compagnia Italian · revision 38044

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1219, Breve di Montieri|origins=la-lat compāniō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /kom.paɲˈɲi.a/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''compagnia''' ''f'' (plural compagnie)^(Wiktionary)

+ An old form in the same sense is [[roa-oit|compagna]].^(Wiktionary)^(REW 1935)^(LEI|16, 187)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|it|compagno|-ia]], from [[compagno|t=companion]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) Wiktionary takes it as the older [[roa-oit|compagna]], from [[la-vul|*compānia]], reshaped with the suffix ⟨-ia⟩.^(Wiktionary) Meyer-Lübke likewise separates the old ⟨compagna⟩, which matches [[fro|compaigne]], [[pro|companha]], [[ca|companya]], [[es|compaña]] and [[pt|companha]], from ⟨compagnia⟩, which matches [[fr|compagnie]], [[m|pro|companhia]], [[es|compañía]] and [[m|pt|companhia]].^(REW 1935) Devoto–Oli takes the commercial sense as a calque on English [[m|en|company]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ⟨Compagno⟩ is [[la-lat|compāniō]], literally “one who shares bread”, from [[m|la|com-|t=with]] and [[m|la|pānis|t=bread]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Its first records are in the Salic Law of the 6th century, which also has [[m|la-lat|compānium]] “group of companions”.^(LEI|16, 187)^(Nocentini 2010) It was long explained as a calque on a Germanic soldiers' word, [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰|tr=gahlaiba|t=messmate]], and Nocentini and Devoto still give this view, but the LEI follows Bork (1980) in rejecting it and taking the word as a Late Latin formation.^(LEI|16, 187)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968|104)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is the sense “association, organisation”, in the Tuscan statute ''Breve di Montieri'' of 1219.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The TLIO's first text is the Venetian ''Proverbia super natura feminarum''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ At the end of the 13th century the ''Novellino'' uses ''compagnia'' for being together with others, Brunetto Latini, before 1294, for a group gathered for pleasure or a shared activity, and Bono Giamboni, before 1292, for a troop of armed men under a captain.^(DELI 1999) Dante's Virgil and Dante walk “taciti, soli, sanza compagnia” in ''Inferno'' 23.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In Old Italian ''compagna'' and ''compagnia'' could also mean a man's wife or the woman he lived with.^(LEI|16, 187)

+

+ The trading company is recorded in German as ''Kompanie'' in the 14th century.^(DIFIT) The ''compagnie di ventura'', mercenary bands, the ''Compagnia di Gesù'' and the great colonial companies of the 17th and 18th centuries belong to later history.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The theatre company is recorded in Lorenzo Magalotti, before 1712.^(DELI 1999) Tuscan proverbs say ''chi ha compagnia ha signoria'' and ''la buona compagnia è mezzo pane''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Turkish borrowed the word as ''kumpanya''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 6th century – Late Latin ''companio'' and ''companium'' in the Salic Law.^(LEI|16, 187)

+ * 1219 – ''Compagnia'' “association” in the ''Breve di Montieri''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for a troop of soldiers.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for a group of people.^(DELI 1999)

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses it for being together.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – German ''Kompanie'' “trading company” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1712 – Lorenzo Magalotti uses it for a theatre company.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|company]], being together with others: ''Mi piace cenare in compagnia.'', ''fare compagnia a qualcuno'', to keep someone company.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A group of friends who go about together: ''È uscito con la solita compagnia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A theatre [[m|en|troupe]]: ''compagnia teatrale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(military)'' A company, the unit of a battalion under a captain; in the Middle Ages, a band of armed men.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A religious order or [[m|en|confraternity]]: ''la Compagnia di Gesù''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A craft guild or workers' association.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A commercial company, especially in insurance and transport: ''compagnia aerea'', airline, ''compagnia di bandiera'', national carrier.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(history)'' A colonial trading company: ''la Compagnia delle Indie''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[accompagnare]]

+ * [[scompagnare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[compagna]]

+ * [[compagnone]]

+ * [[pane]]

+ * [[fr|compagnie]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''dama di compagnia'' “lady's companion”, ''animale da compagnia'' “pet”, ''essere di compagnia'' “to be sociable” and ''… e compagnia bella'' “and so on, and all the rest”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}