impossibile Italian · revision 38131

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1294, Guittone d'Arezzo|origins=la possum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /im.posˈsi.bi.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''impossibile''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural impossibili)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|impossibele]], [[roa-oit|impossivile]], [[roa-oit|impossivole]] and [[roa-oit|impossevole]].^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1966)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|impossibilis|t=impossible]], made of [[m|la|in-|t=not]] and [[m|la|possibilis|t=possible]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The Latin adjective was introduced in imperial times, and is found in Quintilian, to render [[grc|ἀδύνατος|tr=adýnatos|t=powerless; impossible]]; the noun [[m|la|impossibilitas|t=impossibility]] came later, in Apuleius and Tertullian.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1966)^(GDLI|7, 500) Devoto–Oli, Treccani and Wiktionary call the adjective Late Latin.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) Its base comes from [[m|la|possum|alt=posse|t=to be able]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI|7, 500)

+

+ The same Latin word gave [[fr|impossible]], recorded from the 14th century, and [[es|imposible]].^(DEI|1966)^(GDLI|7, 500)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Guittone d'Arezzo, before 1294, has the form ''impossibele'': “Impossibele è che figlio sia / se non padre fu pria” (it is impossible that one be a son who was not first a father).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|7, 500) Dante uses ''impossibile'' in the ''Convivio'' (1304–1308), with the sense “that is not, or does not seem, possible”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Used as a noun, ''l'impossibile'', “what cannot be done”, the word is found in Filippo Ceffi in the first half of the 14th century and in Giovanni Gherardi before 1446.^(DELI 1999) The colloquial sense “so unpleasant as to be unbearable” is first found in Federigo Nomi before 1705, in a noun use.^(DELI 1999) Today it is said of a person who is hard to get along with, of heat or traffic, of food that tastes bad, and of strange tastes or colours.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The noun ''impossibilità'' appears with Dante as ''impossibilitade'', and the verb ''impossibilitare'' in the 17th century; its participle ''impossibilitato'', “unable”, is in Anton Maria Salvini before 1729.^(DELI 1999) Law and mathematics use the word in ''reato impossibile'', a crime that cannot have taken place, and ''equazione impossibile'', an equation with no solution.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses ''impossibele''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''impossibile'' and ''impossibilitade''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * First half of the 14th century – Filippo Ceffi uses the word as a noun.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1653 – Luigi Giuglaris uses ''impossibilitare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1705 – Federigo Nomi uses it of something unbearable.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1729 – Anton Maria Salvini uses ''impossibilitato''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|impossible]], that cannot be done or cannot happen: ''È impossibile finire il lavoro entro domani.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Absurd, [[m|en|vain]]: ''Inseguiva sogni impossibili.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(hyperbolic)'' Very difficult: ''Il compito di fisica era impossibile.''^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|unbearable|alt=Unbearable]]; of a person, impossible to get on with; of food or drink, unpleasant: ''Il nuovo vicino ha un carattere impossibile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Odd, outlandish, of tastes or colours: ''Si veste con colori impossibili.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(mathematics, law)'' Of an equation or problem, having no solution; of a crime, that cannot have been committed.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''L'impossibile'', what cannot be done: ''fare l'impossibile'', to try every means.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[impossibilità]]

+ * [[impossibilitare]]

+ * [[impossibilitato]]

+ * [[impossibilmente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[possibile]]

+ * [[la|impossibilis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Pare impossibile'' and ''sembra impossibile'' express surprise at something true but hard to believe, and ''non è impossibile'' means “it cannot be ruled out”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}