festa Italian · revision 37734

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century, Proverbia que dicuntur|origins=la fēstus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfɛs.ta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''festa''' ''f'' (plural feste)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|fēsta|t=feast, holiday]], originally the neuter plural of [[m|la|fēstum|t=feast]], taken as a feminine singular; the noun comes from the adjective [[m|la|fēstus|t=festive, solemn]], as in ⟨dies festus⟩ “holiday”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI) The word is found across the Romance west, but not in Romanian: [[fr|fête]], [[oc|festa]], [[ca|festa]], [[es|fiesta]] and [[pt|festa]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1626)^(Körting 1907) Through [[fro|feste]] it passed into [[de|Fest]] and [[en|feast]], and it was also borrowed into [[sq|festë]] and [[eu|besta]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1626)

+

+ Latin [[m|la|fēstus]] belongs with [[m|la|fēriae|t=holidays]] and [[m|la|fānum|t=temple]], from a root ⟨*fēs-⟩;^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Devoto derives [[m|la|fānum]] from an older ⟨*fasnom⟩, without connections outside Italic.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary traces it to [[ine-pro|*dʰeh₁s-tos]], from [[m|ine-pro|*dʰéh₁s|t=god; sacred place]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'', of the last quarter of the 12th century.^(TLIO) DELI dates the sense “solemn day of religious or civil celebration” to Bono Giamboni, before 1292.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The feast day of a saint or a mystery of the faith is in Giordano da Pisa in 1304, and the public or private celebration of a happy event in the 13th-century chronicle attributed to Malispini.^(DELI 1999) Dante uses the word for great joy and for a warm welcome before 1321, and the TLIO records ''fare festa'' “to celebrate, rejoice” in Old Italian.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+

+ Modern Italian uses ''festa'' for a public holiday, a day off work or school, a birthday or name day, and a party;^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''le feste'' are the Christmas or Easter holidays.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) English borrowed ''festa'' for an Italian feast day in 1787.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' use ''festa''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for a solemn day.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304 – Giordano da Pisa uses it for a Church feast.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for great joy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1541 – ''Festone'' “festoon” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1787 – English ''festa'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|holiday]], a day of religious or civil celebration: ''festa nazionale'', ''la festa di San Giuseppe''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(plural)'' ''le feste'': the Christmas or Easter holidays: ''Buone feste!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' One's birthday or name day: ''Domani è la festa di mia sorella.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A day off work or school: ''Lunedì è festa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|party]], a gathering to celebrate or have fun: ''Diamo una festa per i suoi trent'anni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Joy, rejoicing; a joyful welcome: ''Il cane gli fece festa.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[festaiolo]]

+ * [[festante]]

+ * [[festeggiare]]

+ * [[festeggiamento]]

+ * [[festeggiato]]

+ * [[festevole]]

+ * [[festino]]

+ * [[festone]]

+ * [[festoso]]

+ * [[festosità]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[festivo]]

+ * [[festività]]

+ * [[prefestivo]]

+ * [[feria]]

+ * [[la|fēstus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Conciare qualcuno per le feste'' means “to beat someone up, leave someone in a bad way”, and the proverb ''Passata la festa, gabbato lo santo'' is said of promises forgotten once the favour has been received.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}