vedere Italian · revision 37473

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1295|origins=ine-pro *weyd-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /veˈde.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vedere''' (first-person singular present védo, first-person singular past historic vìdi, past participle vìsto or (less popular) vedùto, first-person singular future vedrò, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Literary and old forms include ''veggo'' and ''veggio'' “I see”, the subjunctive ''vegga'' and the present participle ''veggente''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) The past participle is ''visto'' or, less commonly, ''veduto''.^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|videō|t=to see; to notice, consider]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The literary present ⟨veggio⟩ continues the Latin first person ⟨videō⟩ directly, and the participle ⟨veggente⟩ is formed on it.^(Prati 1951|1040)

+

+ The verb is panromance: [[fr|voir]], [[oc|vezer]], [[ca|veure]], [[es|ver]] and [[pt|ver]], [[sc|bìdere]] and [[ro|vedea]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ Latin ⟨videō⟩ continues [[itc-pro|*widēō]], a stative present of [[ine-pro|*weyd-|t=to see, to know]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The root names seeing as a source of knowledge: its perfect means “I have seen, and so I know” in [[grc|οἶδα|tr=oîda|t=I know]], [[sa|वेद|tr=véda|t=I know]] and [[got|𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍄|tr=wait|t=I know]], and [[de|wissen]] belongs to it too.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|465)^(de Vaan 2008) Closest to the Latin present is [[cu|видѣти|tr=viděti|t=to see]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the verb to 1295, and Nocentini, Devoto–Oli and DEI to the 13th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DEI|3998) In DELI's record, Dante (1300–1313) has the basic sense “perceive with the eyes”.^(DELI 1999) Among GDLI's oldest quotations is a model letter of Guido Faba: ''Quando eo vego la vostra splendente persona'', “When I see your shining person”.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Figurative senses appear early: Dante uses the verb for “contemplate with the mind or with faith” and for “foresee”, and, from 1313–1319 for “understand”.^(DELI 1999) Francesco da Barberino has it for “consider” in the 14th century.^(DEI|3998)^(Prati 1951|1040) The sense “visit” is found before 1444 in the chronicle of Giovanni Morelli, “meet” in Ariosto (1532), and “examine, read” before 1580 in Vincenzio Borghini.^(DELI 1999) The infinitive is also a noun, ''il vedere'' “sight, the act of seeing”: Dante writes ''il mio veder fu maggio / che 'l parlar mostra'' “my seeing was greater than speech can show” (''Paradiso'' 33).^(GDLI|21, 695)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ In the 16th century Bembo held that ''ho visto'', used by Petrarch, was not Tuscan, perhaps because the ending reminded him of northern participles, while Borghesi claimed that careful writers used only ''veduto''.^(DELI 1999) Today ''visto'' and ''veduto'' alternate with no real difference.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ''Vedetta'' “lookout post” belongs to the family only indirectly: it is an older ''veletta'' reshaped after ''vedere''.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3998) It passed into French as ''vedette'' in the 16th century and into English by 1690.^(DEI|3998) The phrase ''vedere le stelle'' “see stars, feel sharp pain” goes back to Berni in the 16th century, compare French ''voir des étoiles en plein midi''.^(DEI|3998) The euphemism ''non vedente'' “blind” (1970) follows French ''non-voyant'', and ''visualizzare'' follows English ''visualize''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – ''Veduta'', “sight, the faculty of seeing”, in Brunetto Latini.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1295 – The first record of ''vedere'' in GRADIT.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses the verb for seeing and for foreseeing.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – The sense “understand” in Dante.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1444 – The sense “visit” in Giovanni Morelli's chronicle.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 16th century – ''Vedetta'' is recorded, and passes into French as ''vedette''.^(DEI|3998)

+ * 1690 – English ''vedette''.^(DEI|3998)

+ * 1891 – Petrocchi records the noun ''il vedere'' “the act of seeing”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1922 – The noun in the sense “opinion” (''a mio vedere'') in Zingarelli.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1970 – ''Non vedente'' “blind” in Zingarelli.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|see]], perceive with the eyes: ''Dal balcone vedevamo le barche nel porto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To have the faculty of [[m|en|sight]], to be able to see, also ''vederci'': ''Senza luce non ci vedo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # To watch or be present at an event or show: ''vedere un film'', ''vedere la partita''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|meet]] or visit someone; reflexive, to meet each other: ''Ci vediamo domani alla stazione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To examine, check or consult: ''Devo vedere i conti del mese.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # To [[m|en|understand]], grasp; to imagine or picture in the mind: ''Non vedo dove sia il problema.''^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To see to it, make sure, try: ''Vedi di arrivare puntuale.''^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Sight, the act of seeing; appearance, as in ''fare un bel vedere'', to look fine.^(GDLI|21, 695)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|opinion|alt=Opinion]], judgement, in ''a mio vedere'', in my view.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vedente]]

+ * [[veduta]]

+ * [[vedutista]]

+ * [[veduto]]

+ * [[visto]]

+ * [[vista]]

+ * [[vistoso]]

+ * [[svista]]

+ * [[visibile]]

+ * [[visivo]]

+ * [[avvedersi]]

+ * [[avveduto]]

+ * [[ravvedersi]]

+ * [[intravedere]]

+ * [[travedere]]

+ * [[stravedere]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prevedere]]

+ * [[provvedere]]

+ * [[rivedere]]

+ * [[vedetta]]

+ * [[video]]

+ * [[visione]]

+ * [[viso]]

+ * [[la|videō]]

+ * [[fr|voir]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''non vedere l'ora'' “look forward eagerly”, ''avere a che vedere con'' “have to do with”, ''farsi vedere'' “show oneself” and ''stare a vedere'' “wait and see”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}