Etymologically
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solamente

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Pronunciation

  • /so.laˈmen.te/[1]

Etymology

It is from Italian solo + -mente, the adverb ending that goes back to the ablative Latin mente (“with a mind”).[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary traces the phrase to Medieval Latin sōlā mente.[1] Devoto argues that the form is not the adjective agreeing with the noun but the adverb of the same form, crossed with the ordinary adverbs with that ending.[6]

The adjective continues Latin sōlus (“alone”); de Vaan rejects a link with the reflexive pronoun and finds no certain cognate, suggesting a possible connection with the root of salvus (“safe, whole”).[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is recorded from the 13th century.[2][3][8] GDLI's first quotation is from Giacomo da Lentini: Solamente per adonare / oi malparlare / Amor non vuol ch'io perda mia intendanza (“only because of slander and evil talk, Love does not want me to lose my lady”).[9]

Semantic evolution

Bono Giamboni and the Novellino use it in the same limiting sense, “only, merely”.[9] In the 14th century se non solamente meant “except, but for”.[8] Tommaseo's dictionary quotes Boccaccio and Dante for the adverb and notes that it joins with various particles.[10] Besides the adverb, modern Italian uses solamente as a conjunction meaning “but, however”, before a restriction.[2]

Timeline

  • 13th century – Giacomo da Lentini uses solamente.[9][2]
  • 14th century – Se non solamente “except” is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. only, just; exclusively: Ho solamente dieci minuti.[2][3][4]

Conjunction

  1. But, however, introducing a restriction: Il progetto mi piace, solamente costa troppo.[2]

Usage notes

Solamente is a synonym of solo and soltanto.[2][3][11]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  5. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
  6. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
  7. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  8. ^ a b c Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3530
  9. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 19
  10. ^ Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
  11. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli