amico Italian · revision 37522

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1243, Guido Faba|origins=la amō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /aˈmi.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''amico''' ''m'' (plural amici, feminine amica, diminutive (especially in reference to a child) amichétto, (uncommon) amicùccio or amichìno, augmentative (jocular) amicóne)^(Wiktionary)

+ The oldest form is ''amigo'' (before 1243, Guido Faba).^(DELI 1999) Northern Italian dialects have ''amis'' and southern ones ''amiciu'', both remade on the plural ''amici''.^(DEI|161)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|amīcus|t=friend; friendly]], from [[m|la|amō|t=to love]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini and the LEI count it among the words inherited from Latin, while DELI calls it a learned word.^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|2, 793)^(DELI 1999) It continues in almost all the Romance languages, in the senses “friend” and “lover”: [[fr|ami]], [[oc|amic]], [[ca|amic]], [[es|amigo]], [[pt|amigo]], [[sc|amiku]], [[fur|amî]], [[rm|amitg]] and [[dlm|amaik]], but not in Romanian, which borrowed [[ro|amic]] from Italian.^(LEI|2, 793)^(REW 1935)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin adjective is formed with the suffix [[m|la|-īcus]], as in [[m|la|pudīcus]] and [[m|la|mendīcus]].^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) DEI compares the suffix with forms in Etruscan.^(DEI|161)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first records are ''amigo'' in Guido Faba before 1243 and ''amico'' in Giacomo da Lentini before 1250, in the sense of a person bound to another by friendship.^(DELI 1999) Zingarelli gives 1213.^(Zingarelli 2010) The TLIO's first attestation is the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' of the last quarter of the 12th century.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian already used ''amico'' for a lover or companion, for a political ally or partisan, and, in religious language, for a good Christian, an ''amico di Dio''.^(TLIO) The adjective, “friendly, favourable”, is first recorded in Brunetto Latini's ''Rettorica'' (about 1260–1261).^(TLIO) ''Amichevole'' is in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Many modern phrases are built on it: ''amico per la pelle'' (bosom friend), ''amico del giaguaro'' (a friend who sides with one's opponent), ''l'amico dell'uomo'' (the dog), and in linguistics ''falso amico'' (false friend).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(GRADIT 2003) ''Amico di penna'' is a calque of English ''pen friend''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In Mafia language, and then in politics, an ''amico degli amici'' is someone who has gained influence through such protection.^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Last quarter of the 12th century – The Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' use the word.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1243 – Guido Faba writes ''amigo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini writes ''amico''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1260–1261 – The adjective in Brunetto Latini's ''Rettorica''.^(TLIO)

+ * End of the 13th century – ''Amichevole'' in the ''Novellino''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1588 – The diminutive ''amichetto'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|friend]], a person bound to another by friendship: ''un amico dei tempi del liceo'', ''una cena tra amici''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(euphemistic)'' A [[m|en|lover]]; a boyfriend: ''è venuta alla festa con il suo amico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A person devoted to something, a lover of: ''un amico della montagna''; often in the names of societies.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A supporter, an ally, a patron.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(ironic)'' A person one refers to without naming them: ''che voleva l'amico?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|friendly]], kindly: ''uno sguardo amico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(literary)'' Favourable, propitious: ''la sorte gli fu amica''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Allied: ''le navi amiche''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[amichetto]]

+ * [[amicone]]

+ * [[amichevole]]

+ * [[amicare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[amare]]

+ * [[amicizia]]

+ * [[nemico]]

+ * [[la|amīcus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Proverbs include ''chi trova un amico trova un tesoro'' (who finds a friend finds a treasure) and ''patti chiari, amici cari'' (clear agreements make good friends).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Amici come prima'' says that a disagreement leaves a friendship unchanged.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009) The feminine is ''amica'' and the masculine plural ''amici''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}