seduta

Forms

seduta f (plural sedute)^[1]

Etymology

It is the feminine of seduto, the past participle of sedere (“to sit”), used as a noun.^[2][3][4][1] DEI suggests it may have been modelled on French séance, from seoir (“to be seated”), and DELI quotes Parenti's view that the word spread with the French occupation of Italy, although it is older.^[5][2] Devoto notes that the participle was formed like tenuto from tenere, while the learned sessione continues the participle Latin sessus.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the statutes of Lucca of 1557, in the sense of a meeting of several people to discuss and decide.^[2] GRADIT and Zingarelli date it to 1590.^[7][8]

Semantic evolution

The word only became common at the time of the French occupation: in 1805 D'Alberti called it a Gallicism of the newspaper writers for the native tornata or sessione.^[2][5] Tommaseo too linked it with French séance and distinguished it from adunanza, a more solemn and conclusive assembly.^[9]

The sitting of a model for a painter or sculptor is recorded before 1837, and an appointment with a professional, such as a doctor or dentist, before 1916 in Pitrè.^[2] The adverbial phrase seduta stante, “during the sitting itself”, came to mean “at once, there and then”.^[4][8][10] In furniture the word also names the seat of a chair or sofa.^[7][8]

Timeline

• 1557 – The statutes of Lucca use seduta for a meeting.^[2]
• 1590 – GRADIT's date for the word.^[7]
• 1805 – D'Alberti records it as a Gallicism of journalists.^[2][5]
• Before 1837 – The sense “sitting of a model” is recorded.^[2]
• Before 1916 – Giuseppe Pitrè uses it for a session with a professional.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A meeting or sitting of an assembly or a group of people, to discuss and decide: La seduta del consiglio è stata sospesa.^[7][4][11]
2. A session with a professional for consultation or treatment: Ho fissato tre sedute dal fisioterapista.^[7][4][8]
3. A sitting of a model for a portrait or sculpture.^[7][4][10]
4. The seat of a chair, armchair or sofa.^[7][8][10]
5. (uncommon) The act of sitting, mainly in per alzata e seduta, a vote in which those in favour stand and those against stay seated.^[7][11][8]

Word family

• preseduta

Related words

• sedere
• sessione
• French séance

Usage notes

Seduta stante means “immediately, on the spot”;^[4][10][7] seduta spiritica is a séance.^[4][10][7]

References

1. ^ a b c 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. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e f g Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3440
6. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b c d e f Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
9. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
10. ^ a b c d e Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
11. ^ a b Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse