circa Italian · revision 38079

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1315, Bonvesin de la Riva|origins=la circus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈt͡ʃir.ka/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''circa''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote [[m|roa-oit|cerca]], ''çerca'', ''cercha'', ''circha'' and ''zerca'', mostly in northern texts.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|circā|t=around, about]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|955)^(GRADIT 2003) The Latin adverb and preposition is formed from [[m|la|circus|t=circle, ring]], the source of [[cerchio]], with the ending “-ā” on the model of [[m|la|extrā|t=outside]], [[m|la|intrā|t=inside]] and [[m|la|suprā|t=above]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(DELI 1999) Wiktionary explains it instead as a later form of [[m|la|circum|t=around]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin word was also inherited: the popular form with “e” is [[roa-oit|cerca]] of northern and central Old Italian (Pavia “cercha” about 1340, Venetian “cerca” in the 14th century), and the same word survives in Sicilian, in Romansh and in [[es|cerca]] and [[pt|cerca]] “near”.^(LEI|14, 499)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|955)^(Körting 1907) Forms closer to the Latin, such as [[fur|cirche]] “roughly”, are learned like the Italian word.^(LEI|14, 499) The LEI takes Amerigo Vespucci's “a circa di” to be a Spanish loan, and [[circadiano]] to be an anglicism.^(LEI|14, 499) From “in circa” comes the adverb [[incirca]] (late 15th century).^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Milanese poems of Bonvesin de la Riva (13th century), with the sense “approximately, more or less”, said of a quantity or a measure.^(TLIO)^(LEI|14, 499) DELI dates the adverb “nearly, roughly” to 1310–1312, in Dino Compagni, and the preposition “concerning, around” to before 1321, in Dante.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the preposition also placed things in space and time: “around” a place, “about” an hour (Sicilian ''circa la hura nona'', 1373).^(TLIO)^(LEI|14, 499) Dante uses it of the two garlands of souls that turned around him, “volgìensi circa noi le due ghirlande” (Paradiso 12).^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) The local sense lasted into scientific prose: Giordano Bruno and Galileo write of the earth or a balance moving ''circa'' a centre.^(GDLI) By the 19th century Tommaseo called it a Latinism no longer in use, and the dictionaries now mark it archaic or literary.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ Two senses remain in use: “concerning, as regards” and “about, approximately” before or after a number, abbreviated ''c.'' or ''ca.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) In trade and finance a ''clausola circa'' allows a small difference in the quantity or price agreed, and ''un circa'' is that clause.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1315 – Bonvesin de la Riva uses Milanese ''cerca'' and ''circa'' for “approximately”.^(TLIO)^(LEI|14, 499)

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses the adverb “nearly, roughly”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses the preposition “around” and “concerning”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * About 1340 – Pavese ''cercha'' “around” in a statute.^(LEI|14, 499)

+ * Late 15th century – The adverb ''incirca'' appears.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # Concerning, [[m|en|regarding]], as for (introducing the topic): ''Non abbiamo ancora notizie circa la sua partenza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(archaic, literary)'' [[m|en|around]], near (a place).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|about]], [[m|en|approximately]], more or less, before or after a number: ''Il paese dista circa venti chilometri.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(invariable; finance, trade)'' The “circa clause”, allowing a small tolerance in the quantity or price of goods or securities.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[incirca]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cerchio]]

+ * [[circo]]

+ * [[la|circum]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Circa a'' for ''circa'' “concerning” is uncommon.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) The adverb is often replaced by ''all'incirca'' or ''pressappoco''.^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}