documento Italian · revision 38119

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=13th century, Regimen Sanitatis|origins=la doceō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /do.kuˈmen.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''documento''' ''m'' (plural documenti)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|dochumento]] and [[roa-oit|documente]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|documentum|t=lesson, example; proof]], from [[m|la|doceō|t=to teach]] with the suffix [[m|la|-mentum]]: properly “that which serves to teach”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) De Vaan traces the Latin verb to [[ine-pro|*doḱ-éye-|t=to make someone accept something]], related to [[grc|δοκεῖ|tr=dokeî|t=it seems]].^(de Vaan 2008) The same word is [[fr|document]], from the 12th century, and [[es|documento]].^(DEI|1370)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Some derivatives came in through French, among them [[documentario]] and [[documentazione]].^(DELI 1999) The computing sense “file” is a calque of [[en|file]].^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Neapolitan ''Regimen Sanitatis'' of the 13th century, in the sense of teaching, the passing on of practical or moral knowledge.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010) DELI's first record, Matteo Villani before 1363, already has the legal sense, a deed that serves as proof.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|4, 895)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ For a long time the older sense “teaching, precept” lived beside the legal one: Francesco da Barberino called his book of precepts the ''Documenti d'Amore'', Vasari spoke of pupils who follow the ''documenti'' of their masters, and Guicciardini hoped his readers would draw “many salutary lessons” (''salutiferi documenti'') from history.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Girolamo Savonarola used it before 1498 for testimony or proof.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Historians such as Paolo Sarpi and Lodovico Muratori made it the word for the written sources of history.^(GDLI|4, 895) In modern bureaucratic use ''i documenti'' are a person's identity papers, and in computing a ''documento'' is a file.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The derivative ''documentario'' became the word for a documentary film in the 1930s.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – The Neapolitan ''Regimen Sanitatis'' uses ''documento'' for teaching.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1363 – Matteo Villani uses it for a legal deed.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1498 – Savonarola uses it for testimony or proof.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1905 – ''Documentazione'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1930 – ''Film documentario'' is recorded, and ''documentario'' alone as a noun from 1939.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|document]], a writing that proves or certifies a fact, especially in law or administration: ''Ho firmato tutti i documenti per il mutuo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(in the plural)'' Identity papers: ''Il poliziotto chiese i documenti all'autista.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A piece of historical evidence; a [[m|en|testimony]] to something.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Any material that can be used for study or research.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(computing)'' A [[m|en|file]] created by a program.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Teaching, instruction.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[documentabile]]

+ * [[documentale]]

+ * [[documentare]]

+ * [[documentario]]

+ * [[documentarista]]

+ * [[documentato]]

+ * [[documentatore]]

+ * [[documentazione]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[docente]]

+ * [[dottrina]]

+ * [[la|documentum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}