combattere Italian · revision 38096

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century, Proverbia que dicuntur (Venetian)|origins=la battuō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /komˈbat.te.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''combattere''' (first-person singular present combàtto, first-person singular past historic combattéi, past participle combattùto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|combatere]], [[roa-oit|conbattere]] and the Latinizing spelling [[roa-oit|combactere]].^(TLIO)^(LEI|15, 1201) The Neapolitan form is [[m|nap|commattere]].^(LEI|15, 1201)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*combattuō|alt=*combattuere]], a Late Latin compound of [[m|la|cum|t=with]] and [[m|la|battuō|t=to beat, pound]], recorded from the 6th century in the sense “to beat, strike”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1026)^(Wiktionary) The new verb took the place of classical [[la|pugnō|t=to fight]].^(DEI|1026)^(LEI|15, 1201)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|combattre]], [[oc|combatre]], [[ca|combatre]], [[es|combatir]] and [[pt|combater]], as well as [[fur|combàti]], Engadine [[m|rm|combatter]], Logudorese [[m|sc|kumbáttere]] and Vegliote [[m|dlm|cuombatter]].^(LEI|15, 1201)^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) It is found in all of Romance except Romanian.^(DEI|1026) Latin “battuō” is rare in literature and of unknown origin: it may have come from Gaulish or Germanic.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ [[combattivo|alt=Combattivo]] and [[combattività]] are explained by DELI and Nocentini as borrowings of [[fr|combatif]] and [[m|fr|combativité]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The LEI rejects this on the dates, since the Italian words are recorded slightly before the French ones.^(LEI|15, 1201)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the ''Proverbia que dicuntur super natura feminarum'', a Venetian poem of the late 12th century.^(TLIO) DELI's first dates are in Bono Giamboni, before 1292, for both “to take part in a battle” and the transitive “to attack in battle”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the first records the verb covered armed fighting, duels and war, but also blows, sporting contests and fights between animals.^(TLIO) Dante writes of Achilles “che per amore al fine combatteo” (who in the end fought for love).^(GDLI|3, 342) The figurative sense “to oppose, resist” is found in Dante's ''Commedia'' (1304–1308), and the TLIO records early uses for thoughts and temptations that assail the mind.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) Dante also uses the transitive verb for the sea “beaten” by opposing winds, a literary sense that survives in dictionaries.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ The past participle [[combattuto]] became an adjective for “torn, undecided” in Giambattista Marino in 1623, and [[combattimento]] “battle” is in Boccaccio around 1336.^(DELI 1999) The 20th century added [[combattentismo]], the glorification of combat (1935).^(DELI 1999) Today the verb is used for war, for sport, and for any effort against an evil, from disease to corruption.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The ''Proverbia que dicuntur'' (Venetian) use the verb.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''combattere'' for taking part in a battle.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for opposing something.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1336 – Boccaccio uses ''combattimento''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1623 – Marino uses ''combattuto'' for “torn, irresolute”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1918 – ''Combattivo'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1935 – ''Combattentismo'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(intransitive)'' To [[m|en|fight]], to take part in a battle or armed struggle: ''Suo nonno combatté sul Carso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(intransitive, sports)'' To compete hard, to fight for a result: ''La squadra ha combattuto fino all'ultimo minuto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(intransitive, figurative)'' To struggle against or for something: ''Da anni combatte per i diritti dei lavoratori.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(intransitive, humorous)'' To grapple with something or someone difficult: ''Ogni mattina combatto con la sveglia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To fight an enemy; to [[m|en|combat]], try to defeat something: ''Bisogna combattere l'evasione fiscale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(transitive, chiefly passive)'' To torment, trouble: ''essere combattuto'', to be torn between choices.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[combattente]]

+ * [[combattimento]]

+ * [[combattività]]

+ * [[combattivo]]

+ * [[combattuto]]

+ * [[combattentismo]]

+ * [[combattentistico]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[battere]]

+ * [[fr|combattre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Combattere contro i mulini a vento'', “to tilt at windmills”, is a fixed phrase for fighting imaginary enemies.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Combattere contro il tempo'' is said of racing against a deadline.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}