senso Italian · revision 37723

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=la sentiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsɛn.so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''senso''' ''m'' (plural sensi)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had a plural ''le sensora'' (13th century, Iacopone).^(DEI|3455)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|sēnsus|t=perception, feeling; meaning]], a learned word, from the past participle of [[m|la|sentiō|t=to perceive, feel]], the source of [[sentire]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The inherited outcomes of the Latin noun are [[es|seso|t=brain]] and [[pt|siso|t=judgement]], whereas [[fr|sens]] is learned, like the Italian word.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3455)^(REW 1935) De Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*sentjō|alt=*s(e)nt-ije/o-]] and [[ine-pro|*sent-|t=to notice]], and points to Balto-Slavic words for “to think”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The sense “direction”, and with it the road signs ⟨senso unico⟩ and ⟨senso vietato⟩, follows French [[m|fr|sens]] (used for direction from 1130), [[m|fr|sens unique]] (1933) and [[m|fr|sens interdit]] (early 20th century).^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The philosophical ⟨senso comune⟩ renders [[la|sensus communis]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Bono Giamboni's ''Libro de' vizî e delle virtudi'', before 1292, for the faculty of receiving impressions from outside.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Dante writes in the ''Vita nuova'' that the poets have spoken to lifeless things “as if they had sense and reason” (''sì come se avessero senso e ragione'').^(GDLI|18, 636)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The meaning “sense of a word or sentence” is in Dante, before 1321.^(DELI 1999) In the plural the word came to mean consciousness (14th century) and sensuality (Petrarch, before 1374).^(DELI 1999) The sense “direction” appears in Torricelli before 1647, and in 1873 Tommaseo still rejected ''muoversi in questo senso'' as foreign and useless.^(DELI 1999) A vague physical or mental sensation (''un senso di stanchezza'') is recorded from 1733, and the colloquial “disgust” (''mi fa senso'') is modern.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The English word ''sensuous'' lies behind Italian ''sensuoso'', and French behind ''sensazionale'' and ''sensoriale''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''senso'' for the faculty of perception.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for the meaning of a word.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1374 – Petrarch uses ''sensi'' for sensuality.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1647 – Torricelli uses it for “direction”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1733 – Del Papa uses it for a vague sensation.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1873 – Tommaseo condemns the sense “direction”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The faculty of [[m|en|perception]]; each of the senses: ''i cinque sensi'', ''organi di senso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # (plural) Consciousness: ''perdere i sensi'', to faint, ''riprendere i sensi'', to come round.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # (plural) Physical, especially sexual, desire; sensuality: ''i piaceri dei sensi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A vague physical or mental [[m|en|feeling]]: ''un senso di freddo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|disgust]], revulsion: ''Le lumache mi fanno senso.''^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # An instinctive ability to judge or appreciate something: ''senso dell'umorismo'', ''senso pratico''; awareness: ''senso del dovere''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|meaning]], significance; good sense: ''Non ha senso.'', ''in senso lato''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|direction]], way: ''senso unico'', ''in senso orario''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # (plural) In the formal closing of letters, sentiments: ''con i sensi della più alta stima''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sensismo]]

+ * [[sensista]]

+ * [[sensistico]]

+ * [[nonsenso]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[insensato]]

+ * [[sensato]]

+ * [[sensazione]]

+ * [[sensibile]]

+ * [[sensitivo]]

+ * [[sensore]]

+ * [[sensorio]]

+ * [[sensuale]]

+ * [[sentire]]

+ * [[la|sēnsus]]

+ * [[fr|sens]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''buon senso'' “common sense”, ''doppio senso'' “double meaning”, ''sesto senso'' “sixth sense”, ''ai sensi di'' “under (a law)” and ''in un certo senso'' “in a way”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Old Italian had a feminine plural ''le sensora''.^(DEI|3455)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}