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velocemente

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Etymology and origin of the Italian word velocemente

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
14th century
Ultimate origin
Latin velox
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin velox
Italian veloce
Italian velocemente
From the same root
Latin velociter ← velox

Pronunciation

  • /ve.lo.t͡ʃeˈmen.te/[1]

Forms

velocemente (superlative velocissimamente)[1]

Etymology

It is from Italian veloce (“fast”) + -mente.[2][3][1][4] The adjective veloce is a learned borrowing of Latin vēlōx (“swift, quick”), recorded in Dante.[5][6] Nocentini derives the Latin word from a form *weg-slo-, from the root of vegeō (“to be lively”).[6] Latin itself had the adverb vēlōciter, used by Ovid and Pliny.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

GRADIT dates the word to the 14th century.[2] Early examples come from the vernacular translations of Gregory the Great's Dialogues, where an army reaches a river velocemente and the riders spur their horses to cross it.[8][7]

Semantic evolution

The adverb has kept its meaning “quickly, at speed”, said of moving, walking or riding, and also figuratively of time passing.[8][2] Ariosto writes of a current that carries a ship faster than a falcon flies, and Manzoni of a cardinal walking quickly ahead of his clergy.[8][7] In modern usage it also means “promptly, without delay”, as in asking for a quick reply.[2] The superlative is velocissimamente.[8][1]

Timeline

  • 14th century – The adverb is first recorded.[2]
  • 1516–1532 – Ariosto uses velocemente in the Orlando furioso.[7]
  • 1821–1823 – Manzoni uses it in Fermo e Lucia.[8]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. quickly, fast, at high speed: Il tempo è passato velocemente.[2][3][1]
  2. Promptly, without delay: Vi chiedo di decidere velocemente.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  4. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
  5. ^ Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  6. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b c d Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
  8. ^ a b c d e Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
Cite this entry

“Velocemente.” Etymologically, 22 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/it/velocemente. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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