veloce Italian · revision 37984

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1304–1308, Dante|origins=la vēlōx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /veˈlo.t͡ʃe/, /veˈlɔ.t͡ʃe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''veloce''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural veloci, superlative velocissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|vēlōx|t=swift, quick]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The same Latin word gave [[fr|véloce]] and [[es|veloz]].^(Nocentini 2010) With it came [[velocità]], from [[la|vēlōcitās|t=speed]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The origin of the Latin adjective is uncertain.^(DEI)^(Zingarelli 2010) De Vaan suggests that it meant “wind-like”, from a noun *vē-lo- “wind” built on the root [[ine-pro|*h₂weh₁-|t=to blow]] of [[la|ventus|t=wind]], an old formation since Latin has no verb from that root.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) An older explanation, which Nocentini and Devoto follow, derives it from a form *weg-slo-, from the root of [[la|vegeō|t=to be lively]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) Devoto compares the adjective ending of [[la|ferōx|t=fierce]] and [[la|atrōx|t=dreadful]].^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is Dante's ''Commedia'' (1304–1308), for something that covers a great distance in a short time.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT) In the ''Purgatorio'' the heavenly boatman, having landed the souls, “sen gì, come venne, veloce” (went away as swiftly as he had come).^(GDLI|21, 719)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Petrarch applies the word to someone who works or acts quickly (1374), and Paolo Segneri to something that soon comes to an end (1673), such as passing time.^(DELI 1999) Galileo used the derived verb ''velocitare'' “to speed up”, and his physics gave ''velocità'' its technical sense, the ratio of distance to time (1638).^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|4006)

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+ The 19th century coined ''velocipede'' for the early bicycle (1818), a word later displaced by ''bicicletta'';^(DELI 1999) ''velocista'' “sprinter” (1939) competes with English ''sprinter'', and ''velodromo'' (1900) came from French ''vélodrome''.^(DELI 1999) In music ''veloce'' marks a passage to be played quickly; as such it entered French (1703), German (1732) and English (19th century).^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''veloce'' and ''velocitade''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1341–1342 – Boccaccio uses ''velocità''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1374 – Petrarch uses ''veloce'' for a person who acts quickly.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1638 – Galileo uses ''velocità'' for physical speed.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1673 – Paolo Segneri uses ''veloce'' for something that soon ends.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1703 – French takes ''veloce'' as a musical direction.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1818 – ''Velocipede'' appears in ''Il Conciliatore''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1939 – ''Velocista'' “sprinter” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|fast]], [[m|en|quick]]: able to move or run rapidly: ''Il ghepardo è un animale molto veloce.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Quick at doing something; quick-witted: ''È veloce nei conti a mente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Done or completed in little time: ''Abbiamo fatto una cena veloce prima del film.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Passing quickly, soon over: ''I mesi dell'estate sono stati veloci.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(sport)'' Of a track or court, allowing high speeds: ''una pista molto veloce''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(music)'' Indicating a quick passage.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Quickly: ''Non parlare così veloce, non ti capisco.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[velocità]]

+ * [[velocemente]]

+ * [[velocista]]

+ * [[velocizzare]]

+ * [[velocipede]]

+ * [[velocimetro]]

+ * [[iperveloce]]

+ * [[ultraveloce]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[velodromo]]

+ * [[la|vēlōx]]

+ * [[fr|véloce]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The closed /e/ and /o/ of ''veloce'' are standard, but Wiktionary and Zingarelli also record an open /ɔ/.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010) The adverb ''veloce'' is colloquial beside ''velocemente''.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) Set comparisons include ''veloce come il vento'' and ''veloce come un lampo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}