intero Italian · revision 37994

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Guittone d'Arezzo|origins=la tangō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /inˈtɛ.ro/, /inˈte.ro/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''intero''' (feminine intera, masculine plural interi, feminine plural intere)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older form is [[roa-oit|entero]], recorded in Guittone d'Arezzo.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) The variant [[intiero]] is literary or regional.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|integer|t=untouched, whole, intact]], from the accusative, through a spoken form [[la-vul|*intĕgrum]] stressed on the second syllable, in place of the classical stress on the first.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) From the 6th century AD the Latin adjective had taken on the meaning of [[la|tōtus|t=all, whole]].^(DELI 1999) The learned word [[integro]], taken from the same Latin adjective later, is its doublet.^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The word is found across the Romance languages: [[fr|entier]], [[es|entero]], [[pt|inteiro]], [[sc|intreu]] and [[ro|întreg]].^(Nocentini 2010) According to DEI the exceptions are central and southern Italy, Provençal and Catalan, which have a semi-learned type with the ending ⟨-egre⟩.^(DEI|2065) The Latin adjective goes back to a form [[itc-pro|*in-tagros]], built from the root of [[la|tangō|t=to touch]] with the negative prefix [[m|la|in-]], so that its first sense was “untouched”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The usual pronunciation with a close stressed /e/ is hard to explain from the Latin short vowel.^(DELI 1999) DELI follows Sebastiano Timpanaro, who accepted a proposal of E. H. Tuttle (1915): there were two spoken variants, one giving [[intiero]] and an open /ɛ/, the other, with /ĭ/, giving the close /e/.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini also starts from a Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*intĭgrum]] with the stress moved forward, as happens in words stressed on the third syllable from the end when the last syllable begins with a consonant cluster.^(Nocentini 2010) The form with ⟨ie⟩ is in his view the expected outcome of the form with /ĕ/, and the variant with close /e/ a blend of the two.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Guittone d'Arezzo (before 1294), in the form ''enter'' “whole”: “ch'un solo motto trare / ne possa enter” (that I can draw out a single whole word).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|8, 250)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI dates the form ''intero'' to Dante (before 1321), who writes of the angels and the heavens “sì come sono, in loro essere intero” (as they are, in their whole being).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|8, 250)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start the adjective meant both “having all its parts” and, of qualities, “perfect, firm, absolute”, a sense DELI finds in Rinaldo d'Aquino.^(DELI 1999) Antonio Pucci (before 1388) used it for something taken in its full extent.^(DELI 1999) Dante called the righteous Mordecai “al dire e al far così intero” (so upright in word and deed), a moral sense that is now literary.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The noun ''intero'' “the whole” is recorded in Pietro Bembo (1500), and in mathematics, for a whole number, in Cosimo Bartoli (1564).^(DELI 1999) In botany a leaf with a smooth margin is called ''intera'' from 1813.^(DELI 1999) ''Latte intero'', whole milk, is recorded in 1769, but Tommaseo's dictionary noted in 1869 that it did not seem to be Tuscan usage.^(DELI 1999) In the 17th century writers still hesitated between ''intero'' and ''intiero''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Derivatives appear early: ''interamente'' “entirely” in Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308) and ''interezza'' “wholeness” in the 14th century, with the figurative sense “moral integrity” about 1300.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini derives ''intirizzire'' “to stiffen with cold” (17th century) from ''intero'' in the sense of the old ''interito'' “rigid”, with assimilation of the vowels.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Prati 1951|561)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses the form ''enter''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''interamente''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses the form ''intero''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1388 – Antonio Pucci uses it for something taken in its full extent.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1500 – Pietro Bembo uses the noun ''intero'' “the whole”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1564 – Cosimo Bartoli uses ''intero'' for a whole number.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1769 – ''Latte intero'' “whole milk” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1813 – ''Intera'' is used of a leaf with an even margin.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|whole]], [[m|en|complete]], having all its parts: ''Ho comprato la collana intera dei suoi romanzi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Whole, taken in its full extent, size or duration: ''Abbiamo aspettato una settimana intera.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of a ticket or fare, at full price, without reduction: ''Ho pagato il biglietto intero.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of a sum of money, in a single banknote: ''Ho solo venti euro interi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Unbroken, [[m|en|intact]]: ''La bottiglia è caduta ma è rimasta intera.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial, humorous)'' Of a person, unhurt: ''Dopo quel volo dalla bici era ancora tutto intero.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Full, absolute: ''Ha la mia intera fiducia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' Morally upright, of [[m|en|integrity]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' ''numero intero'': an [[m|en|integer]].^(Treccani 2011)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(botany)'' Of a leaf, with an even margin, without notches.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(animal husbandry)'' Not castrated.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The whole, the totality: ''Guardate le parti prima dell'intero.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''per intero'': in full, completely.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' An integer.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(music)'' A [[m|en|semibreve]].^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[interamente]]

+ * [[interezza]]

+ * [[intirizzire]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[integrale]]

+ * [[integro]]

+ * [[la|integer]]

+ * [[fr|entier]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Latte intero'' is whole milk, as opposed to skimmed milk.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Wiktionary gives both /inˈte.ro/ and /inˈtɛ.ro/;^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999) DELI notes that the common pronunciation has the close vowel.^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}