fortuna Italian · revision 37798

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1230–1250, Giacomo da Lentini|origins=la fors}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /forˈtu.na/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fortuna''' ''f'' (plural fortune, pejorative fortunaccia)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|fortūna|t=chance, fate; good luck; wealth]], derived from [[m|la|fors|t=chance]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DEI and the GDLI see the learned tradition of the word, while Nocentini notes that [[fr|fortune]] and the Iberian forms are learned and that only the sense “storm” lived on in popular speech, as in [[oc|fortuna|t=storm]].^(DEI|1695)^(GDLI|6, 225)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The Latin noun is the feminine of an unrecorded adjective, from a stem [[itc-pro|*fortu-|t=luck]] beside [[m|la|fors]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto 1968) Both are usually traced to [[la|ferō|t=to carry, bear]] and the root [[ine-pro|*bʰer-|t=to carry]], but de Vaan notes that the shift of meaning from “carrying” to “chance” is not obvious, and Ernout and Meillet reject the connection.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ The sense “storm” goes back to the phrase [[la-med|fortuna maris|t=fortune of the sea]] and is a sailors' euphemism, avoiding the word for a storm.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Venetian and Genoese trade spread it in this sense to the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean: [[el|φουρτούνα|tr=fourtoúna|t=storm]] and [[tr|fırtına|t=storm]] come from it.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|1695)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is Giacomo da Lentini (1230–1250), who already uses ''fortuna'' for a storm at sea.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) DELI's first record of the sense “destiny, good or bad” is Pier della Vigna, before 1249: ''Fortuna è corrucciata'' (“Fortune is angry”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|6, 225)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante used the word for good luck and for wealth, and in the ''Inferno'' made Fortune an angelic spirit that distributes earthly goods.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) The derivatives ''fortunato'' (Dante), ''fortunoso'' (Boccaccio) and ''fortunale'', a violent storm (14th century), all date from this period.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ The modern senses add “success” (''la fortuna di un romanzo'') and a large sum of money (''costare una fortuna'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The phrase ''mezzi di fortuna'', makeshift means, arose in the shortages of the Second World War;^(DELI 1999) Migliorini took ''fortuna'' there in the old sense “chance”, while Monelli thought of sailors' expressions such as ''albero di fortuna'', a jury mast.^(DELI 1999) The sense “storm” was borrowed into French in the 13th century and into German from 1436.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1230–1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses ''fortuna'' for a storm.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1249 – Pier della Vigna uses it for fate.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for good luck and for wealth.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1336 – Boccaccio uses ''fortunoso''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – ''Fortunale'' appears in the ''Tavola ritonda''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1436 – German ''fortun'' is recorded in the sense “storm”.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|fate]], chance, the force that rules events, personified by the ancients as a goddess: ''Non si può sempre dare la colpa alla fortuna.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Good [[m|en|luck]]; a lucky chance: ''Che fortuna trovarti qui!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Success, popularity: ''Quel disco non ha avuto molta fortuna.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A [[m|en|fortune]], a large amount of wealth: ''Quella villa vale una fortuna.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' Economic or social condition.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' A storm at sea: ''come nave in fortuna'' (Dante).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(nautical)'' An accident at sea caused by force majeure.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # In the [[m|en|tarot]], the Wheel of Fortune.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(zoology)'' The house [[m|en|centipede]] ''Scutigera coleoptrata''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fortunato]]

+ * [[fortunale]]

+ * [[fortunoso]]

+ * [[sfortuna]]

+ * [[sfortunato]]

+ * [[fortunello]]

+ * [[portafortuna]]

+ * [[infortunio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fortuito]]

+ * [[forse]]

+ * [[la|fors]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''per fortuna'' (“luckily”), ''buona fortuna!'' (“good luck!”), ''fare fortuna'' (“to get rich”), ''tentare la fortuna'' and ''di fortuna'' (“makeshift”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}