presidente Italian · revision 37925

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1341–1342, Boccaccio|origins=la sedeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pre.siˈdɛn.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''presidente''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural presidenti, feminine presidentessa)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|presedente]] and [[roa-oit|pressidente]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|praesidēns|t=presiding; governor]], the present participle of [[m|la|praesideō|t=to sit in front; to protect, govern]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The verb is formed from [[m|la|prae-|t=before]] and [[m|la|sedeō|t=to sit]], with the regular change of /e/ to /i/ in an open inner syllable.^(Devoto 1968)^(Nocentini 2010) Tacitus already uses the participle as a noun for a governor.^(DEI|3069)

+

+ The word spread through the European languages: [[fr|président]] is recorded from 1296, and [[es|presidente]] has the same form.^(DEI|3069)^(Nocentini 2010) “Presidente del consiglio” is a calque of the English “president of the Council” (1530–1531), and the adjective [[presidenziale]] is [[fr|présidentiel]] (1791).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Boccaccio's ''Ameto'' (1341–1342), for one who presides over a gathering: “a tanta corte presidente”.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|3, 1208) In Old Italian the word also meant a governor of a territory, a governor of a Roman province, and a tutelary god.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a present participle the word could still mean “presiding over” in Boccaccio, who wrote of the devils set over the circles of Hell.^(GRADIT 2003) The feminine ''presidentessa'' appears in Magalotti (1705) for a woman president and in Boerio (1829) for a president's wife.^(DELI 1999) ''Presidenza'' “presidency” is recorded from Magalotti (1674), and ''vicepresidente'' from 1771.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The political sense “head of the executive”, after the President of the United States, is recorded from 1839.^(DEI|3069) In the Papal States the ''presidente'' was the governor of Romagna or the Marche.^(GRADIT 2003) ''Repubblica presidenziale'', a state whose head is also head of government, dates from Luigi Einaudi (1955).^(DELI 1999) In modern Italy the word names the President of the Republic, the presiding judges of courts and the chairs of companies and associations.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1296 – French ''président'' is recorded.^(DEI|3069)

+ * 1341–1342 – Boccaccio uses ''presidente'' in the ''Ameto''.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * 1674 – Magalotti uses ''presidenza''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1705 – ''Presidentessa'' appears in Magalotti.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1771 – ''Vicepresidente'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1839 – The word is used for the head of the executive, as in the United States.^(DEI|3069)

+ * 1955 – Luigi Einaudi uses ''repubblica presidenziale''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|president]] or [[m|en|chairman|alt=chair]]: the person who directs and coordinates a body, company or association: ''il presidente del circolo velico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(often capitalized)'' The President of the Republic, the head of state.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''presidente del Consiglio (dei ministri)'': the [[m|en|prime minister]] of Italy.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The presiding judge of a court: ''presidente del tribunale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(historical)'' The governor of a province or subject state.^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[presidenza]]

+ * [[presidenziale]]

+ * [[vicepresidente]]

+ * [[presidentessa]]

+ * [[copresidente]]

+ * [[presidentabile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[presiedere]]

+ * [[la|praesideo]]

+ * [[fr|président]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The masculine is often used of a woman, ''la presidente''; the feminine ''presidentessa'' is less common.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) In bureaucratic writing the word is sometimes treated as a participle and takes a direct object without a preposition.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}