immaginare Italian · revision 37766

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1294, Dante|origins=la imago}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /im.ma.d͡ʒiˈna.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''immaginare''' (first-person singular present immàgino, first-person singular past historic immaginài, past participle immaginàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ The literary form is [[imaginare]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ Old texts also have [[roa-oit|emmagenare]], in Iacopone da Todi, and [[roa-oit|maginare]].^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|imaginor|alt=imāginor|t=to picture to oneself, imagine]], a learned word, from [[m|la|imago|alt=imāgō|t=image, likeness]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|1947) Sabatini, Treccani, Gabrielli and Devoto name an active form [[la-lat|imaginō|alt=imāgināre]] as the direct model.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ DEI thinks the Latin verb was probably a calque of [[grc|φαντάζω|tr=phantázō|t=to make visible; to imagine]], and GRADIT also compares the Greek verb.^(DEI|1947)^(GRADIT 2003) The Latin noun [[m|la|imaginatio]], source of [[immaginazione]], rendered [[grc|φαντασία|tr=phantasía]].^(DEI|1947) Some dialects add the prefix [[m|la|ex-]] to the verb.^(DEI|1947)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Dante before 1294, for conceiving something with the mind or the imagination, and Guido Cavalcanti uses it before 1300 for “to believe, suppose”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The form ''imaginare'' is in Onesto da Bologna before 1303, ''emmagenare'' in Iacopone before 1306, and ''immaginare'' in Giordano da Pisa before 1311.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The infinitive was used early as a noun: Dante writes of ''lo fallace imaginare'', “the deceitful imagining”, in the ''Vita nuova''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The noun lived on in poetry: Leopardi's ''d'ogni mio vago immaginar'' (“of all my wandering imagining”) and Carducci's ''quel fanciullesco imaginar'' (“that childish imagining”).^(GDLI|7, 339) The sense “to devise, invent” is recorded in Antonio Manetti before 1497.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In modern Italian the verb is common in emphatic, conversational uses (''puoi immaginare!'', “you can imagine!”), and the pronominal ''immaginarsi'' gives the polite formula ''s'immagini!'', which can mean “of course!” or “not at all!” according to the question.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Dante uses ''immaginare'' for conceiving with the mind.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1300 – Guido Cavalcanti uses it for “to suppose”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1303 – Onesto da Bologna has ''imaginare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1306 – Iacopone da Todi has ''emmagenare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1311 – Giordano da Pisa has the form ''immaginare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The infinitive is used as a noun.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ * Before 1497 – Antonio Manetti uses it for “to devise”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|imagine]], picture in the mind things possible or unreal: ''Immagina di vivere in riva al mare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To foresee, [[m|en|guess]]: ''Avevo già immaginato come sarebbe andata.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Used for emphasis: ''Puoi immaginare la mia sorpresa!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To devise, [[m|en|invent]]: ''Hanno immaginato un nuovo sistema di irrigazione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To [[m|en|suppose]], believe: ''Immagino che tu sia stanco.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To delude oneself: ''Non immaginarti di vincere senza allenarti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''s'immagini!'': polite formula of assent or of denial, “of course!” or “not at all!”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(literary)'' Imagination, imagining: ''d'ogni mio vago immaginar'' (Leopardi).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[immaginabile]]

+ * [[immaginativa]]

+ * [[immaginativo]]

+ * [[immaginazione]]

+ * [[immaginamento]]

+ * [[immaginatore]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[immagine]]

+ * [[immaginario]]

+ * [[la|imago]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}