bianco Italian · revision 38067

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1178–1182, Savona document (blancho)|origins=gem-pro *blankaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈbjan.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bianco''' (feminine bianca, masculine plural bianchi, feminine plural bianche, superlative bianchissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a Germanic loan, [[bor|gem-pro|*blankaz|alt=*blank|t=shining, bright]], which replaced [[la|albus|t=white]] in most of Romance.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Körting 1907) It is recorded early as [[la-med|blancus]]: as the byname of one Constantius at Ravenna in 893, and of horses in Leo of Naples in the 10th century.^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968) The Germanic word is [[goh|blanch|t=shining, white]], [[de|blank|t=shiny, bare]] and Old English [[m|ang|blanc]].^(LEI|5, 932)^(GRADIT 2003) The LEI derives it from the root [[ine-pro|*bʰleg-|t=to shine]].^(LEI|5, 932)

+

+ When and through whom the word came is discussed: DELI thinks of Lombardic, pointing to a man called “Blanco” in the Garfagnana in 716, and suggests that it was first used of the coats of horses.^(DELI 1999) Nocentini says it was brought by the Franks and the Lombards but not by the Goths.^(Nocentini 2010) The LEI reports Wartburg's view that it entered Late Latin through military language, for the colour of shields or of horses, and Rohlfs's view that it spread with the Frankish expansion.^(LEI|5, 932)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|blanc]], [[oc|blanc]], [[ca|blanc]], [[es|blanco]] and [[pt|branco]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|506) DEI considers the Spanish and Portuguese words borrowings from Occitan and Catalan.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|506) Only [[ro|alb]] in Romanian continues the Latin word.^(LEI|5, 932) Italian has [[blanco]] too, a later loan from Spanish.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is ''blancho'' in a document from Savona of 1178–1182.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In Tuscan, ''bianco'' is in the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century, and Dante uses it of white hair.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian already used the word of shining metal and silver coins, of white hair, of pale skin, of a blank sheet and of the political faction of the Whites (''parte bianca'', 1310–1312, Dino Compagni).^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) ''Carta bianca'', a signed blank sheet left for the other party to fill in, gave ''dare carta bianca'' “to give a free hand”.^(TLIO)^(Treccani 2011) ''Bianco'' was also the name of several old silver coins, as French ''blanc'' was.^(DEI|506)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ DELI observes that in many phrases ''bianco'' marks the absence of something: ''voce bianca'' (a child's voice), ''notte bianca'' (a sleepless night), ''matrimonio bianco'' (an unconsummated marriage), ''morte bianca'' (a fatal accident at work).^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Di punto in bianco'' “all of a sudden” comes from French military language, ''de but en blanc'', a shot fired point-blank at the white of the target.^(DELI 1999) The noun “white person” is in Castiglione (before 1529), and in politics the word came to mean “Catholic” (''sindacato bianco'') and “counter-revolutionary” (''armate bianche'').^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 893 – Medieval Latin ''Blancus'' as a byname at Ravenna.^(Wiktionary)

+ * 10th century – ''cavallos blancos'' in Leo of Naples.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1178–1182 – ''Blancho'' in a Savona document.^(TLIO)

+ * 1282 – Ristoro d'Arezzo uses the noun “the colour white”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni writes of the ''parte bianca'', the White faction.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1529 – Baldassarre Castiglione uses ''bianco'' for a white person.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|white]], of the colour of snow or milk: ''una camicia bianca''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|pale]]; not tanned: ''Sei bianco in faccia, ti senti male?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Light in colour as against a darker kind: ''vino bianco'', ''pane bianco'', ''carne bianca''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of hair, [[m|en|grey|alt=white]], grey with age.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Not written on, [[m|en|blank]]: ''un foglio bianco'', ''scheda bianca'', a blank ballot.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Clean, (figurative) pure, innocent.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Covered with snow: ''un Natale bianco''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # White-skinned, of European descent.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # Of Catholic political or trade-union movements: ''cooperative bianche''; counter-revolutionary: ''le armate bianche''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The colour white: ''vestita di bianco''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The white part of something: ''il bianco dell'uovo'', ''il bianco dell'occhio''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|506)

+ # A white person.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # White paint or a whitening substance: ''dare il bianco alle pareti''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Household [[biancheria|alt=linen]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''in bianco'': blank (''firmare un assegno in bianco''); without sauce (''pasta in bianco''); ''andare in bianco'', to fail, especially in a romantic approach, ''notte in bianco'', a sleepless night.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(historical)'' Any of several old silver coins.^(DEI|506)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[biancastro]]

+ * [[biancheggiare]]

+ * [[biancheria]]

+ * [[bianchetto]]

+ * [[bianchezza]]

+ * [[bianchiccio]]

+ * [[bianchire]]

+ * [[biancone]]

+ * [[biancore]]

+ * [[biancospino]]

+ * [[imbiancare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[blanco]]

+ * [[albo]]

+ * [[la|albus]]

+ * [[fr|blanc]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Di punto in bianco'' means “suddenly, without warning”.^(DELI 1999) Of wine, DEI notes that the contrast ''bianco'' / ''rosso'' explains why red wine is ''vino nero'' in some regions.^(DEI|506)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}