santo Italian · revision 38149

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1186, Fabriano charter|origins=la sanciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈsan.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''santo''' (feminine santa, masculine plural santi, feminine plural sante, superlative santissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ Before a name beginning with a consonant the masculine is shortened to [[san]] (''san Carlo''), but ''santo'' stays before ''s'' plus consonant (''santo Stefano''); before a vowel both genders are elided to ''sant’'' (''sant’Anna'').^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|sānctus|t=sacred, inviolable]], properly the past participle of [[m|la|sanciō|t=to make sacred and inviolable, ratify]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is found throughout Romance: [[fr|saint]], [[oc|sant]], [[ca|sant]], [[es|santo]], [[pt|santo]], Sardinian [[m|sc|santu]] and Aromanian [[m|rup|sânt]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The Latin cluster ⟨nct⟩ was simplified to ⟨nt⟩.^(DEI|3335)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin verb is a nasal present built on the root of [[la|sacer|t=sacred]], Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*seh₂k-]], with the stem [[ine-pro|*sh₂-n-k-|t=to make sacred]]; [[osc|saahtúm|t=sacred]] is the same participle.^(de Vaan 2008)^(DEI|3335) Devoto describes the meaning as first “agreed, made untouchable”, later taken into the Christian idea of holiness.^(Devoto 1968) In Christian use the early Christians called themselves “saints”, as the Jews had used a name meaning “set apart” and “consecrated to God”.^(Prati 1951|872)

+

+ Learned words from the same Latin family came later: [[santificare]] from Christian Latin [[m|la|sanctificō]], and [[santuario]] from [[m|la|sanctuārium]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is a charter from Fabriano of 1186, where the word is applied to a saint venerated by the Church.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT) Saint Francis of Assisi, before 1226, uses it as an attribute of God.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century ''santo'' also meant pious and devout, and, from Dante, before 1321, it is a noun for a person who has reached perfection and is venerated, especially after canonization.^(DELI 1999) Before a noun it became an intensifier: ''di santa ragione'' “soundly, thoroughly” is in Boccaccio in 1353, and ''in santa pace'' in Francesco Redi before 1698.^(DELI 1999) In Old Italian ''santo'' was also a noun for “church”: Boccaccio writes ''andare a santo'', and a mother going to church for the first time after childbirth was said to ''entrare in santo''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ''Santino'', the small holy picture of a saint, is recorded before 1696, and ''santone'' “bigot” in 1545, later also a holy man of a non-Christian religion.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo records the sense “wholesome, effective” (''un rimedio santo'') in 1872.^(DELI 1999) English ''santo'', from Spanish or Italian, has named a Muslim holy man since 1638.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1186 – A Fabriano charter uses ''santo'' for a canonized saint.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1226 – Saint Francis uses it as an attribute of God.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1306 – Iacopone da Todi uses ''santità''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses ''santo'' as a noun.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1353 – Boccaccio uses ''di santa ragione''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1545 – ''Santone'' “bigot” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1638 – English ''santo'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1696 – Filippo Baldinucci uses ''santino'' for a holy picture.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|holy]], sacred, worthy of religious veneration; connected with God and worship: ''la santa messa'', ''l'acqua santa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a person: pious, living a life of great virtue; good and patient: ''Sua nonna era una donna santa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Inviolable, to be respected: ''un giuramento santo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # True, right; useful, effective: ''parole sante!'', ''Quel suggerimento è stato santo.''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(intensifier)'' Whole, blessed: ''Ho aspettato tutto il santo pomeriggio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|saint]], a person canonized by the Church; a very good or patient person: ''Tua sorella è una santa a sopportarlo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Before a name, ''San'', ''Santo'', ''Santa'': the saint's feast day, or a church or place named after a saint: ''la basilica di San Pietro''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' One's [[m|en|name day]]; the patron saint of a town and his feast.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(military slang)'' The [[m|en|password]].^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[santità]]

+ * [[santificare]]

+ * [[santificazione]]

+ * [[santino]]

+ * [[santissimo]]

+ * [[santone]]

+ * [[santuario]]

+ * [[santerello]]

+ * [[santarellina]]

+ * [[santocchio]]

+ * [[camposanto]]

+ * [[vinsanto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sacro]]

+ * [[sancire]]

+ * [[fr|saint]]

+ * [[la|sānctus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Santo'' is written with a small letter for the saint and the feast (''oggi è san Martino''), with a capital in titles and names of institutions and churches (''Santo Padre'', ''Santa Sede'', ''San Miniato'').^(Zingarelli 2010) Exclamations such as ''santo cielo!'' and ''santo Dio!'' express surprise or annoyance.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}