voce Italian · revision 37807

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini|origins=ine-pro *wṓkʷs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvo.t͡ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''voce''' ''f'' (plural voci)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|vōx|t=voice]], from the accusative ⟨vōcem⟩.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word is panromance: [[fr|voix]], [[oc|votz]], [[ca|veu]], [[es|voz]], [[pt|voz]], [[sc|boghe]] and dialectal [[ro|boace]] “lament”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The Tuscan variant [[boce]], found in Bono Giamboni in the 13th century, shows the old wavering in how the Latin /w/ was pronounced and written.^(DEI|4078)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The Latin noun has exact matches in [[sa|वाच्|tr=vā́c|t=voice, speech]] and [[grc|ὄψ|tr=óps|t=voice]] in Homer, from [[ine-pro|*wṓkʷs]], a root noun of [[ine-pro|*wekʷ-|t=to speak]]; [[m|la|vocō|t=to call]] is a verb formed from it.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Brunetto Latini before 1294, for the sound of a musical instrument; the sense “sound made by the larynx in speaking and singing” is in Dante (1300–1313).^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT) Sabatini dates the form ''boce'', in the phrase ''a bboce'' “aloud”, to the 9th century.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante already used ''voce'' for a word or term (before 1321), for a rumour or piece of news (1300–1313) and for the pitch of the voice in music.^(DELI 1999) The meaning “right to vote” and then “vote” is found from Firenzuola before 1543, which DELI connects with ''avere voce in capitolo'' “to have a say”, first the right to vote in a monastic chapter.^(DELI 1999) Other senses came later: the noise of animals (Pulci, before 1484), a person speaking or a din (Tasso, 1581), an inner call of the conscience (Segneri, 1690), a dictionary headword (Salvini, before 1729), and an item in a list or budget (1905).^(DELI 1999)

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+ The plural ''voci'' came to mean the voices heard by visionaries (1820), and a singer is a ''voce'' from 1879.^(DELI 1999) Italian ''voce'' as a musical term was taken into German in 1732, and French ''voix'' took the sense “vocal part” from it in 1703.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''voce'' for the sound of an instrument.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses it for the human voice and for a rumour.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for “word”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1543 – Agnolo Firenzuola uses it for the right to vote.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1729 – Anton Maria Salvini uses it for a dictionary entry.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1732 – German ''Voce'' is recorded as a musical term.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1905 – the sense “item of a budget” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|voice]], the sound produced by the larynx in speaking or singing: ''Parlava con una voce bassa e calma.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The call or noise of an animal; the sound of an instrument or of nature: ''la voce del vento''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' An inner call, a prompting: ''la voce della coscienza''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # A person who speaks; a [[m|en|singer]]: ''una delle voci più belle della lirica''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # A [[m|en|rumour]], a piece of unconfirmed news: ''Gira voce che il negozio chiuda.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DELI 1999)

+ # A word, a term; a [[m|en|headword]] or article in a dictionary or encyclopedia.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)

+ # An item in a list, account or budget.^(DELI 1999)^(Wikizionario)

+ # ''(music)'' A vocal or instrumental part.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(grammar)'' A form of a verb: ''voce passiva''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vocale]]

+ * [[vociare]]

+ * [[vocio]]

+ * [[vociferare]]

+ * [[vociferazione]]

+ * [[vocione]]

+ * [[sottovoce]]

+ * [[vocalizzo]]

+ * [[vocalizzare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vocativo]]

+ * [[vocazione]]

+ * [[vociano]]

+ * [[vocabolo]]

+ * [[la|vōx]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases: ''a voce'' “orally, in person”, ''ad alta voce'' “aloud”, ''a bassa voce'' or ''sottovoce'' “quietly”, ''alzare la voce'' “to raise one's voice”, ''passare (la) voce'' “to spread the word” and ''avere voce in capitolo'' “to have a say”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}