spazio Italian · revision 38098

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1310–1312, Dino Compagni|origins=la spatium}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈspat.t͡sjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spazio''' ''m'' (plural spazi)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''spacio'', ''spaccio'' and ''spaziu'', and the plural was once also feminine, ''le spazia''.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|spatium|t=room, extent; interval]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The same Latin noun was inherited as [[roa-oit|spazzo|t=floor]], a doublet, from which the verb [[spazzare]] “to sweep” was derived.^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)^(Wiktionary) Learned forms are [[fr|espace]], the source of [[en|space]], and [[es|espacio]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The origin of the Latin noun is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) DELI, Nocentini and Devoto connect it with [[m|la|pateō|t=to be open]], with a prefixed ⟨s-⟩ as in other Indo-European roots.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) De Vaan finds this difficult, since the root of that verb has no variant with ⟨s-⟩, and mentions instead a possible derivation from [[ine-pro|*sph₁-to-|t=prospered; extended]], which cannot be confirmed.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is Dino Compagni's ''Cronica'' (1310–1312), where ''spazio'' is a stretch of time; the sense “extent of place” is found in the translation of Crescenzi of about 1350.^(DELI 1999) GRADIT dates the word to the 13th century.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used the word for both distance and time: Dante has a thousand years as a shorter ''spazio'' to eternity than the blink of an eye, and Boccaccio writes ''in poco spazio di tempo''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The philosophical and scientific sense, the boundless extent in which bodies exist, is recorded from Alessandro Piccolomini, before 1578.^(DELI 1999) Technical uses followed: the gap between the lines of the musical staff (1556) and the blank between letters or words in printing (1583).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The sense “outer space”, the region beyond the Earth's atmosphere, is recorded from 1819;^(DELI 1999) DELI quotes Klajn's view that the modern use of ''spazio'' and ''spaziale'' for the cosmos owes much to English ''(outer) space''.^(DELI 1999) ''Spazio vitale'' is a calque of German ''Lebensraum''.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) In broadcasting and publishing ''spazio'' is the time or room given to a subject, and figuratively it means scope for action.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1310–1312 – Dino Compagni uses ''spazio'' for a span of time.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1350 – The Italian Crescenzi uses it for an extent of place.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1556 – Daniele Barbaro uses it for the space between the lines of a staff.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1578 – Alessandro Piccolomini uses it in the philosophical sense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1583 – Leonardo Fioravanti uses it for a printer's space.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1819 – It is recorded for outer space.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(philosophy, physics)'' [[m|en|space]], the boundless extent in which bodies are located: ''il rapporto tra spazio e tempo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' A set of points or other elements with geometric properties: ''spazio euclideo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Outer space, where the heavenly bodies move: ''Il razzo ha portato tre astronauti nello spazio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # [[m|en|room]], a limited area, empty or occupied: ''Nel bagagliaio non c'è più spazio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A gap, an [[m|en|interval]] between things: ''Lascia uno spazio tra le due righe.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Wikizionario)

+ # A period of time: ''nello spazio di una notte''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Room in a publication or broadcast given to a subject: ''Il giornale dedica molto spazio allo sport.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|scope]], room for action: ''Non c'è spazio per gli errori.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(music)'' The gap between two lines of the staff.^(DELI 1999)^(Wikizionario)

+ # ''(printing)'' The blank between letters or words.^(DELI 1999)^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spaziale]]

+ * [[spaziare]]

+ * [[spazioso]]

+ * [[spaziatura]]

+ * [[spazieggiare]]

+ * [[spaziosità]]

+ * [[spazialità]]

+ * [[iperspazio]]

+ * [[sottospazio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spazzare]]

+ * [[fr|espace]]

+ * [[la|spatium]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare spazio'' means to make room.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020) The phrase ''durare lo spazio di un mattino'' (to last a single morning) is said of something short-lived.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}