contento Italian · revision 38002

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1243, Guido Faba|origins=la teneō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /konˈtɛn.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''contento''' (feminine contenta, masculine plural contenti, feminine plural contente, superlative contentissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|contentus|t=contained; content, satisfied]], the past participle of [[m|la|contineō|t=to hold together, contain, keep within bounds]], which also gave [[contenere]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI explains the sense: someone “contento” holds himself within set limits and wants nothing more.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The Latin adjective already meant “satisfied with” something.^(OLD 2012)^(GDLI)

+

+ The word is found across the Romance languages except Romanian: [[dlm|kontiant]], [[sc|kontentu]], [[fr|content]], [[oc|content]] and [[ca|content]].^(REW 1935)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI) DEI and Meyer-Lübke think that [[es|contento]] and [[pt|contente]] came from Catalan.^(DEI)^(REW 1935) The Latin verb is [[m|la|con-]] added to [[m|la|teneō|t=to hold]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the ''Parlamenti'' of Guido Faba, written at Bologna about 1243, in the sense “satisfied, needing nothing more”.^(TLIO) DELI dates “satisfied” to Iacopo da Leona, before 1277, who wrote “Contento a lei servir sta chi con tene” (he who is with you is content to serve her).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian ''essere'' or ''stare contento'' also meant “to consent, to agree”, especially in notarial documents, and a party could declare himself formally satisfied (''contento e confesso'').^(TLIO) The sense “glad, cheerful” is recorded in Dante, between 1304 and 1308.^(DELI 1999) Dante's ''State contenti, umana gente, al quia'' (be content, mankind, with the “that”) keeps the old construction ''stare contento a'', “to be satisfied with”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ The verb ''contentare'' “to satisfy”, from a Late Latin gloss word, is recorded in Dante;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''contentezza'' “contentment” follows in Machiavelli (1513–1521), and ''contentino'', a little extra given to keep someone happy, before 1855 in Rosmini.^(DELI 1999) ''Accontentare'' is recorded from 1762.^(Nocentini 2010) German borrowed the adjective as ''content'' in 1472–1473.^(DIFIT) Popular phrases include ''contento come una Pasqua'' “as happy as Easter” and the fairy-tale ending ''e vissero felici e contenti''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1243 – Guido Faba uses ''contento'' at Bologna.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1277 – Iacopo da Leona uses the word for “satisfied”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for “glad” and uses ''contentare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1306 – The noun ''contento'' “contentment” appears in Giordano da Pisa.^(TLIO)

+ * 1472–1473 – German ''content'' is borrowed from Italian.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1513–1521 – ''Contentezza'' is recorded in Machiavelli.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1762 – ''Accontentare'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|satisfied]], [[m|en|pleased]], having what one wants (with ''di'' and a noun or infinitive): ''Il professore è contento dei progressi della classe.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Also ironically: ''Hai perso le chiavi un'altra volta: sarai contento!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|glad]], [[m|en|happy]], cheerful: ''Siamo contenti che siate arrivati sani e salvi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Showing contentment: ''un sorriso contento''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' ''essere'', ''stare contento a qualcosa'': to make do with something.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contentare]]

+ * [[accontentare]]

+ * [[contentezza]]

+ * [[contentino]]

+ * [[scontento]]

+ * [[scontentare]]

+ * [[scontentezza]]

+ * [[contentone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[contenere]]

+ * [[contenuto]]

+ * [[la|contentus]]

+ * [[fr|content]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Italian has three other words spelled ''contento'', all nouns.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) The literary ''contento'' “contentment, joy” is formed from ''contentare'' and is recorded from 1306.^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) An obsolete ''contento'' “what is contained, content” is a learned use of Latin ''contentus'' and is found in Dante.^(GDLI|3, 648)^(GRADIT 2003) Another obsolete ''contento'', also written ''contempto'', meant “contempt”, from Latin ''contemptus''.^(GDLI|3, 648)^(DEI)^(Wiktionary) A ''cuor contento'' is an easy-going optimist.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}