ri-

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin re-, the Latin verbal prefix, in its popular outcome.^[2][3][4][1] The Latin prefix had many functions: it could mark repetition, intensity, reciprocity, a movement back or a contrast, and was sometimes merely a filler.^[2][5]

The same Latin prefix was taken over again in learned words and loans as re-, also in its fuller form red-; this double influence explains why many Italian words alternate between the two forms of the prefix.^[2][3][1] Before a the prefix may be reduced to ra-, and before in- to rin-, where it merged with the prefixes a- and in-.^[4]

The Latin prefix has a counterpart only in Old Umbrian, and is therefore thought to be an Italic innovation.^[3][6] De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic *wre- and follows Klingenschmitt in tracing it to Proto-Indo-European *ure “back”;^[6][1] Wiktionary calls the further origin uncertain.^[6][1] Nocentini takes the variant used before vowels, with a final d, to be the original form, while de Vaan explains it as analogical.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

Oudin's dictionary of 1640 already describes the syllable ri as doubling an action, and Tommaseo and Bellini set out its kinds in 1872: renewal (ripetere, rinnovare), exchange of an act with an act (ribaciarsi “to kiss each other”, not “to kiss again”), intensity (ricolmare, riempire), and a movement in the opposite direction.^[2] In 1942 Panzini called the intensive and emphatic use, as in riunione for unione, an abused prefix.^[2]

In both of its forms the prefix has stayed productive.^[2] In the modern language it forms open series of new verbs and nouns whose meaning is always clear from the base, such as ridefinire, riformulare or riprogettazione.^[4] Because the meaning is predictable, Nocentini's dictionary does not list such derivatives under their own headwords, only those that differ in form or sense from the base word.^[3]

Timeline

• 1640 – Oudin describes the syllable ri as doubling an action.^[2]
• 1872 – Tommaseo and Bellini's dictionary distinguishes repetition, reciprocity and intensity.^[2]
• 1942 – Panzini's dictionary criticises intensive ri- as overused.^[2]

Meanings

Prefix

1. Forms verbs and their derivatives meaning again, doing an action a second time or repeatedly: rileggere, ritentare, rivedere.^{[7][4][8][9][1]}
2. Marks a return to an earlier state or a reverse movement: riacquistare, ritirare, risanare.^[7][4][8][9]
3. Marks reciprocal action: ribaciarsi, to kiss each other.^[2][10]
4. (intensive) Strengthens the base verb: riempire, ricercare, rinchiudere.^[2][8][11]
5. Forms verbs with a new meaning of their own, or serves only to derive a verb: ricavare, rilegare, ribassare.^[8][11]

Related words

• re-
• ra-

Usage notes

Ri- and re- alternate in many words, as in ricuperare and recuperare or ricezione and recezione;^[8][2] re- tends to give the learned or literary form.^[8][2] Before i the prefix is often reduced to r-, and before the prefix in- to rin- (rinchiudere); before a it can become ra- (rassettare).^[4][8]

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 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 Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e f Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
5. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ a b Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b c d e f g Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
9. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
10. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
11. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli