puttana Italian · revision 37829

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=last quarter of the 12th century, Proverbia que dicuntur|origins=fro pute}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /putˈta.na/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''puttana''' ''f'' (plural puttane, masculine puttano)^(Wiktionary)

+ The TLIO lists the Old Italian forms ''puitana'', ''putana'' and ''puctana''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|putain]] (about 1119), the old oblique case of [[m|fro|pute|t=whore]], perhaps by way of [[pro|putana]].^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(REW 1935) Nocentini explains the Old French form as the relic of a feminine declension with the ending [[m|la-vul|-āna]] in the oblique cases: an accusative [[m|la-vul|*puttāna]] beside the nominative.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The origin of the Old French noun is disputed.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) DELI, Zingarelli and Treccani follow Wartburg in deriving it from the adjective [[m|fro|put|t=stinking, foul]], from [[la|pūtidus|t=stinking]], from [[m|la|pūteō|t=to stink]].^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) Meyer-Lübke rejected that link as hard to accept in meaning, and Nocentini and Devoto–Oli start instead from [[la-vul|putta|t=girl]], feminine of [[m|la-vul|*puttus|t=boy]], the source of [[putto]].^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In Nocentini's view the shift from “girl” to “prostitute” is a euphemism repeated in many times and places, as with [[signorina]], [[fr|demoiselle]] and [[de|Fräulein]]; the Vulgar Latin noun already means “prostitute” in Gregory of Tours in the 6th century, and that sense lives on in [[es|puta]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' of the late 12th century, and GRADIT dates the old variant ''puitana'' to the 12th century.^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003) Early in the 13th century Uguccione da Lodi warns that “brigar e usar co le puitane è mortal peccà” (to deal and consort with whores is a mortal sin).^(GDLI|14, 1067) Before this, the inscription of San Clemente in Rome (late 11th or early 12th century) has ''putta'' in the insult “fili de le pute” (sons of whores).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used the word for a prostitute, also in ''pubblica puttana'', as an insult, in ''figliuolo di puttana'', and for a husband's mistress.^(TLIO) Dante places “Taide … la puttana” in the eighth circle of Hell, and the verb ''puttaneggiare'' appears in his work before 1313.^(GDLI|14, 1067)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Sputtanare'' “to disgrace publicly” is recorded in 1849, ''puttanaio'' “brothel; mess” in 1931 and ''puttanata'' “nonsense; dirty trick” in 1958.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Today the word is vulgar.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) It is also used for anyone, man or woman, who changes behaviour or loyalty for gain, as a strengthening word in curses, and in poker slang for the queen.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Italian lent the word to Greek and Albanian.^(DEI|3160)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 11th or early 12th century – The San Clemente inscription uses ''pute''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1119 – Old French ''putain'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Last quarter of the 12th century – The ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' use the word.^(TLIO)

+ * 13th century – The Judaeo-Italian ''Elegia'' uses ''puttana''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1313 – Dante uses ''puttaneggiare''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1849 – ''Sputtanare'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(vulgar)'' A [[m|en|prostitute]], [[m|en|whore]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(vulgar, derogatory)'' A woman regarded as promiscuous; used as an insult.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(derogatory, figurative)'' A person, man or woman, who drops principles or loyalties for advantage.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(card games, slang)'' The [[m|en|queen]] in poker.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(vulgar)'' Used attributively in curses: ''porca puttana!'', ''miseria puttana!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[puttaniere]]

+ * [[puttanata]]

+ * [[puttanaio]]

+ * [[sputtanare]]

+ * [[puttaneggiare]]

+ * [[puttanesca]]

+ * [[puttanella]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[putta]]

+ * [[putto]]

+ * [[fr|putain]]

+ * [[es|puta]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Figlio di puttana'' “son of a bitch” is an insult for a dishonest person.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Andare a puttane'' means “to go to prostitutes”, and ''andare'' or ''mandare a puttane'' also “to go (or send) to ruin”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}