musica Italian · revision 37913

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=mid-13th century, Ruggieri Apugliese|origins=grc Μοῦσα}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmu.zi.ka/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''musica''' ''f'' (plural musiche)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|mūsica]], short for an “art of the Muses”, modelled on [[grc|μουσική|tr=mousikḗ]] with [[m|grc|τέχνη|tr=tékhnē|t=art]] understood.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Greek word is the feminine of [[m|grc|μουσικός|tr=mousikós|t=of the Muses]], from [[m|grc|Μοῦσα|tr=Moûsa|t=Muse]], and covered not only music but also poetry and the arts in general.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Latin took over only the adjective [[m|la|mūsicus]] with it; [[m|la-med|mūsicālis]] is medieval.^(DELI 1999) The word is learned everywhere in Romance: [[fr|musique]] (12th century), [[es|música]], and it has spread across the European languages.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ Several later derivatives follow other languages.^(DELI 1999) The phrase [[musica leggera]] translates [[en|light music]] (1597), [[musicassetta]] reproduces [[en|musicassette]], [[musicologia]] seems inspired by [[de|Musikwissenschaft]], introduced in 1863 by Friedrich Chrysander, and [[musicomane]] follows [[fr|musicomane]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in Ruggieri Apugliese of Siena, in the mid-13th century.^(TLIO) In Old Italian the word named first of all a discipline, one of the seven liberal arts, that teaches how to combine sounds harmoniously, and then any harmonious set of sounds of voices or instruments.^(TLIO)^(GDLI) Brunetto Latini (before 1294) explains that the second art “si è musica, che c'insegna a far voci di canti in cetere, in organi, e in altri strumenti” (is music, which teaches us to make songs on citterns, organs and other instruments).^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The GDLI notes that the word long meant the theoretical, mathematical study of sound, part of the quadrivium beside arithmetic, geometry and astronomy, as opposed to the practice of song.^(GDLI) The sense “a work of this art” is recorded in 1561 (Citolini), “band” in 1627 (Lancellotti), the figurative “sweet sound” before 1564 (Domenichi), and the ironic “unpleasant noise” before 1535 (Berni), and “a tedious, repeated thing” before 1665 (Lippi).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ''Musico'' was both adjective and noun (Dante, 1304–1308), ''musicale'' is recorded before 1304, ''musicare'' “to set to music” before 1527 (Machiavelli), and ''musicista'' in 1866.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Musicassetta'' appears in the 1970s.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) French ''musiquette'' (1875) is taken from Italian ''musichetta''.^(DEI)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-13th century – Ruggieri Apugliese uses ''musica''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini describes music as a liberal art.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1304 – ''Musicale'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1535 – Francesco Berni uses ''musica'' ironically for a noise.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1561 – ''Musica'' is used for a musical work.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1627 – ''Musica'' is used for a band.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1866 – ''Musicista'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1875 – French ''musiquette'' is taken from Italian.^(DEI)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|music]], the art of combining sounds of voices or instruments according to rules and conventions: ''Da bambina studiava musica con la nonna.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The music of a style, period, instrument or author, as in ''musica classica'', ''musica leggera'', ''musica da camera''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A piece of music, a [[m|en|composition]]: ''Chi ha scritto le musiche di quel film?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Written music, the [[m|en|score]]: ''leggere la musica''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A band: ''Arrivò la musica del paese a suonare in piazza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A sweet, harmonious sound; ironically, an annoying noise or a tiresome repetition.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[musicale]]

+ * [[musicista]]

+ * [[musicare]]

+ * [[musico]]

+ * [[musicalità]]

+ * [[musicante]]

+ * [[musicologia]]

+ * [[musicassetta]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[musa]]

+ * [[la|mūsica]]

+ * [[fr|musique]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Other words spelled ''musica'' are the feminine of ''musico'', once a woman singer or musician, and the name of a tropical sea snail with shell markings like musical notes (''Voluta musica'', before 1800).^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) Old Sienese also had a ''musica'' “mosaic” (before 1322), taken from Old French.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}