tana

Forms

tana f (plural tane)^[1]

Etymology

The origin of the word is uncertain.^[2][3] DELI's probable source is inherited from Vulgar Latin *subtāna (“lying beneath”), a feminine adjective, with sub- wrongly taken for the preposition sub (“under”) and dropped;^[4][5] Körting already proposed it.^[4][5] The adjective went with a feminine noun: caverna (“cave”) according to DEI, Zingarelli and Devoto–Oli, fovea (“pit”) according to Nocentini.^[6][7][8][9] Devoto explains that only the end of the word survived because it was no longer felt as a derivative in -ānus.^[10]

Nocentini finds a Vulgar Latin *subtānus from subtus (“below”) quite expected, and the loss of the prefix plausible; he adds the Abruzzese suttane (“room dug below ground”).^[9][6] Compare sottano and sottana.^[1][11] DELI notes that there are also arguments for a pre-Latin word.^[4]

The word is found in Occitan tana, Sardinian tana and Romansh tauna.^[9][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Dante, 1300–1313, in the figurative sense of a refuge or lair: Vanni Fucci says Pistoia mi fu degna tana (“Pistoia was a fitting den for me”).^[4][7][11] Dante also calls the ditches of the eighth circle tane.^[2][11]

Semantic evolution

The literal sense, a deep hole in earth or rock where wild animals shelter, is recorded around 1350 in the Italian Crescenzi, where foxes are caught in their dens.^[4][12] Cavalca's Le volpi hanno tane (“the foxes have holes”) renders the Gospel saying.^[5][12]

Figurative uses grew from both: a criminals' hideout and, since 1879, a squalid, cramped dwelling.^[4][2] In Tuscany Tommaseo records tana for a hole torn in a wall or a garment, before 1838.^[6] In children's games such as hide-and-seek, tana is the base where a player is safe, and players shout it on reaching it; the name also covers the game itself.^[11][3][8] Hunting dogs bred to go into burrows, such as dachshunds and terriers, are cani da tana.^[11][8]

Timeline

• 1300–1313 – Dante uses tana figuratively in the Inferno.^[4]
• c. 1350 – The Italian Crescenzi uses it for an animal's den.^[4]
• Before 1838 – Tommaseo records the Tuscan sense “tear”.^[6]
• 1879 – Tommaseo–Bellini records tana for a squalid dwelling.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A den, lair or burrow: a natural hollow or a hole dug by a wild animal, where it shelters and breeds: La volpe è rientrata nella tana.^{[2][8][11][1]}
2. (figurative) A hideout of criminals.^[2][8][3][1]
3. (figurative, derogatory) A cramped, dirty, unhealthy dwelling: Abitano in una tana senza finestre.^[2][8][3]
4. (games) In children's games such as hide-and-seek, the base where a player who is chased is safe; also the game itself: toccare tana.^[2][8][3]
5. (figurative, uncommon) A tear in a garment.^[2][13]
6. (vulgar, slang) The vagina.^[2][1]
7. (literature) In Dante's Inferno, each of the ditches (bolge) of the eighth circle.^[2][11]

Word family

• rintanare
• stanare
• intanare

Related words

• sottano
• sottana

Usage notes

DEI records two unrelated technical words spelled tana: a zoological name for the tree shrew (Tupaia tana, 20th century) and, in writing on Buddhism (1931), a word for the thirst for pleasure, from Old Indic.^[6]

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 De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
3. ^ a b c d e Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
6. ^ a b c d e f Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3709
7. ^ a b Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b c Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
10. ^ Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
11. ^ a b c d e f g Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
12. ^ a b Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
13. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli