secondo Italian · revision 37701

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|attested=1205, Verona document|origins=ine-pro *sekʷ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /seˈkon.do/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''secondo''' (feminine seconda, masculine plural secondi, feminine plural seconde)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''secunno'', ''segondo'' and ''sicondo''.^(GDLI|18)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[der|la|secundus|t=following; second; favourable]], an old participle of [[m|la|sequor|t=to follow]], so properly “the one that follows, comes after”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The preposition continues [[m|la|secundum|t=behind, after; according to]], the neuter of the adjective used as an adverb and preposition in Latin.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|3438) The adjective is also [[fro|segonz]] (modern [[fr|second]]), [[oc|segon]], [[ca|segon]], [[es|segundo]] and [[pt|segundo]], and the preposition [[m|fro|seon]] and [[m|es|según]]; [[m|fr|selon]] was crossed with [[m|la|longum|t=along]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3438)

+

+ Prati and Meyer-Lübke take the Italian adjective for a literary word, and DEI says that it is not of fully popular tradition in the Romance languages, but points to dialect forms such as [[vec|segondo]], [[lmo|segond]], [[fur|seont]] and [[egl|sgond]].^(Prati 1951|904)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3438) The Latin adjective was also borrowed into [[sga|ségund]].^(DEI|3438)

+

+ In Latin the word goes back to [[itc-pro|*sekʷondo-|t=following]], and it came to be used as the ordinal number for “second”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its favourable senses come from the wind or the current that follows a boat from behind.^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011) The root is [[ine-pro|*sekʷ-|t=to follow]], also in [[grc|ἕπομαι|tr=hépomai]] and [[lt|sekti]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in a Veronese document of 1205, published by Alfredo Stussi, for the ordinal number.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The preposition first appears in ''secundo ke'' “according as”, in the ''Breve'' of Montieri of 1219.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Brunetto Latini, before 1294, uses it for “in the way required”: “Rector è quelli che 'nsegna questa scienzia secondo le regole e' comandamenti dell'arte” (the rhetorician is the one who teaches this science according to the rules and precepts of the art).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|18)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante uses the adjective for “inferior in value” before 1321, and Boccaccio for “favourable” in 1353.^(DELI 1999) The preposition meant “according to someone” in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century, and Galileo used it for “along, in the direction of” in 1630–1631.^(DELI 1999) ''A seconda'' “downstream, with the wind” is in Dante, and ''a seconda di'' “according to” in Anton Maria Salvini before 1729.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ As a noun, ''secondo'' became the unit of time and of angle, the sixtieth part of a minute, in Egnazio Danti in 1578.^(DELI 1999) A duellist's assistant was a ''secondo'' in 1605, and a boxer's in 1942, a sense copied from English ''second''.^(DELI 1999) The main course of a meal is recorded as ''secondo'' in 1950.^(DELI 1999) ''Secondino'', a prison warder, was first an assistant to the head gaoler: the word was born in Lombardy, where it is recorded in 1812.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ In music English took ''secondo'' in 1792, and German in 1802, for the lower part in a piano duet and the pianist who plays it.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1205 – The ordinal is recorded in a Veronese document.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1219 – ''Secundo ke'' “according as” is recorded at Montieri.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses the preposition for “in the way required”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses ''a seconda'' and the sense “inferior”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1353 – Boccaccio uses the adjective for “favourable”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1578 – Egnazio Danti uses the noun for the unit of time.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1605 – The sense “second in a duel” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1792 – English ''secondo'' is first recorded in music.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1812 – ''Secondino'' “prison warder” is recorded in Lombardy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – The sense “second in boxing” is recorded, after English.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|second]], coming next after the first in a series: ''È arrivata seconda nella gara di nuoto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # After the name of a ruler or pope, written in Roman numerals: the second of that name: ''Carlo II''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Another, a new one, compared with a first: ''Per lui è stata una seconda madre.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Lesser, of lower rank or importance; [[m|en|secondary]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' [[m|en|favourable]], propitious.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A unit of time, the sixtieth part of a [[m|en|minute]]; also a sixtieth part of a minute of arc: ''Ci ho messo pochi secondi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(Wikizionario)

+ # The [[m|en|main course]] of a meal, after the first course of pasta or soup: ''Per secondo prendo il pesce.''^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The assistant of a duellist or of a boxer.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Wikizionario)

+ # ''(nautical)'' The second in command of a ship.^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # [[m|en|according to]], in conformity with: ''Ho montato il mobile secondo le istruzioni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # In the opinion of, as stated by: ''secondo me'', ''il Vangelo secondo Matteo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Depending on, in proportion to; used alone as an answer, “it depends”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Along, in the direction of: ''Piega il foglio secondo la diagonale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[secondario]]

+ * [[secondogenito]]

+ * [[seconda]]

+ * [[secondare]]

+ * [[secondariamente]]

+ * [[secondino]]

+ * [[secondoché]]

+ * [[secondogenitura]]

+ * [[secondarietà]]

+ * [[microsecondo]]

+ * [[millisecondo]]

+ * [[nanosecondo]]

+ * [[secondamente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[minuto]]

+ * [[seguire]]

+ * [[la|secundus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Secondo che'' with the subjunctive means “according to whether”, and ''a seconda di'' “depending on”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DELI 1999) After the name of a ruler or pope the ordinal is written in Roman numerals and placed after the name.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}