diavolo Italian · revision 37651

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1065, Umbrian confession formula (Norcia), in the form diabolu|origins=grc βάλλω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈdja.vo.lo/, /diˈa.vo.lo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''diavolo''' ''m'' (plural diavoli, diminutive diavolétto or diavolìno, augmentative diavolóne, pejorative diavolàccio, derogatory diavolùccio)^(Wiktionary)

+ The TLIO's early forms include [[roa-oit|diabolo]], [[m|roa-oit|diaulo]] and [[m|roa-oit|diavoro]].^(TLIO)

+ The feminine is ''diavola'' or ''diavolessa''.^(GDLI|4, 334)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|diabolus|t=devil]], the word of Christian Latin.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI, Nocentini and GDLI call it semi-learned: it has been in use without a break, but its form was kept close to the Latin heard in church.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI|4, 334) Nocentini gives the steps ⟨diabolu⟩ > ⟨diaolu⟩ > ⟨diaolo⟩ > ⟨diavolo⟩.^(Nocentini 2010) Fully inherited forms, with an initial /dʒ/, survive only in dialects, such as ⟨giàolo⟩ at Vicenza and ⟨ghiàvolo⟩ at Pisa.^(LEI|2, 144)

+

+ The Latin word is from [[grc|διάβολος|tr=diábolos|t=slanderer]], from [[m|grc|διαβάλλω|tr=diabállō|t=to slander, set at odds]], literally “to throw across”, formed with [[m|grc|δια-|tr=dia-]] and [[m|grc|βάλλω|tr=bállō|t=to throw]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) In Christian Greek it rendered [[hbo|שָׂטָן|tr=śāṭān|t=adversary]].^(Treccani 2011)^(DEI|1285)

+

+ The word is found throughout Romance: [[fr|diable]], [[oc|diable]], [[ca|diable]], [[es|diablo]], [[pt|diabo]] and [[ro|diavol]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Borrowed into Germanic in the imperial period, it became [[de|Teufel]] and [[en|devil]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Euphemistic distortions include [[diamine]] and [[diascolo]].^(REW 1935)^(DEI|1285)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is the form ''diabolu'' in an Umbrian confession formula of 1065, from Norcia, for the lord of sin and temptation.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) The form ''diavolo'' appears in the 13th century in Ruggieri Apugliese.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was soon applied to people: a wicked person in Boccaccio (1353), and a lively, restless one in Poliziano (about 1480).^(DELI 1999) Its use to reinforce exclamations and questions (''che diavolo…?'') goes back to the ''Novellino'', at the end of the 13th century.^(DELI 1999) Old Italian already had the proverb that the devil is not as black as he is painted, ''il diavolo non è nero come si dipinge''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ''Fare il diavolo a quattro'', to raise hell, is a calque of French ''faire le diable à quatre'' (1644), which goes back to medieval plays in which the devils usually appeared four at a time.^(DELI 1999) ''Avvocato del diavolo'', the devil's advocate, was the theologian who argued the case against a candidate for sainthood, and figuratively anyone who raises objections.^(Treccani 2011)^(GRADIT 2003) French ''diabolo'', the juggling toy (1906), may owe something to Italian ''diavolo''.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1065 – ''Diabolu'' appears in an Umbrian confession formula.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Ruggieri Apugliese uses the form ''diavolo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses ''diavolo'' in exclamations.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1353 – Boccaccio uses it for a wicked person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1480 – Poliziano uses it for a lively, restless person.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|devil]], the spirit of evil in Judaism and Christianity, identified with Lucifer or [[m|en|Satan]]; also any demon: ''Nell'affresco il diavolo ha corna e coda.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A very lively, restless person, especially a child: ''Tuo figlio è un diavolo, non sta fermo un attimo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A clever, cunning person; also ''buon diavolo'', a good-natured fellow, and ''povero diavolo'', a poor wretch.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(tarot)'' The fifteenth card of the major arcana.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Expressing surprise, impatience or anger: ''Diavolo, che freddo!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In questions, as an intensifier: ''Dove diavolo hai messo le chiavi?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[diavoleria]]

+ * [[diavoletto]]

+ * [[diavolino]]

+ * [[diavolessa]]

+ * [[diavola]]

+ * [[indiavolato]]

+ * [[diavolio]]

+ * [[diavolaccio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[diabolico]]

+ * [[demonio]]

+ * [[satana]]

+ * [[diamine]]

+ * [[la|diabolus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''andare al diavolo'' “to go to ruin”, ''mandare al diavolo'' “to send packing”, ''avere un diavolo per capello'' “to be in a foul temper”, ''avere il diavolo in corpo'' “to be unable to keep still” and ''abitare a casa del diavolo'' “to live miles from anywhere”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The pronunciation is /ˈdja.vo.lo/, less often /diˈa.vo.lo/.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}