salve Italian · revision 37727

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=16th century, Lorenzo Strozzi|origins=la salvus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsal.ve/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|salvē|t=be well!, hail!]], the imperative singular of [[m|la|salveō|t=to be well, be in good health]], used in Latin as a greeting.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The verb is formed on [[m|la|salvus|t=safe, sound]], the source of [[salvo]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) The OLD allows two explanations of the Latin interjection: either the adverb [[m|la|salvē|t=well]] taken as an imperative, or the imperative of a verb formed with ⟨-eō⟩ from the adjective.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Lorenzo Strozzi, in the 16th century, and GDLI quotes his verse “Salve, mia speme, unica mia salute” (hail, my hope, my only salvation).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) DEI dated the word to Dante, but DELI could not find it there.^(DELI 1999) Zingarelli gives 1521 and GRADIT 1723.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ For a long time the word belonged to poetry and solemn address: Tommaseo calls it a Latin word used mostly in verse, meaning “God save you, welcome, good day”, and quotes Salvini's Homeric hymns and Manzoni.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The poets greeted places and causes with it, as Carducci's ''Salve, Umbria verde''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) In 1905 Panzini noted it as a hospitable greeting, “renewing an old courtesy”, written on the thresholds of many modern houses.^(DELI 1999) Today it is an everyday greeting, friendly and fairly neutral, used both on meeting and on leaving.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) It also begins the Marian prayer ''Salve Regina''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 16th century – Lorenzo Strozzi uses ''salve'' as a greeting.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1521 – Zingarelli's date of first record.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1905 – Panzini notes ''salve'' written on the thresholds of houses.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # [[m|en|hello]], hi: a friendly greeting used on meeting or leaving someone: ''Salve, da quanto tempo!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(literary)'' [[m|en|hail]]: a solemn greeting to a person, a place or an idea.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A greeting (masculine, invariable): ''Mi ha fatto un salve distratto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[salvo]]

+ * [[salute]]

+ * [[salvare]]

+ * [[la|salvus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Two minor words share the spelling.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|3326) ''Salve'' as a feminine noun is the ''Salve Regina'', which DEI records from Dante.^(DEI|3326)^(GDLI) ''Salve'' is also a common but incorrect form of ''salva'', a volley of gunfire, used as an invariable feminine noun.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}