vista Italian · revision 37851

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1294|origins=la videō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvis.ta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vista''' ''f'' (plural viste)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[visto]], the past participle of [[vedere]] “to see”, used as a noun.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) Devoto explains that participle as [[la-vul|*vīsitus]], an altered [[la|vīsus]] after the pattern of [[m|la|positus]]; the verb is Latin [[m|la|videō|t=to see]].^(Devoto 1968)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT's first date is 1294, for a sense it refers to [[visione]].^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's earliest dated senses are Dante's: “appearance, look” in 1300–1313, and in the ''Purgatorio'' (1313–1319) “the range within which the eye can see” and, rarely, “a window or opening to look through”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “eyesight, the faculty of seeing” is in Petrarch in 1374.^(DELI 1999) Tasso, before 1595, used the word for a panorama or view.^(DELI 1999) Old armour had a ''vista'', a slit in the helmet to see through.^(GRADIT 2003) Commerce made ''a vista'' “at sight”, of a bill payable when presented, and German took ''Vista'' in this sense in 1728.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT)

+

+ English borrowed ''vista'' in 1644, for a view, and, from 1671 for a perspective view.^(DIFIT) Phrases include ''a prima vista'' “at first sight”, ''conoscere di vista'' “to know by sight”, ''perdere di vista'' “to lose sight of”, ''in vista di'' “in view of” and ''punto di vista'' “point of view”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1294 – GRADIT's first date for ''vista''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses it for “appearance”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses it for the field of vision and for a window.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1374 – Petrarch uses it for eyesight.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1595 – Tasso uses it for a view or panorama.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1644 – English ''vista'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1728 – German ''Vista'' is recorded in commerce.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|eyesight]], the sense of sight: ''Con gli anni la vista di mia nonna è peggiorata.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The act of seeing, the sight of something: ''Alla vista del cane il gatto scappò.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # The field of [[m|en|vision]], the chance of seeing, ''camera con vista sul lago'', a room with a view of the lake.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # What is seen; a [[m|en|view]], [[m|en|panorama]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' A look, glance; also a quick examination.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' Appearance, look.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(archaic)'' An opening, a window; the eye slit of a helmet.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[svista]]

+ * [[avvistare]]

+ * [[vistoso]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vedere]]

+ * [[visto]]

+ * [[veduta]]

+ * [[en|vista]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Vista'' is also the feminine of the past participle ''visto''.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In commerce ''a vista'' means “at sight”, payable on presentation.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}