diverso Italian · revision 37841

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1224, Saint Francis of Assisi|origins=la vertō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /diˈvɛr.so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''diverso''' (feminine diversa, masculine plural diversi, feminine plural diverse, superlative diversissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|dīversus|t=turned in another direction; different, opposite]], the past participle of [[m|la|dīvertō|t=to turn aside, go different ways]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) That verb is formed with [[m|la|dis-|t=apart]] and [[m|la|vertō|t=to turn]], from [[ine-pro|*wert-|t=to turn]].^(DELI 1999)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary) The derived [[m|la|diversitās]], the Late Latin noun [[m|la-lat|diversiō]] and the Medieval Latin verb [[m|la-med|diversificō]] were borrowed as [[diversità]], [[diversione]] and [[diversificare]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The word passed by learned routes into [[fr|divers]] and [[oc|divers]] too, while the popular [[es|divieso]] became a noun for a boil, from the sense “harmful”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The sense “several, many” was already in Latin in Gregory of Tours.^(DEI|1366)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Saint Francis of Assisi in 1224, in the sense “different, unlike”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used ''diverso'' also for what is strange, terrible or rough: Dante calls Cerberus “fiera crudele e diversa” (a cruel and monstrous beast) and enters “per una via diversa” (by a hard way).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) DEI records the senses “cruel, perverse” in the 14th century.^(DEI|1366) Alberto della Piagentina (before 1332) has both “turned another way” and the plural “several”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In the 20th century ''diverso'' became a noun for someone thought to depart from the social norm, and a euphemism for a homosexual.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI) Among the derivatives, ''diversità'' is recorded in 1282 and ''diversione'' “diversion” in military tactics in Machiavelli (1522–1525).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1224 – Saint Francis of Assisi uses ''diverso'' “different”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1282 – Restoro d'Arezzo uses ''diversità''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1332 – Alberto della Piagentina uses the plural for “several”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1522–1525 – Machiavelli uses ''diversione'' for a feint attack.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|different|alt=Different]], unlike (''da'' “from”): ''Ho un'opinione diversa dalla tua.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' Strange, unusual; also terrible, [[m|en|monstrous]] or rough.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' Foreign, of other customs.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Determiner===

+ # Before a noun, [[m|en|several]], a good deal of: ''Ci sono voluti diversi giorni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Pronoun===

+ # ''(plural)'' Several people: ''Erano in diversi ad aspettare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person seen as departing from what society considers normal.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(euphemistic)'' A [[m|en|homosexual]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[diversamente]]

+ * [[diversità]]

+ * [[diversificare]]

+ * [[diversificazione]]

+ * [[diversione]]

+ * [[diversivo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[divertire]]

+ * [[verso]]

+ * [[avverso]]

+ * [[la|diversus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}