prossimo Italian · revision 37796

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1193, Carta picena|origins=la prope}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈprɔs.si.mo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prossimo''' (feminine prossima, masculine plural prossimi, feminine plural prossime)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|prossimu]], [[roa-oit|proximo]] and [[roa-oit|prosimo]].^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|14, 719)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|proximus|t=nearest, next]], a learned word, the superlative of [[m|la|prope|t=near]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|14, 719) Wiktionary counts it as inherited, but DELI, Nocentini, DEI and GDLI all treat it as taken from written Latin.^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3113)

+

+ The popular outcome of the Latin word is [[fro|prueisme]] and [[pro|proisme]].^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3113) In the Iberian languages the learned adjective [[es|próximo]] stands beside the popular noun [[m|es|prójimo|t=fellow man]], and Portuguese has [[m|pt|próximo]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) French has only the derivative [[fr|proximité]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ De Vaan, following Dunkel, traces the adverb to [[ine-pro|*própro|t=on and on, ever further]], an iterated preverb that lost its second /r/ by dissimilation, like [[sa|प्रप्र|tr=prá-pra|t=on and on]] and [[grc|πρόπρο|tr=própro|t=before; on and on]].^(de Vaan 2008) In his view the superlative replaced an unusual older sequence ⟨ps⟩ with ⟨x⟩.^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini and Wiktionary instead start from [[ine-pro|*prokʷe]], with the second consonant assimilated to the first, and place the adverb in the family of [[m|la|prō|t=before]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the Carta picena of 1193, a document from the Marche, in the form ''prossimu'' and with the sense “next”, in a reckoning of three years from a coming date.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|14, 719) The Breve di Montieri, a Tuscan statute of 1219, has ''proximo'' in the same use: “da questo proximo kalenda ianuari” (from this next first of January).^(GDLI|14, 719) DELI's general sense for these early records is “very near in space; near to a condition; close by kinship”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun, for each person as the neighbour of another in Christian teaching, appears in Gerardo Patecchio, a Lombard poet of the 13th century.^(DELI 1999) DEI finds the noun for a blood relative in Boccaccio and for one's fellow man in Dante.^(DEI|3113) In dates the adjective was often reinforced: Old Florentine chronicles say ''il sabato prossimo'' (the following Saturday), and Bono Giamboni writes ''il martidì prossimo vegnente'' (next Tuesday coming).^(GDLI|14, 719)

+

+ The derivatives are old too: ''prossimità'' “nearness” is in Bono Giamboni before 1292, and ''prossimamente'' “shortly” in the first half of the 14th century.^(DELI 1999) The grammatical term ''passato prossimo'', for the past tense whose effects reach the present, contrasts with ''passato remoto''.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Prossimale'', the anatomical term for the part nearer the centre of the body, is English ''proximal'' (1803 in that sense); DELI dates it to 1950 and Nocentini to 1898.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1193 – The Carta picena has ''prossimu'' “next”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1219 – The Breve di Montieri uses ''proximo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Gerardo Patecchio uses the noun for one's fellow man.^(DELI 1999)

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

+ * First half of the 14th century – ''Prossimamente'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1950 – ''Prossimale'' enters the dictionaries.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Very [[m|en|near]] in space, close (with ''a''): ''Il paese è prossimo al confine.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Near in time, [[m|en|imminent]]: ''Le elezioni sono ormai prossime.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|next]], immediately following in a series or in time: ''Ci sentiamo martedì prossimo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # About to do something or to reach a condition (with ''a''): ''Era prossimo alla laurea.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Close in nature, [[m|en|similar]] (with ''a'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' Recently past: ''negli anni a noi prossimi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Close by kinship, in ''parente prossimo'', a close relative.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Direct, immediate, in ''causa prossima''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(singular only)'' One's [[m|en|neighbour]] in Christian teaching, every person in relation to another; by extension, other people in general: ''ama il prossimo tuo come te stesso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The next person in a queue or in an order of precedence: ''Adesso tocca al prossimo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' A [[m|en|relative]].^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[prossimamente]]

+ * [[prossimità]]

+ * [[prossimale]]

+ * [[approssimare]]

+ * [[approssimativo]]

+ * [[approssimazione]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|proximus]]

+ * [[la|prope]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Although it comes from a Latin superlative, Italian speakers often treat ''prossimo'' as a positive adjective, and the comparative ''più prossimo'' is common.^(Zingarelli 2010) The superlative ''prossimissimo'' is rare and literary;^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI) Leopardi used it.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI) In commercial and bureaucratic style ''prossimo venturo'' “next coming” is abbreviated ''p.v.''.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}