paura Italian · revision 37675

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /paˈu.ra/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''paura''' ''f'' (plural paure)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and rural forms include [[roa-oit|pavura]], [[roa-oit|pagura]] (in Domenico Cavalca), [[roa-oit|paora]] (in Cino da Pistoia) and [[roa-oit|paor]].^(Prati 1951|753)^(GDLI|12, 863)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pavor|t=terror, fear]], from the accusative ⟨pavorem⟩, with its ending replaced by the suffix ⟨-ura⟩.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Devoto, Devoto–Oli and Sabatini–Coletti start from a reconstructed [[la-vul|*pavura]], an abstract noun in ⟨-ura⟩ with the meaning of the classical word; the late Latin ⟨paor⟩ is condemned in the “Appendix Probi”.^(Devoto 1968|321)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Körting 1907) The classical form continues in [[fro|paor]], [[oc|por]], [[ca|por]], [[es|pavor]] and [[pt|pavor]], the suffixed one in [[es|pavura]]; [[fr|peur]] has not been fully explained.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ Latin [[m|la|pavor]] is formed from [[m|la|paveō|t=to be frightened]].^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Its origin is uncertain: Walde–Hofmann and Ernout–Meillet take the verb as the stative counterpart of [[m|la|paviō|t=to beat, strike]], so that fear would first have been “being struck”, while de Vaan, following Schrijver, prefers to compare Celtic words for fear such as [[sga|omun]], from [[ine-pro|*pou-eh₁-|t=to fear]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|321)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the ''Ritmo laurenziano'', at the end of the 12th century: “di paura sbaguttisco” (I am stricken with fear).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|12, 863) The sense is the strong disturbance caused by a real or imagined danger.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word has kept its meaning since the 12th century;^(GDLI|12, 863) Brunetto Latini and Iacopone use it for fear in the face of danger and death.^(GDLI|12, 863) The adjective ''pauroso'' meant “fearful” in Frederick II, before 1250, and “frightening” in Dante in 1293–1294.^(DELI 1999) ''Spauracchio'' “scarecrow, bugbear” replaced an older ''spaventacchio''.^(Prati 1951|753)

+

+ The commonest modern phrases are ''avere paura'' and ''fare paura'';^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''ho paura che'' also expresses mere worry or polite doubt.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) In colloquial use ''da far paura'' stresses something bad, as in ''brutto da far paura'', while in young people's slang ''da paura'' means “fantastic”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The ''Ritmo laurenziano'' uses ''paura''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1250 – Frederick II uses ''pauroso'' “fearful”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1293–1294 – Dante uses ''pauroso'' “frightening”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – ''Impaurire'', ''spaurare'' and ''spaurire'' are recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 17th century – ''Spauracchio'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|fear]], the emotion felt before a real or imagined danger: ''Quella notte ebbe una gran paura.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A habitual fear of something, a [[m|en|phobia]]: ''Mio figlio ha paura dei temporali.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|worry]], apprehension, a feeling that something bad will happen: ''Ho paura che sia troppo tardi.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' ''da (far) paura'', terribly, frightfully; in youth slang ''da paura'', amazing.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pauroso]]

+ * [[impaurire]]

+ * [[spaurire]]

+ * [[spaurito]]

+ * [[spauracchio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[paventare]]

+ * [[pavido]]

+ * [[pavore]]

+ * [[spaventare]]

+ * [[la|pavor]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases include ''avere paura della propria ombra'' “to be afraid of one's own shadow”, ''il coraggio della paura'', the boldness that fear itself can give, and ''cavaliere senza macchia e senza paura'' “a knight without fear and without reproach”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}