fortunato Italian · revision 38065

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 13th century, Dante da Maiano|origins=la fors}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /for.tuˈna.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fortunato''' (feminine fortunata, masculine plural fortunati, feminine plural fortunate, superlative fortunatissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|fortūnātus|t=prosperous, lucky, happy]], the past participle of [[m|la|fortūnō|t=to make prosperous]], from [[m|la|fortūna|t=chance, luck]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) Italian [[fortuna]] continues the same noun, and DELI, Nocentini and the TLIO treat the adjective as its derivative.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(TLIO)

+

+ The Latin noun comes from [[m|la|fors|t=chance]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) De Vaan reconstructs the noun [[itc-pro|*forti-|t=luck]] and derives it, with some doubt, from [[ine-pro|*bʰr̥-ti-|t=bearing]], from the root of [[m|la|ferō|t=to carry]];^(de Vaan 2008) Ernout and Meillet reject that connection.^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini also derives it from that verb.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Florentine poet Dante da Maiano at the end of the 13th century;^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's is in Dante, and GRADIT dates it to 1313–1319.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The early texts use it of people who enjoy success and of the souls in Purgatory, destined for bliss.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Like ''fortuna'', which in Old Italian meant “fate” of either kind and also “storm”, the adjective could once mean “ill-fated” and “stormy”, as well as “happening by chance”.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DELI 1999) These senses are now obsolete, and the word means only “lucky”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) Petrarch speaks of “benigne stelle” attending the ''fortunato fianco'' that bore Laura, and Guicciardini of a man ''fortunato in una cosa e infortunato in un'altra''.^(GDLI|6, 229)

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+ It is also a polite formula of introduction, ''fortunato di conoscerla'', now somewhat dated.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The proverb ''fortunato in amor non giochi a carte'' warns the lucky in love away from gambling.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – Dante da Maiano uses ''fortunato''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for someone favoured by fortune.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – GRADIT's date of first record.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|lucky]], [[m|en|fortunate]], favoured by luck: ''Sei fortunato ad avere un lavoro così.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Successful, turning out well: ''un'impresa fortunata''; popular: ''un romanzo fortunato''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Bringing luck: ''Il sette è il suo numero fortunato.''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Marked by happy events: ''un anno fortunato''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(polite, dated)'' In introductions: ''Fortunato di conoscerla!'' “pleased to meet you”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Stormy; ill-fated.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(TLIO)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A lucky person: ''Pochi fortunati hanno trovato i biglietti.''^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[infortunato]]

+ * [[fortunatamente]]

+ * [[sfortunato]]

+ * [[fortunatissimo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fortuna]]

+ * [[fortunoso]]

+ * [[infortunio]]

+ * [[la|fortūnātus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}