cane Italian · revision 37820

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century, Monte Andrea|origins=ine-pro *ḱwṓ}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈka.ne/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cane''' ''m'' (plural cani, feminine cagna, diminutive canìno m or canìna f or cagnétto m or cagnétta f or cagnettìno m or cagnettìna f, augmentative cagnóne, pejorative cagnàccio, endearing cagnolìno)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|canis|t=dog]], from the accusative ⟨canem⟩.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is panromance: [[fr|chien]], [[oc|ca]], [[ca|ca]] (in Majorca), [[osp|can]], [[pt|cão]], [[sc|cane]], [[ro|câine]] and [[dlm|kuon]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|717)^(Körting 1907) in Spanish it was replaced by [[m|es|perro]], a pre-Latin word.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|717)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin noun continues the Indo-European word for “dog”, [[ine-pro|*ḱwṓ]], also found in [[grc|κύων|tr=kúōn]], [[sa|श्वन्|tr=śván]], [[hy|շուն|tr=šun]], [[lt|šuo]], [[sga|cú]] and [[goh|hunt]], whence [[de|Hund]] and [[en|hound]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Devoto 1968) Its vowel ⟨a⟩ is unexpected beside all these forms; among the explanations proposed, Nocentini finds association with [[m|la|catulus|t=puppy]] one of the more plausible.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini suggests that the Indo-European word may itself be a noun made from an imitation of barking.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur super natura feminarum'', where a murderous woman's body is eaten “cani, corvi e serpenti” (by dogs, crows and snakes).^(TLIO)^(GDLI) DELI's first record is the Florentine poet Monte Andrea, in the 13th century.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From early on the dog stood for baseness: Old Italian used ''cane'' for a sinner or a vile person, and especially for Jews and Muslims, as in Petrarch's “'l sepolcro di Cristo è in man di cani” (the Sepulchre of Christ is in the hands of dogs).^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003) An actor, singer or writer without talent has been a ''cane'' since Vincenzo Monti (1786).^(DELI 1999) The hammer of a firearm is called ''cane'' from Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger (1618), after its shape;^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|717) French ''chien'' and German ''Hahn'' “cock” are similar names.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|717) Old Italian also used ''Cane'' for two constellations and for the star Sirius.^(TLIO)

+

+ ''Cane lupo'' renders French ''chien-loup'' (1775), itself a calque of English ''wolf-dog'';^(DELI 1999) ''dente canino'' and ''rosa canina'' are calques of Greek compounds.^(DELI 1999) In colloquial Italian the word works as an invariable intensifying adjective, as in ''fa un freddo cane'' “it's bitterly cold”, and in negative sentences it means “nobody”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – Monte Andrea uses ''cane''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – ''Canino'' is used in ''mosca canina'' and ''rosa canina''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1618 – Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger uses it for the hammer of a gun.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1786 – Vincenzo Monti uses it for an incompetent performer.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1825 – ''Canizza'' “the barking of many dogs” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|dog]]: ''Ogni mattina porto fuori il cane prima di colazione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(zoology)'' Any animal of the genus ''Canis'', which includes the wolf, the coyote and the jackal.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative, derogatory)'' A cruel or contemptible person; also as an insult.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' An incompetent performer or professional: ''Come attore è un cane.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+ # The [[m|en|hammer]] of a firearm.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(in negative sentences)'' Nobody: ''Alla festa non c'era un cane.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(astronomy, capitalised)'' The name of constellations such as the Cane Maggiore and Cane Minore.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(TLIO)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(colloquial, invariable)'' Intense, terrible: ''un freddo cane'', ''una fame cane''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[canile]]

+ * [[canino]]

+ * [[canaglia]]

+ * [[cagnolino]]

+ * [[cagnesco]]

+ * [[cagnara]]

+ * [[canea]]

+ * [[canizza]]

+ * [[accanirsi]]

+ * [[accanito]]

+ * [[pescecane]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[canicola]]

+ * [[la|canis]]

+ * [[fr|chien]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The feminine is ''cagna''.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Proverbs and set phrases include ''can che abbaia non morde'' “barking dogs seldom bite”, ''menare il can per l'aia'' “to beat about the bush”, ''essere come cane e gatto'' “to fight like cat and dog” and ''tempo da cani'' “foul weather”.^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) An unrelated ''cane'' is the old Italian form of ''khan'', as in Marco Polo's ''Gran Cane'', from the Turkic title; another, from Persian, meant a caravanserai.^(GDLI)^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}