poco Italian · revision 37684

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250, Giacomo da Lentini|origins=ine-pro *peh₂w-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpɔ.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''poco''' (feminine poca, masculine plural pochi, feminine plural poche; superlative pochissimo; cut to ''po’'' in ''un po’'')^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|2983)

+ Old and rural Tuscan has ''pogo'', Old Sicilian ''pocu''.^(Prati 1951|789)^(GRADIT 2003) Old Italian also wrote ''pocco'' and ''puoco''.^(GDLI|13, 692)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|paucus|t=few, little]], from the accusative ⟨paucum⟩; the Latin adjective was used mostly in the plural, ⟨pauci⟩ “few”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is continued across the Romance languages, as Dalmatian [[m|dlm|pauk]], [[fr|peu]], [[oc|pauc]], [[ca|poc]], [[es|poco]] and [[pt|pouco]], but not in Romanian; in southern Italy DEI thinks it came in as a loan from the standard language.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|2983)

+

+ The Latin word is [[itc-pro|*paukos]], built on the root [[ine-pro|*peh₂w-|t=few, little]] that is also in [[m|la|paullus|t=small]], [[m|la|parvus|t=small]] and [[m|la|pauper|t=poor]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Outside Latin the nearest relatives are [[grc|παῦρος|tr=paûros|t=few, small]] and [[got|𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍃|tr=faus|t=few]], the same word as English [[m|en|few]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of the adjective is in Giacomo da Lentini, before 1250, for something small in quantity, number or size, and of the adverb in Stefano Protonotaro in the middle of the 13th century, “in small measure, scarcely”.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT dates the Sicilian form ''pocu'' to about 1250.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a noun, ''il poco'' “a small amount” is recorded in Bono Giamboni before 1292, and the derivative ''pochezza'' “scarcity” in the same author; later it also meant “meanness, pettiness” (before 1427).^(DELI 1999) The phrase ''da poco'' gave ''dappoco'' “worthless, inept” in the first half of the 14th century.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The shortened form ''po’'' became the usual one in ''un po’'' “a little”, and doubled in ''un po’ po’ di…'', used ironically for something large or remarkable.^(GRADIT 2003) Before an adjective, ''poco'' softens or denies its meaning (''poco simpatico'' “not very nice”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ As a musical term ''poco'' (''poco forte'', ''poco a poco'') passed into French in 1703, German in 1732 and English in 1724.^(DIFIT)^(DEI|2983)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses the adjective.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1250 – The Sicilian form ''pocu'' is recorded.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Mid-13th century – Stefano Protonotaro uses the adverb.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''il poco'' “a small amount” and ''pochezza''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * First half of the 14th century – ''Dappoco'' is formed from ''da poco''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1703 – The musical term ''poco'' is first recorded in French.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1724 – The musical term ''poco'' is recorded in English.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Determiner===

+ # Little, not much: ''C'è poco latte in frigo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(in the plural)'' [[m|en|few]], not many: ''Restano pochi biglietti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Short, brief, of time or distance.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # Little, a small amount, ''(in the plural)'' few people: ''Pochi conoscono questo sentiero.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A short time: ''da poco'' “recently”, ''tra poco'' “soon”, ''poco fa'' “a moment ago”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small quantity, ''un po’ (di)'' “a little, a bit (of)”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Little, not much, [[m|en|scarcely]]: ''Ultimamente esco poco.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # For a short time; seldom.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(before an adjective or adverb)'' Not very: ''un ragazzo poco paziente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(music)'' Slightly, a little, in directions such as ''poco forte''.^(DIFIT)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pochezza]]

+ * [[pochino]]

+ * [[pochetto]]

+ * [[dappoco]]

+ * [[poc'anzi]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[povero]]

+ * [[parvo]]

+ * [[la|paucus]]

+ * [[fr|peu]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''a poco a poco'' “little by little”, ''per poco'' “nearly”, ''a dir poco'' “to say the least” and ''poco male'' “no great harm”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}