conto Italian · revision 37754

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1260–1261, Brunetto Latini|origins=la putō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkon.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''conto''' ''m'' (plural conti)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|computus|t=calculation, reckoning]], through a spoken Latin form [[m|la-vul|*contus]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) DEI and GDLI instead treat it as a noun formed in Italian from the verb [[contare]], and DELI discusses it under that verb.^(DEI|1077)^(GDLI)^(DELI 1999) Italian also has the learned doublets [[computo]] and [[compito]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin noun comes from [[m|la|computō|t=to calculate]], made of [[m|la|com-]] and [[m|la|putō|t=to prune; to reckon]].^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan explains that verb as first meaning “to prune a tree”, whence “to ponder, to reckon”, and derives it from the adjective [[m|la|putus|t=pure, clean]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|compte]], [[oc|compte|alt=compte]], [[ca|compte|alt=compte]], [[es|cuento]] and [[pt|conto]].^(REW 1935) The Spanish form was borrowed into Old Sicilian as [[m|scn|cuntu]] “million” in the 16th century; modern Sicilian ''cuntu d'ova'' is a count of 240 eggs.^(DEI|1077)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is Brunetto Latini's ''Rettorica'', about 1260–1261, in Florentine, for the act or result of counting, any arithmetical operation.^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI dates the word before 1294, also from Brunetto Latini.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian had phrases such as ''per conto'' “exactly in number” and ''senza conto'' “countless”.^(TLIO) The accounting sense, a record of debit and credit, appears in the Datini archive in 1372;^(DELI 1999) the sense “esteem, regard” is in a 14th-century Italian version of Saint Augustine, “calculation, plan” in Savonarola before 1498, and “advantage, profit” in Machiavelli before 1527.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ From the same date a second noun ''conto'', from ''contare'' “to tell”, meant a tale or account; it is now literary.^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003) Ariosto writes “anzi che cominciasse il conto intero” (before she began the whole story).^(GDLI)

+

+ The accounting term passed into German as ''Konto'' at the end of the 15th century,^(DIFIT) and into Czech, Danish, Swedish and other languages.^(Wiktionary) Modern Italian uses it for a restaurant bill, a bank account (''conto corrente'') and a user account online.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wikizionario) ''Conto alla rovescia'' is the countdown before a launch, and figuratively before any awaited event.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1260–1261 – Brunetto Latini uses ''conto'' in his ''Rettorica''.^(TLIO)

+ * 14th century – The sense “esteem” appears.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1372 – The accounting sense appears in the Datini archive.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT)

+ * Late 15th century – German borrows the word as ''Konto''.^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1498 – Savonarola uses it for a plan or calculation.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1527 – Machiavelli uses it for advantage.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|calculation]], a sum: ''Ho rifatto il conto due volte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(accounting)'' An [[m|en|account]], a record of debits and credits.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A [[m|en|bill]], the amount due for goods or services: ''Il conto dell'albergo era salatissimo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A bank account: ''conto corrente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Interest, advantage, ''per conto di'', on behalf of.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Esteem, importance: ''una persona di poco conto''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # A user account on a website.^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[acconto]]

+ * [[rendiconto]]

+ * [[resoconto]]

+ * [[tornaconto]]

+ * [[scontare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contare]]

+ * [[computo]]

+ * [[compito]]

+ * [[la|computus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''rendersi conto'' “to realize”, ''tenere conto di'' “to take into account”, ''fare i conti con'' “to reckon with” and ''in fin dei conti'' “after all”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary) Old Italian also had an adjective ''conto'' “known, familiar”, from [[fro|cointe]] and Latin ''cognitus'', recorded from the late 12th century in Venetian;^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) Dante has “Fammiti conto o per luogo o per nome” (make yourself known to me by place or by name).^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) A second adjective ''conto'' “graceful, adorned” is referred to Latin ''comptus'' and is found in Giacomo da Lentini; the LEI notes that the two adjectives are hard to tell apart.^(TLIO)^(LEI)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}