perfetto Italian · revision 37791

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=ine-pro *dʰeh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /perˈfɛt.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''perfetto''' (feminine perfetta, masculine plural perfetti, feminine plural perfette, superlative perfettissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|perfectus|t=completed, finished]], a learned word, the past participle of [[m|la|perficiō|t=to carry through, complete]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb is formed from [[m|la|per-|t=thoroughly]] and [[m|la|faciō|t=to make, do]], with the vowel of the root weakened to /i/ in an open syllable and to /e/ in a closed one.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The Latin word also gave [[fro|parfit]], [[pro|perfech]], [[es|perfecto]] and [[pt|perfeito]].^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010) Modern [[fr|parfait]] was reshaped on the verb [[m|fr|parfaire]].^(DEI|2849) The grammatical term [[m|la|perfectum]] was introduced by Varro for the perfective aspect of verbs, following the Stoic doctrine of grammar, and translates [[grc|τέλειος|tr=téleios]] or [[m|grc|συντελικός|tr=suntelikós]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|2849)^(GDLI|13, 3)

+

+ [[m|la|faciō]] continues [[itc-pro|*fakiō]], a present built on the aorist of [[ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|t=to put]], whose final /k/ has a parallel in the Greek aorist of the same root.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Bono Giamboni, before 1292, for something brought to completion.^(DELI 1999) Giamboni writes of a man: “esaminatelo sicuramente ché 'l troverete ben perfetto e degno di vostra compagnia” (examine him without fear, for you will find him quite perfect and worthy of your company).^(GDLI|13, 3)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “without flaws or faults” is in Jacopone da Todi before 1306.^(DELI 1999) In older Italian the word could also mean “fully ripe”: Dante speaks of ''sangue perfetto''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The grammatical noun, for the perfect tense, is in Mario d'Arezzo in 1543, and the adjective in this use in Leon Battista Alberti about 1438.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In 1877 Fanfani and Arlìa condemned ''un perfetto galantuomo'', ''un perfetto cavaliere'' as French ''parfait'';^(DELI 1999) DELI notes that ''perfetta damigella'' is recorded in 1827 and ''perfetto dandy'' in the Milanese press in 1847.^(DELI 1999) Before the noun, the adjective now often reinforces a negative word ironically, as in ''un perfetto imbecille'', and alone it serves as an exclamation of approval.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Among the derivatives, ''perfezionare'' is of 1553 and ''perfettibile'' of before 1558, while ''perfezionismo'' and ''perfezionista'' are English ''perfectionism'' (1937) and ''perfectionist'' (1934).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ French took ''parfait'' in the musical sense of ''perfetto'' in 1703 (''accord parfait''), and early modern German had ''perfette'' (1411).^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''perfetto''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1306 – Jacopone da Todi uses it for “flawless”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1438 – Leon Battista Alberti uses it of a tense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1543 – Mario d'Arezzo uses the noun for the perfect tense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1553 – ''Perfezionare'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1703 – French ''parfait'' takes the musical sense of the Italian word.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1877 – Fanfani and Arlìa condemn ''perfetto galantuomo'' as a Gallicism.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Without any [[m|en|flaw]] or defect: ''Il suo italiano è quasi perfetto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Complete in all its parts; total, absolute: ''Viveva in perfetta solitudine.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' Finished, brought to an end.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # [[m|en|excellent]], done in the best possible way; in very good condition: ''La bicicletta è in perfetto stato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Having a quality to the highest degree; also ironic before a negative word: ''Si è comportato da perfetto egoista.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(as an interjection)'' Expressing approval or agreement: ''«Ho prenotato il tavolo.» «Perfetto!»''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' In ''numero perfetto'', a whole number equal to the sum of its divisors other than itself.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(music)'' In ''accordo perfetto'', a [[m|en|triad]] of the root, the third and the fifth.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(grammar)'' The [[m|en|perfect]] tense.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perfezione]]

+ * [[perfezionare]]

+ * [[perfezionamento]]

+ * [[perfettibile]]

+ * [[perfettibilità]]

+ * [[perfezionismo]]

+ * [[perfezionista]]

+ * [[perfettivo]]

+ * [[imperfetto]]

+ * [[piuccheperfetto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fare]]

+ * [[la|perfectus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Old Italian also had a ''perfetto'' that is a variant of [[prefetto]] by metathesis, “prefect”, in Domenico Cavalca and Antonio Pucci.^(GDLI|13, 7) The plant name ''perfetto amore'', for columbine and larkspur (1738), is French ''parfait amour'', from the language of flowers.^(DEI|2849)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}