semplice Italian · revision 37882

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=la simplex}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsem.pli.t͡ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''semplice''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural semplici, superlative semplicissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|simplex|t=simple, single]], from [[m|la|sem-|t=one]] and [[m|la|-plex|t=-fold]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini connects the second part with [[m|la|plicō|t=to fold]], and Sabatini–Coletti and Treccani with [[m|la|plectō|t=to plait]], so that the word meant “folded once”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The first part is not found alone in Latin but is seen in [[m|la|semel|t=once]] and [[m|la|semper|t=always]], and goes back to [[ine-pro|*sem-|t=one]].^(Wiktionary)^(GDLI) According to Wiktionary the Italian word, recorded from about 1261, is a cross of the inherited forms [[roa-oit|sempice]] and [[roa-oit|semprice]] with the Latin.^(Wiktionary) The Latin also gave [[fr|simple]] and [[es|simple]].^(Nocentini 2010) Its popular doublet is [[scempio]] “single”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first records are in Bono Giamboni's ''Libro de' vizî e delle virtudi'' (before 1292), in the senses “uncomplicated, free of difficulty” and, of a person, “sincere, guileless”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) An early translation of Albertano says that the reasoning of one who serves the truth must be “senpice e incomposta” (simple and uncompounded).^(GDLI|18, 604)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante (before 1321) uses ''semplice'' for what consists of one element, as against “double”, and also before a noun in the emphatic sense “mere, nothing but”.^(DELI 1999) The sense “unmixed”, as against “compound”, is recorded in Varchi (before 1565), “without excessive ornament” in Vasari (before 1574), and after a noun for the lowest rank, as in ''soldato semplice'', from 1873.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The noun ''semplice'', usually plural, named a medicinal plant, from the Medieval Latin phrase for a simple medicine, and is recorded in Mattioli's Dioscorides (1544).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The ''orto dei semplici'' was a garden of medicinal plants.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) As a musical direction, “to be played without ornament”, the word passed into German (1732), English (1740) and French.^(DIFIT)^(Zingarelli 2010) Pietro Verri wrote in 1772 that ''sistemare'' and ''semplificare'' were the two magic words of the day.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1261 – ''Semplice'' is first recorded.^(Wiktionary)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''semplice'' and ''semplicemente''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for what consists of one element.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1470 – Luca Pulci uses ''sempliciotto''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1544 – Mattioli uses ''semplici'' for medicinal plants.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1732 – German records the musical direction ''semplice''.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1740 – English records the musical direction.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1772 – Pietro Verri writes of ''semplificare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1873 – Tommaseo's dictionary records ''soldato semplice''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1905 – ''Semplicismo'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Single, consisting of one element, as against double or compound: ''nodo semplice''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Unmixed, plain: ''caffè semplice''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # [[m|en|simple]], easy, uncomplicated: ''Non è stato semplice trovare casa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Plain, unadorned; modest, frugal: ''Abitano in una casa semplice in collina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of a person, natural, unaffected; also [[m|en|naive]]: ''È una ragazza semplice e sincera.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Before a noun, mere, just: ''Era una semplice domanda.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # After a noun, of the lowest rank: ''soldato semplice''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(music)'' Of a direction, to be played without ornament.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(historical, usually plural)'' A medicinal [[m|en|herb]]; a medicine made from it: ''orto dei semplici''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ # A simple, naive person: ''i semplici''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[semplicemente]]

+ * [[semplicità]]

+ * [[semplificare]]

+ * [[semplificazione]]

+ * [[sempliciotto]]

+ * [[semplicione]]

+ * [[semplicismo]]

+ * [[semplicista]]

+ * [[semplicistico]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scempio]]

+ * [[duplice]]

+ * [[la|simplex]]

+ * [[fr|simple]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Nocentini, Devoto–Oli and the GDLI give the noun “medicinal plant” an entry of its own, since it was taken separately from Medieval Latin, but its source is the same Latin adjective.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) Old forms are ''simplice'', ''sempice'' and ''semprice''.^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}