mondo Italian · revision 37597

+ {{homograph|1|clean, peeled}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century, Patecchio|origins=la mundus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmon.do/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mondo''' (feminine monda, masculine plural mondi, feminine plural monde)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective is [[inh|la|mundus|t=clean, neat; elegant]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(REW 1935) DELI calls it a learned word.^(DELI 1999) The Latin adjective also survives in [[fro|mont]], [[pro|mon]], [[es|mondo]], [[pt|mondo]], [[sc|mundu]] and [[fur|mond]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ Its origin is unclear.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) De Vaan mentions a possible derivation from [[ine-pro|*mewd-|t=to rejoice]], comparing [[sa|मुद्|tr=múd-|t=joy]], but finds the meanings unconvincing.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) DEI suggests a Mediterranean origin.^(DEI|2495) The Latin verb [[m|la|mundō|t=to clean]], recorded from the 1st century AD, gave [[mondare]], and [[m|la|munditia|t=cleanliness]] lies behind [[mondezzaio]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Patecchio, in the 13th century, for “cleaned”;^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) Zingarelli dates the adjective to 1268.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) Guittone d'Arezzo, before 1294, uses it figuratively for “free of sin”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “peeled, husked” is in the Italian ''Palladio'' of about 1340.^(DELI 1999) A Tuscan proverb warns “Chi vuol la casa monda, non tenga mai colomba” (whoever wants a clean house should never keep pigeons), and to want ''la pera monda'' was to want something without effort.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Derivatives tied to farm work followed: ''monda'', the weeding of the rice fields, and ''mondina'', the woman who did it, are northern words of the early 20th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The adjective itself is now literary, or Tuscan for peeled fruit.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1268 – Zingarelli's date for the adjective.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses it for “free of sin”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304 – ''Mondare'' “to peel” is in Giordano da Pisa.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1340 – The Italian ''Palladio'' uses ''mondo'' “husked”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1598 – ''Mondezzaio'' “rubbish heap” is in Florio.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1908 – ''Mondina'' “rice weeder” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1918 – ''Monda'' “weeding of rice fields” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of fruit, vegetables or grain, [[m|en|peeled]], shelled, cleaned: ''noci monde''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' Clean, neat; clear: ''acque monde''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Pure, free from sin: ''un’anima monda da ogni colpa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mondare]]

+ * [[monda]]

+ * [[mondatura]]

+ * [[mondatore]]

+ * [[mondariso]]

+ * [[mondina]]

+ * [[mondezza]]

+ * [[mondezzaio]]

+ * [[mondiglia]]

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+ {{homograph|2|world}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century, Ritmo laurenziano|origins=la mundus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmon.do/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mondo''' ''m'' (plural mondi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The world is [[inh|la|mundus|t=heavens, universe; world]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) It is shared with [[fro|mont]], later [[fr|monde]], [[oc|mon]], [[ca|mon]], [[es|mundo]] and [[pt|mundo]], the last ones (as is the modern French word) shaped by Latin, and with [[sc|mundu]], [[rm|muond]] and [[fur|mond]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ In Latin the noun first named a woman's toilet articles and ornaments, and as the name of the ordered universe it copies [[grc|κόσμος|tr=kósmos|t=order; ornament; universe]], which joins the same meanings.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) DELI, Nocentini and Sabatini–Coletti connect it with the adjective meaning “neat, elegant”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) De Vaan is less sure that the noun and the adjective are one, and calls its origin unknown: a link with [[ett|𐌌𐌖𐌍𐌈|tr=munθ]] cannot be shown while that word's meaning is unknown.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Latin [[m|la|mundānus|t=of the world]], which renders [[m|grc|κόσμιος|tr=kósmios]], gave [[mondano]], and [[la-lat|mundiālis]] gave [[mondiale]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is the ''Ritmo laurenziano'' at the end of the 12th century, for “all mankind”.^(DELI 1999) Bono Giamboni, before 1292, uses it for the universe: “La terra è nel miluogo della composizione del mondo posta” (the earth is set in the middle of the structure of the world).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|10, 786) Brunetto Latini, before 1294, uses it for the Earth.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante uses the word for a region or continent and for human life itself (1300–1313), and ''l'altro mondo'' “the next world” is in Boccaccio.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|673) Old Italian also had the plural ''le mondora''.^(Prati 1951|673)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The sense “great quantity” (''un mondo di'') appears before 1497.^(DELI 1999)

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+ The sense “society, the social world” was felt as French: Daniello Bartoli has it in 1684, and Algarotti replaced it in the 1752 edition of a book of 1737.^(DELI 1999) In the 19th century purists also mocked the sense “sphere, milieu” (''il mondo della cavalleria''), used by De Sanctis, until his example and Fogazzaro's ''Piccolo mondo antico'' made it acceptable.^(DELI 1999) ''Mondano'' took a pejorative sense from Christian usage, and ''mondana'' became a euphemism for a prostitute.^(DELI 1999) English took ''mondo'' as an intensifier in 1979, from the title of the film ''Mondo cane'' (1961).^(Etymonline)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * End of the 12th century – The ''Ritmo laurenziano'' uses ''mondo'' for mankind.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for the universe.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for the Earth.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''mondiale''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1367 – ''Mondana'' “prostitute” appears in Fazio degli Uberti.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1497 – It is used for “a great quantity”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1684 – Daniello Bartoli uses it for “society”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1946 – Cesare Pavese uses ''mondiale'' for “wonderful”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1979 – English ''mondo'' “extreme” is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|universe]] and all it contains: ''l’origine del mondo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The [[m|en|Earth]], the globe: ''il lago più profondo del mondo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' Any celestial body thought to be like the Earth.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Mankind, people in general; society: ''Tutto il mondo ne parla.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Earthly or secular life, as opposed to the religious life.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # A particular sphere or milieu: ''il mondo del calcio''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A great quantity: ''per il compleanno ha ricevuto un mondo di regali''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mondano]]

+ * [[mondanità]]

+ * [[mondana]]

+ * [[mondiale]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cosmo]]

+ * [[la|mundus]]

+ * [[en|mondo]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases with the noun include ''da che mondo è mondo'' “since time began”, ''caschi il mondo'' “come what may”, ''mettere al mondo'' “to give birth to”, ''l'altro mondo'' “the afterlife” and ''mezzo mondo'' “a great many people”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}