povero Italian · revision 38069

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1243, Guido Faba|origins=la pauper}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈpɔ.ve.ro/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''povero''' (feminine povera, masculine plural poveri, feminine plural povere, superlative poverissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*pauperus|alt=pauperum]], the popular form of [[la|pauper|t=poor]] moved into the second declension.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The classical adjective had one ending for all genders, and a late form with three endings was rebuilt after adjectives such as [[m|la|miser|t=wretched]]: the Appendix Probi already condemns the feminine [[m|la-lat|paupera]].^(Körting 1907)^(Wiktionary) Old forms are [[roa-oit|povro]] and [[m|roa-oit|povaro]], and Tuscan has [[poero]].^(DEI|3045)^(GDLI)

+

+ The same Latin word is [[fr|pauvre]], [[oc|paubre]], [[ca|pobre]], [[es|pobre]] and [[pt|pobre]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) REW gives Logudorese [[sc|pàbaru]], Engadine [[rm|pover]] and [[fur|puar]] from the late form.^(REW 1935) Meyer-Lübke and DEI note that in much of Italy the word gave way to the diminutives [[poverello]] and [[poveretto]], or to [[pezzente]] in the South and [[pitocco]] in the North.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3045)

+

+ The Latin adjective is a compound of [[m|la|pau-|t=little]], as in [[m|la|paucus|t=few]], and the root of [[m|la|pariō|t=to give birth, produce]]: “producing little”, said first of land and of animals.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*peh₂u-(o-)p(o)rh₃-o-|t=providing little]].^(de Vaan 2008) The /v/ is not the expected Tuscan outcome of Latin /p/ between vowels: Devoto puts it down to northern voicing, and Wiktionary suggests the word came into Tuscan early from the Gallo-Italic dialects.^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in the Bolognese teacher of letter-writing Guido Faba, before 1243, for a person with scant means of living;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to the late 12th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Brunetto Latini wrote of having no pity “de' suoi minori né di persone povere, inferme o misere” (for his inferiors or for poor, sick or wretched people).^(GDLI|13, 1131)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By the end of the 13th century the word also meant “lacking in something” (Brunetto Latini) and “pitiable” (Bono Giamboni), the sense in which it now stands before the noun: ''un povero uomo'' is an unfortunate man, ''un uomo povero'' a poor one.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Of land it meant “barren”, as in Latin, from the 14th century.^(DEI|3045)

+

+ From Foscolo (1817) ''povero'' before a name means “the late”: Nocentini ties this popular use to the Catholic belief in Purgatory, where the souls of the dead need the prayers of the living.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The phrases ''povero diavolo'' (1836) and ''povero cristo'' (1931) both mean a wretch;^(DEI|3045) DEI compares French ''pauvre diable''.^(DEI|3045) ''Povero in canna'' “penniless” is in the ''Pataffio'' and in Varchi.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In modern usage the word also names a style or movement that uses humble materials: ''cucina povera'', and ''arte povera'', a movement of the late 1960s.^(Treccani 2011)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1243 – Guido Faba uses the word for a person without means.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for someone who arouses pity.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for something lacking in a quality.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1817 – Ugo Foscolo uses ''povero'' for a dead person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1836 – ''Povero diavolo'' is recorded.^(DEI|3045)

+ * 1931 – ''Povero cristo'' is recorded.^(DEI|3045)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|poor]], having little money or too few means to live on (after the noun): ''Vengono da una famiglia povera del Sud.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a country or community, having scant resources: ''le regioni più povere d'Europa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Showing poverty; [[m|en|humble]], modest: ''Abitavano in una casa povera alla periferia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Lacking in something (with ''di''): ''un cibo povero di grassi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Of land, [[m|en|barren]], not fertile; of wine, low in alcohol.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of style or language, plain, bare, lacking ideas or words: ''in parole povere'' “in plain words”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # (before the noun) Unfortunate, [[m|en|pitiable]]: ''Il povero ragazzo non sapeva più cosa fare.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # (before a name) The late, [[m|en|deceased]]: ''il povero zio Carlo''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''povero in canna'': penniless, very poor.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A poor person, ''i poveri'', the poor: ''Ha lasciato tutto ai poveri della parrocchia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(capitalised, plural)'' Part of the names of religious orders vowed to poverty: ''le Povere suore''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[poveraccio]]

+ * [[poverello]]

+ * [[poveretto]]

+ * [[poverino]]

+ * [[povertà]]

+ * [[impoverire]]

+ * [[impoverimento]]

+ * [[poveramente]]

+ * [[poveruomo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pauperismo]]

+ * [[la|pauper]]

+ * [[fr|pauvre]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}