Etymologically
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rapporto

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 21 October 2026 at 20:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • /rapˈpɔr.to/[1]

Forms

rapporto m (plural rapporti)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from the verb rapportare, as a noun without a suffix.[2][3][4][1] That verb, recorded before 1294 in Guittone d'Arezzo, is apportare with the intensive prefix r-, and its source Latin apportō (“to bring”) is made of ad- and portō (“to carry”).[2][3][5] The verb at first had a rather negative sense, “to tell tales, inform on someone”, but DELI finds no such colouring in the noun.[2]

Some uses came from French: the LEI derives the phrase meaning “with regard to” from French par rapport à, and Devoto took the sense of a report to a congress from rapport.[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Giovanni Villani (before 1348) uses rapporto for an account or piece of information, and also for a written report: in his chronicle the priors were to make a selection and rapporto of all the Guelph citizens.[2][8]

Semantic evolution

The mathematical sense “ratio” goes back to Francesco di Giorgio Martini (before 1502), and the sense of a relation between people to Benvenuto Cellini (1571).[6] Galileo (before 1642) used it for a connection or dependence between things.[2]

In the late 18th century, writers complained of the spread of rapporto in place of relazione: Carlo Gozzi (before 1806) of “an eternal rapporto instead of relazione”, and Giuseppe Velo in 1786.[2] The phrase rapporti politici is recorded in 1796.[2] Military uses followed in the 19th century: a written report of incidents or breaches of discipline (1855), and the meeting at which a commander receives his officers, from which come chiamare a rapporto and mettersi a rapporto (1939).[2][9]

Intimi rapporti “sexual relations” is recorded before 1923.[6] Technical senses include a design printed on fabric (1891) and the gear of a bicycle (1970).[2]

Timeline

  • Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses the verb rapportare.[2]
  • Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses rapporto for a report.[2]
  • Before 1502 – Francesco di Giorgio Martini uses it for a ratio.[6]
  • 1571 – Cellini uses it for a relation between people.[6]
  • Before 1642 – Galileo uses it for a connection between things.[2]
  • 1796 – Rapporti politici is recorded.[2]
  • 1855 – The military sense “written report” is recorded.[2]
  • Before 1923 – Intimi rapporti is recorded for sexual relations.[6]
  • 1970 – The cycling sense “gear” is recorded.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A report, a written or spoken account of facts or events: Il direttore vuole un rapporto sulle vendite entro venerdì.[4][10][9]
  2. (law) A report of a crime made by a public officer to the judicial authority, fare rapporto: to report someone to the authority concerned.[4][9][11]
  3. (military) A meeting of officers to receive orders; also a subordinate's audience with a superior: chiamare a rapporto, mettersi a rapporto.[4][9][11]
  4. A relationship between people, groups or states, often in the plural: Con i vicini siamo in ottimi rapporti.[4][12][10]
  5. rapporto sessuale: sexual intercourse.[4][12][1]
  6. A connection between things or facts: Non c'è alcun rapporto tra le due vicende, in rapporto a: with regard to.[4][12][11]
  7. (mathematics) A ratio, the quotient of two numbers or quantities.[4][9][1]
  8. (cycling) A gear.[9][1]

Word family

  • rapportino

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  3. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  5. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
  6. ^ a b c d e f Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it, p. 3, 301
  7. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
  8. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 15, 475
  9. ^ a b c d e f Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  10. ^ a b Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  11. ^ a b c Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  12. ^ 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