Etymologically
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velocemente

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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