terreno

terreno¹ earthly; ground-floor

Etymology tree of terreno¹

inherited borrowed derived

Latin terra

French terre

Italian terra

Latin terrenus

Italian terreno

From the same root · terreno¹

Latin mediterraneus ← terra

Latin terrestris ← terra

Latin terrigena ← terra

French enterrer ← terre

Pronunciation

• /terˈre.no/^[3]

Forms

terreno (feminine terrena, masculine plural terreni, feminine plural terrene)^[3]

Etymology

The adjective is inherited from Latin terrēnus (“of earth, earthly, terrestrial”), a derivative of terra (“earth, land”).^[4][2][5][3] Nocentini notes that the Latin adjective is well represented in the Romance languages.^[4][6]

Wiktionary traces the Latin word to Proto-Italic *terzeznos, from the stem of terra, from Proto-Indo-European *ters- (“dry”); another view, which Nussbaum put forward, derives it from an old locative of terra.^[3][7] Zingarelli assumes an older adjective *terēsnos remade after the noun.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is in Dante's Convivio (1304–1308), with the sense “of the Earth, as the place where human life unfolds”, opposed to heaven.^[1][2] Zingarelli gives an earlier date, before 1257.^[8]

Semantic evolution

Brunetto Latini already has paradiso terreno, the earthly paradise.^[6] Around 1340 the Italian Palladio uses the adjective for a room at street level.^[1][9] The noun use followed: terreno alone for the ground floor is found in Agnolo Firenzuola before 1543, and “street level” in Vasari in 1550;^[1] piano terreno is in Tommaseo's dictionary (1879).^[1] English took the word in this sense in 1740, for a ground-floor room or a parlour.^[10]

Today the adjective means mainly “worldly”, as against what is spiritual: vita terrena, beni terreni.^[2][8]

Timeline

• Before 1257 – Zingarelli's date for the adjective.^[8]
• 1304–1308 – Dante uses terreno “of this Earth”.^[1][2]
• About 1340 – The Italian Palladio uses it of a ground-floor room.^[1]
• Before 1543 – Firenzuola uses terreno as a noun for the ground floor.^[1][10]
• 1740 – English terreno “ground-floor room” is first recorded.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. earthly, worldly: belonging to this world, as opposed to the spiritual: Ha rinunciato ai piaceri terreni.^[2][8][11]
2. At ground level, on the ground floor: un locale terreno.^[2][8]
3. (dated) Of the Earth; terrestrial.^[2][8]

Noun

1. (dated) The ground floor.^[2][8][1]

Word family

• terrenamente
• terrenità
• terrenezza
• ultraterreno
• pianterreno

terreno² ground, land

Pronunciation

• /terˈre.no/^[3]

Forms

terreno m (plural terreni)^[3]

Etymology

The noun is inherited from Latin terrēnum (“earth, land, field”), the neuter of the adjective terrēnus used as a noun.^{[2][11][9][3]} The same noun is Spanish terreno, and Romanian țărână (“earth, soil”) and Engadine terrain continue the Latin word; French terrain, recorded from the 12th century, has a changed suffix.^[4][12][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is in Dante's Commedia (1313–1319), for cultivated land.^[1][2] The sense “an area of the Earth's surface” is found in the 14th century in Zucchero Bencivenni.^[1]

Semantic evolution

Later senses include “land for various uses” (16th century, Varchi), “territory” in old texts, and the military “battlefield”, recorded in Tommaseo's dictionary (1879) with guadagnare and perdere terreno.^[6][1] Figurative uses grew from the farmer's and the soldier's ground: preparare il terreno, at first “to work the soil before sowing” (1862) and, from 1879 “to prepare the way”, tastare il terreno “to sound out”, and trovare il terreno adatto “to find a favourable setting”.^[1] By the late 19th century terreno could also mean a field of discussion.^[6] The 20th century added “building land” and the terreno di gioco, the playing field.^[1]

Timeline

• 1313–1319 – Dante uses terreno for cultivated land.^[1][2]
• 14th century – Bencivenni uses it for an area of ground.^[1]
• 1862 – Preparare il terreno “to prepare the soil” is recorded.^[1]
• 1879 – Tommaseo's dictionary has the military sense and the figurative preparare il terreno.^[1]
• 1961 – The sense “building land” is recorded.^[1]

Meanings

Noun

1. The ground, the surface of the earth: La palla è rotolata sul terreno.^[2][11]
2. soil or land considered for its nature or use: un terreno argilloso, un terreno sabbioso.^[2][8]
3. A piece of land, a plot: Hanno comprato un terreno fuori città.^[2][11]
4. (military) The battlefield; the area of operations.^[2][8]
5. (sports) The playing field: terreno di gioco.^[2][1]
6. (figurative) A field of activity or discussion; a favourable or unfavourable setting.^[2][6]

Word family

• terrenaccio