uso Italian · revision 37894

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century|origins=la ūtor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈu.zo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''uso''' ''m'' (plural usi)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|ūsus|t=use, practice; experience; benefit]], a noun formed on the past participle of [[m|la|ūtor|t=to use]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The participle itself, used early as a noun, was the base of a new Late Latin verb, the source of [[usare]], first recorded in the 8th-century Formulae of Sens.^(DELI 1999) The same noun is [[fr|us]] (now obsolete), [[oc|us]], [[ca|us]], [[es|uso]] and [[pt|uso]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin verb had older forms with a diphthong, ⟨oeti⟩ and ⟨oesus⟩, and goes back to [[itc-pro|*oissos]] for the participle; a Paelignian participle meaning “used” matches it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Nocentini 2010) De Vaan reports a proposal that the root first meant “to fetch for oneself” and compares the Greek future [[grc|οἴσω|tr=oísō|t=I will fetch]], from [[ine-pro|*h₃eyt-|t=to take along]].^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini thinks it risky to go beyond the Italic base.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DEI has the form ''uzo'' “experience” in the 13th century, and the GDLI quotes Giacomo da Lentini's “l'uso fa 'nvilute” (custom makes it base).^(DEI|3964)^(GDLI|21, 592) DELI's earliest dated sense is “habit, custom” in the ''Novellino'', at the end of the 13th century, followed by “constant practice” in Dante's ''Paradiso'' (1313–1319).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “ability to use something” is dated before 1342, in Domenico Cavalca, which is GRADIT's date for the word, and the legal right to use another's property and take its fruits appears in Giovanni Villani before 1348.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The linguistic sense, the usual way of speaking or writing of a person, a community or an age, is recorded in 1516, in Giovan Francesco Fortunio's grammar.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo still gave “custom, practice” first.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|4, 1696)

+

+ Commercial Italian uses ''uso'' before a noun for imitation materials and for the intended use of premises, as in ''uso ufficio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In finance, ''uso'' was the customary term of payment of a bill of exchange, borrowed into German in 1611 and into English, from Italian or Spanish, in 1704.^(DIFIT) ''Usura'' “wear”, by contrast, is an adaptation of French ''usure''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 8th century – Late Latin forms a verb on the participle, the source of ''usare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – DEI records ''uzo'' “experience”.^(DEI|3964)

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses ''uso'' “custom”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses it for “constant practice”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses it for the ability to use something.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1516 – Giovan Francesco Fortunio uses it for linguistic usage.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1611 – German ''Uso'' is recorded in commerce.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1704 – English ''uso'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|use]], the act or way of using something: ''L’uso del telefono in classe è vietato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # The ability or possibility of using something: ''Dopo l’incidente ha recuperato l’uso della mano.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Purpose, function: ''per uso domestico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(commerce)'' Before a noun, an imitation of a material or the intended use of something: ''uso pelle'', ''uso ufficio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(law)'' The right to use another's property and take its fruits within one's own needs.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # [[m|en|custom]], habit, practice: ''È uso del paese suonare le campane a mezzogiorno.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(linguistics)'' [[m|en|usage]], the way a language is used at a time or place.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(literary)'' [[m|en|accustomed]], used to: ''uomini poi, a mal più ch'a bene usi'' (Dante).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[usare]]

+ * [[usato]]

+ * [[usanza]]

+ * [[usabile]]

+ * [[usitato]]

+ * [[usuale]]

+ * [[usualmente]]

+ * [[sopruso]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[usucapione]]

+ * [[usufrutto]]

+ * [[usura]]

+ * [[usurpare]]

+ * [[utile]]

+ * [[la|usus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The adjective is literary and Nocentini treats it as a separate borrowing from the Latin participle, dated before 1306 in Iacopone da Todi.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) Pietro Bembo noted in 1525 that prose writers used ''uso'' for ''usato'', as they used ''cerco'' and ''desto''.^(DELI 1999) Zingarelli instead derives the adjective from ''usare''.^(Zingarelli 2010) Phrases with the noun include ''fare uso di'' “to use”, ''fuori uso'' “out of order”, ''d'uso'' “customary” and ''istruzioni per l'uso'' “instructions for use”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}