migliore Italian · revision 37661

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /miʎˈʎo.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''migliore''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural migliori)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had [[m|roa-oit|megliore]], and Guittone d'Arezzo has the shortened ''meglior''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|melior|t=better]], from the accusative ⟨meliōrem⟩, which served in Latin as the comparative of [[m|la|bonus|t=good]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[fr|meilleur]], [[oc|melhor]], [[ca|millor]], [[es|mejor]] and [[pt|melhor]]; the neuter [[m|la|melius]] gave the adverb [[meglio]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ DELI and Nocentini connect the Latin word with [[m|la|multus|t=much]], so that its first meaning would have been “bigger” or “stronger”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|282) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*mélyōs]] and compares [[grc|μάλα|tr=mála|t=very]], but calls the etymology weak; he mentions as an alternative a link with [[grc|μέλω|tr=mélō|t=to care for]] and Hittite ⟨māl⟩ “mind”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's earliest record is the ''Ritmo laurenziano'' of the late 12th century, with the sense “better, more good”;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) GRADIT dates the word from 1219.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Guittone d'Arezzo (before 1294) has ''meglior'' for “happier, less hard”, and Dante (1313–1319) ''migliore'' in this sense;^(DELI 1999) Giordano da Pisa (1303–1306) uses it for “more useful, more convenient”.^(DELI 1999) The noun “the best person” is in Domenico Cavalca before 1342.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The verb ''migliorare'' continues [[la-lat|meliōrō]], recorded in Ulpian before 228; it is in the ''Ritmo laurenziano'' as ''melliorare'' “to become better”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The noun ''miglioramento'' is in the ''Breve di Montieri'' (1219) as ''mellioramento''.^(DELI 1999) ''Miglioria'' “improvement to land or buildings” (1764) was disliked by the purists, and ''migliorismo'' (1957) is English ''meliorism''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The ''Ritmo laurenziano'' uses the adjective and ''melliorare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1219 – The ''Breve di Montieri'' uses ''mellioramento''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses ''meglior''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1303–1306 – Giordano da Pisa uses it for more useful.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses ''migliore'' as a noun.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1764 – ''Miglioria'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|better]], the comparative of ''buono'': ''Questo vino è migliore di quello.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(with the article)'' The [[m|en|best]]: ''Luca è il mio migliore amico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # More able or skilled in an art or profession.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # Superior in quality or value; more advantageous, more convenient.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # More suitable, more fitting.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # In better health or spirits.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The best, the person who excels among others: ''vince il migliore''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[migliorare]]

+ * [[miglioramento]]

+ * [[migliorativo]]

+ * [[miglioria]]

+ * [[migliorismo]]

+ * [[migliorista]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[meglio]]

+ * [[buono]]

+ * [[la|melior]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}