pure Italian · revision 37843

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century|origins=la pūrus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpu.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pure''' (invariable; often shortened to ''pur'' before a consonant)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|pūrē|t=purely, simply; fully]], the adverb of [[m|la|pūrus|t=clean, pure]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini explains the ending as the old instrumental case of the adjective.^(Nocentini 2010) The adverb survives also in [[fur|pur]], [[rm|pür]] and [[pro|pur]] “only; yet”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) De Vaan traces the adjective to a Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*ph₂ú-ro-|t=cleansed]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ From “purely, simply” the word came to mean “only” and then took on copulative and adversative senses, “also” and “yet”.^(Devoto 1968)^(Nocentini 2010) [[purché]] “provided that” keeps the old sense “only”, while [[purtroppo]] “unfortunately” first meant “even too much”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The adverb is dated to the end of the 12th century, the date of the compound ''purché'' in the ''Ritmo di Sant'Alessio''.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In 13th-century Florentine it meant “only”.^(DEI|3155)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used ''pure'' for “purely”, “only” and “always, still”: Dante's Virgil asks “Che pur guate?” (what are you still staring at?).^(DEI|3155)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) The concessive sense “even if, although” is found in the 13th century in Chiaro Davanzati, the adversative “nevertheless” in Giordano da Pisa before 1311, and the adverb “also” in Domenico Cavalca before 1342.^(DELI 1999) From the same period comes ''eppure'' “and yet” (before 1311).^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ In modern Italian ''pure'' is chiefly “also, too”, and in commands it softens or grants a request (''entra pure'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The forms ''purtroppo'' “unfortunately” (before 1694), ''purchessia'' “whatever” (1882) and ''purtuttavia'' “nevertheless” (before 1907) grew from it.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – ''Purché'' appears in the ''Ritmo di Sant'Alessio''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 13th century – Chiaro Davanzati uses ''pure'' in the sense “even if”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1311 – Giordano da Pisa uses it for “nevertheless”, ''eppure'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses it for “also”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1536 – Marin Sanudo writes ''pur troppo'' “even too much”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1694 – Paolo Segneri uses ''purtroppo'' for “unfortunately”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|also|alt=Also]], [[m|en|too]], as well: ''Ho invitato Luca e pure sua sorella.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Even: ''Pure la domenica devo alzarmi presto?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # In commands and requests, adds permission or encouragement: please, go ahead, by all means: ''Siediti pure.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Adds emphasis or resignation: ''Bisognerà pure decidersi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(literary, archaic)'' Only, merely: ''non pur'' “not only”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary, archaic)'' Still, continually.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Conjunction===

+ # Yet, [[m|en|nevertheless]]: ''Non ha studiato, pure ha superato l'esame.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Even though, although (usually ''pur'' with a gerund, or ''sia pure''): ''Pur conoscendo la strada, si è perso.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[purché]]

+ * [[purchessia]]

+ * [[purtroppo]]

+ * [[purtuttavia]]

+ * [[eppure]]

+ * [[oppure]]

+ * [[seppure]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[puro]]

+ * [[la|pure]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Pur di'' with an infinitive means “as long as, so as to”: ''pur di finire'' “just to get it finished”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The accented ''purè'' “mashed potatoes” is a different word, from [[fr|purée]].^(Devoto 1968)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}