spesso Italian · revision 38036

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250, Giacomo da Lentini|origins=la spissus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈspes.so/^(Wiktionary)

+ * Milan: /ˈspɛs.so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spesso''' (feminine spessa, masculine plural spessi, feminine plural spesse, superlative spessissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|spissus|t=thick, dense]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The adverb “often” is the adjective used adverbially, through the sense “numerous, frequent”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wikizionario) The word is panromance: [[fr|épais]], [[oc|espés]], [[ca|espès]], [[es|espeso]], [[pt|espesso]], [[sc|ispissu]] and [[rup|spes]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Only Italian also uses it for “often”.^(REW 1935)

+

+ According to de Vaan the Latin word goes back to [[itc-pro|*spisso-]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*spid-to-]]; its likeliest relatives are Greek glosses such as [[grc|σπιδνός|tr=spidnós|t=thick, dense]], and [[lt|spisti|alt=spìsti|t=to begin to swarm]] may also belong here.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ [[spessore|alt=Spessore]] is [[fr|épaisseur]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Both uses are recorded before 1250: a poet of the Sicilian school has the adjective in the sense “numerous, frequent”, and Giacomo da Lentini the adverb “often”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Giacomo da Lentini also has the adverb ''spessora''.^(DEI|3588)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The physical senses are recorded later: “dense” in Bono Giamboni before 1292, “thick, dense (of a wood)” in Zucchero Bencivenni in 1310, and “having a certain thickness” about 1350.^(DELI 1999) Dante's earthly paradise is “la divina foresta spessa e viva” (the divine forest, dense and living).^(GRADIT 2003) The plural ''spesse volte'' “many times” and Foscolo's ''a spessi tocchi'' (with repeated strokes) keep the sense “frequent”, now literary.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ''Spessore'', borrowed in 1824, was disapproved by Tommaseo–Bellini in 1873 as a scientific word used in place of ''grossezza''.^(DELI 1999) The adverb is common in the phrase ''spesso e volentieri'', “often, all too often”.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – Sicilian poets use ''spesso'' “frequent” and Giacomo da Lentini the adverb “often”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''spesso'' “dense”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1310 – Zucchero Bencivenni uses it for “thick, dense”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1350 – “Having a certain thickness” in the translation of Crescenzi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1824 – ''Spessore'' “thickness” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|thick]], of more than usual thickness; having a given thickness: ''Taglia il pane a fette spesse.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|dense]], of a certain consistency: ''Una nebbia spessa copriva la pianura.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a wine, full-bodied.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(literary)'' Thick, dense, impenetrable, of a wood or growth.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(literary, plural)'' Many, frequent; repeated in quick succession: ''spesse volte''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|often]], frequently: ''D'estate andiamo spesso al lago.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spessore]]

+ * [[ispessire]]

+ * [[spesseggiare]]

+ * [[spessimetro]]

+ * [[ispessimento]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spessare]]

+ * [[spessità]]

+ * [[spessitudine]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}