simile Italian · revision 38059

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=first half of the 13th century|origins=ine-pro *sem-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsi.mi.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''simile''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural simili)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''sìmele'' and ''sémele'';^(GDLI|19, 24)^(DEI|3499) in poetry the stress could fall on the second syllable, ''simìle'', for the rhyme.^(GDLI|19, 24)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|similis|t=like, resembling]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3499)^(GRADIT 2003) The popular continuations of the Latin word are found elsewhere: Old Neapolitan [[m|nap|semele]], [[sc|simele]] in Logudorese, [[fro|semble]] and [[pro|semble]].^(DEI|3499)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The learned [[es|símil]] stands beside it, while [[fr|similaire]], a derivative, is used in French, from which Italian [[similare]] was taken.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin word comes from older [[m|la|*semilis]], [[m|la|*semalis]], from [[itc-pro|*semali-|t=alike, together]], and belongs with [[m|la|simul|t=together]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*smh₂-el-i-]]; the root is [[m|ine-pro|*sem-|t=one, together]], which expresses unity and sameness and also appears in [[m|la|semper|t=always]], [[m|la|simplex|t=simple]] and [[m|la|singulus|t=single]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Cognates include [[grc|ὁμαλός|tr=homalós|t=even, level]], [[grc|ὁμός|tr=homós|t=same]], [[cy|hafal|t=equal]] and [[en|same]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is an anonymous text of the first half of the 13th century, in the sense “of such a kind”; the sense “similar, partly alike” is first found in Brunetto Latini, before 1294.^(DELI 1999) Latini's ''Rettorica'' speaks of judging “nei simili convenenti”, in similar cases.^(GDLI|19, 24)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a noun ''simile'' meant a person of the same condition before 1321, in Dante's “Simile qui con simile è sepolto” (here like is buried with like), and “a similar thing” in Passavanti (1354); the plural ''i simili'', one's fellow men, is recorded before 1459 in Sant'Antonino.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) Old Italian also used it as an adverb, “likewise”: Giovanni Villani writes “e simile di Pisa”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Zingarelli 2010) The geometrical sense, figures of the same shape but different size, appears before 1572 in Cosimo Bartoli.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Proverbs pair like with like: ''ogni simile ama il suo simile''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Music took ''simile'' as an instruction to go on playing in the same way, recorded in 1695, and this passed into English and, in 1901, German.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 13th century – ''Simile'' “of such a kind” in an anonymous text.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for what is similar.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it as a noun for a person of the same kind.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1354 – Passavanti uses ''simile'' for a similar thing.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1459 – Sant'Antonino uses the plural for one's fellow men.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1549 – ''Similare'' is recorded in Bernardo Segni.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1572 – Cosimo Bartoli has the geometrical sense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1695 – ''Simile'' is recorded as a musical direction.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|similar]], alike in some respects (to someone or something): ''Tua sorella ha un carattere molto simile al tuo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Such, of this kind, often of something unexpected or bad: ''Non mi aspettavo una reazione simile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(geometry)'' Of figures: having the same shape but not the same size, ''(algebra)'' of terms with the same literal part.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A fellow creature of the same species; in the plural, one's [[m|en|fellow man|alt=fellow men]], one's neighbour: ''Dobbiamo aiutare i nostri simili.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' A similar thing, ''e simili'', and the like, and so on.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[similare]]

+ * [[similitudine]]

+ * [[similmente]]

+ * [[similoro]]

+ * [[similarità]]

+ * [[consimile]]

+ * [[dissimile]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[simil-]]

+ * [[simulare]]

+ * [[sembrare]]

+ * [[la|similis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In lists ''e simili'' is often abbreviated ''e sim.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Nulla di simile'' and ''niente di simile'' (nothing like it) are common partitive phrases.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}