used after a noun as an invariable adjective: using, sending or receiving radio waves, as in stazione radio, contatto radio and giornale radio.^[14][4][1]

Word family

• radiolina
• radiofonico
• radioamatore
• radiocronaca
• radiocronista