luce Italian · revision 37972

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century, Maestro Francesco|origins=ine-pro *lewk-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈlu.t͡ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''luce''' ''f'' (plural luci)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|luche]], [[roa-oit|luxe]] and [[roa-oit|luxi]].^(GDLI|9, 240) The word is [[vec|łuxe]], [[lij|luxe]], [[lmo|lus]] and [[fur|lûs]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|lux|t=light; daylight, day]], from the accusative ⟨lūcem⟩.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The GDLI calls it a learned word, but DELI, Nocentini and Wiktionary treat it as inherited.^(GDLI|9, 240)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The same Latin word is [[oc|lutz]], [[fro|luz]], [[es|luz]] and [[pt|luz]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907) DEI notes that it is missing in Romanian, Sardinian and French, which use other words.^(DEI|2275) Wiktionary regards the borrowed [[lux]] as its doublet.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin noun is a root noun from [[itc-pro|*louks]] and [[ine-pro|*lewk-|t=bright, to shine]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) From the same root come [[grc|λευκός|tr=leukós|t=white, bright]], [[sa|रोचते|tr=rocate|t=shines]] and the suffixed [[got|𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐌰𐌸|tr=liuhaþ|t=light]], which matches [[de|Licht]] and [[m|en|light]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Devoto adds that the Latin [[m|la|lūcus|t=sacred grove]] first meant the clearing where rites were held.^(Devoto 1968) Latin [[m|la|lūmen]], the source of [[lume]], and [[m|la|lūna]] belong to the same family.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to the first half of the 13th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first record, for the rays of the sun, is in Maestro Francesco, whose poem compares love to sunlight: “Amor si è come la luce / del sol” (love is like the light of the sun).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|9, 240)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante uses ''luce'' for any source of light (1313–1319), and Petrarch for the eyes (1374), a figure that DELI traces back to Latin and finds common in popular poetry too.^(DELI 1999) In older Italian ''luce'' also meant “day”, in the early lyric poets, Ariosto and Varchi.^(Prati 1951|604)^(DEI|2275) Lamps and artificial lighting were called ''luci'' by 1533, when Marino Sanudo describes people “con luzi impizadi in man” (with lights lit in their hands).^(DELI 1999) In building, ''luce'' became the opening of a window (1803) and the span under the arch of a bridge, which Florentine edicts already used.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The physical sense, light as a form of energy, is recorded at the end of the 18th century, and ''luce elettrica'' in 1840.^(DELI 1999) The 20th century added the lights of vehicles (1957), ''luci d'arresto'' “brake lights” (1970), and ''luce'' for the electricity supply itself.^(DELI 1999) Phrases such as ''dare alla luce'' “to give birth” and ''venire alla luce'' “to be born; to come to light” keep the old link between light and life.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The diminutive ''lucciola'' “firefly”, recorded before 1313, passed into French as ''luciole''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 13th century – The first records.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1313 – ''Lucciola'' “firefly” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses ''luce'' for a source of light.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1374 – Petrarch uses ''luci'' for the eyes.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1533 – Marino Sanudo uses ''luzi'' for lamps.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1786–1803 – ''Luce'' is used for light as physical energy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1803 – ''Luce'' is recorded for the opening of a window.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1840 – ''Luce elettrica'' is recorded in a Milanese paper.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1865 – ''Controluce'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1957 – ''Luce'' is used for electricity and for the lights of vehicles.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(physics)'' [[m|en|light]], the electromagnetic radiation that the eye can perceive: ''la velocità della luce''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Light as it is seen, [[m|en|brightness]], especially daylight: ''Questa cucina ha poca luce'', ''alla luce del sole'', openly.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A light source, a lamp: ''In fondo alla valle si vedeva una luce.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Artificial lighting, and by extension the electricity supply: ''Spegni la luce quando esci'', ''Domenica è mancata la luce per due ore.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(automotive)'' A light of a vehicle: ''luci di posizione'', sidelights, ''luci d'arresto'', brake lights.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # [[m|en|brilliance]], sparkle, as of a gem or of the eyes: ''Aveva una luce strana negli occhi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Life: ''dare alla luce'', to give birth, ''venire alla luce'', to be born, or to come to light.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Knowledge, truth, enlightenment: ''fare luce su un mistero'', ''alla luce di'', in the light of.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(architecture)'' An opening in a wall that lets light in; the clear span of an arch or bridge.^(Wiktionary)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(literary)'' ''le luci'': the eyes.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[lucciola]]

+ * [[controluce]]

+ * [[sopraluce]]

+ * [[semiluce]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lucere]]

+ * [[lucerna]]

+ * [[lucido]]

+ * [[lume]]

+ * [[luna]]

+ * [[lux]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Luce'' in ''film Luce'' and ''giornale Luce'' is the acronym of the Unione Cinematografica Educativa, the film institute founded in 1925 whose newsreels were shown in Italian cinemas.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020) Common phrases include ''mettere in luce'' “to highlight”, ''mettere in buona'' or ''cattiva luce'' “to show in a good or bad light” and ''anno luce'' “light year”.^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}