bambino Italian · revision 37586

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1375, Boccaccio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /bamˈbi.no/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bambino''' ''m'' (plural bambini, feminine bambina, diminutive bambinétto (“smallish child”) or bambinùccio (“baby”), augmentative bambinóne (“large child; child-like person”), pejorative bambinàccio, endearing bambinèllo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|bambo|-ino]], the diminutive of the old word [[roa-oit|bambo|t=child; simpleton]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO) The word ⟨bambo⟩ is of imitative origin, from the first sounds of a child's speech: the LEI sets up a root ⟨bamb-⟩, a form of the babbling base of [[babbo]] with an inserted nasal, documented in many languages.^(LEI|4, 1040)^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968|55) It is connected with the gloss word [[la-lat|bambalo|t=stammerer]], and Etymonline and Tommaseo compare [[grc|βαμβαίνω|tr=bambaínō|t=to stammer]].^(LEI|4, 1088)^(Etymonline)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The variant with ⟨i⟩, [[bimbo]], belongs to western Tuscany and entered the standard language from the 16th century.^(LEI|4, 1040)^(DELI 1999) [[fr|bambin]] (1726) is borrowed from Italian, as are [[en|bambino]] and [[de|Bambino]].^(DIFIT)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) According to the DEI the word was earlier used in French as a painters' term for the infant Jesus, and in southern Italy, where it is not native, it has only that meaning.^(DEI)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ ''Bambo'' is recorded as an adjective “foolish” in the Sienese ''Fatti di Cesare'' at the end of the 13th century, and as a noun “child” in the ''Intelligenza'' around 1300.^(TLIO) The TLIO's first record of ''bambino'' is in Boccaccio's ''Rime'', before 1375, in the sense “young child”; it also has “infant” and “foetus”.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ DELI dates the senses of ''bambino'' “child” and “son or daughter” to Machiavelli (before 1527), the adjective “very young” to Bernardo Davanzati (before 1606) and “inexperienced, naive” to Paolo Segneri (before 1691); the use for a naive adult is recorded by Tommaseo in 1865.^(DELI 1999) The Christ child, ''il Bambino'', and the figurines of him placed on altars are recorded from 1543.^(DIFIT)

+

+ The phrase ''gettare via il bambino con l'acqua sporca'' “to throw out the baby with the bathwater” spread in recent Italian; it is the German ''das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten'', come through French.^(DELI 1999) The derivative ''bambinaia'' “nursemaid” (1855) met competition from the French ''bonne''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ English took ''bambino'' first for images of the infant Jesus shown in Italian churches at Christmas (1720 according to DIFIT, 1761 according to Etymonline), and German used ''Bambino'' for a child from 1879.^(DIFIT)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – ''Bambo'' “foolish” is in the ''Fatti di Cesare''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1375 – Boccaccio uses ''bambino''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1527 – Machiavelli uses it for a child and a son.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1543 – ''Bambini'' are figurines of the infant Jesus on altars.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1720 – English ''bambino'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1726 – French ''bambin'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1855 – ''Bambinaia'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1879 – German ''Bambino'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|child]], from birth to the beginning of boyhood or girlhood: ''la scuola organizza una gita per i bambini''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Boy, male child: ''hanno avuto un bambino''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Son or daughter; in the plural, someone's children: ''stasera i bambini dormono dai nonni''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Adult who behaves childishly: ''smettila di fare il bambino''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Affectionate or ironic form of address to an adult.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''il Bambino'': the infant Jesus, and an image of him.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Very young: ''sposa bambina'', a child bride.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|naive]], [[m|en|immature]], not yet developed: ''una tecnologia ancora bambina''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bambinaia]]

+ * [[bambinata]]

+ * [[bambinesco]]

+ * [[bambinone]]

+ * [[bambinaggine]]

+ * [[bambineggiare]]

+ * [[bambinello]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bambola]]

+ * [[bimbo]]

+ * [[babbo]]

+ * [[fr|bambin]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''aspettare un bambino'' (to be expecting), ''bambino prodigio'' (child prodigy) and ''un gioco da bambini'' (child's play).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}