fame Italian · revision 38150

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=early 13th century, Ritmo cassinese|origins=la famēs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfa.me/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fame''' ''f'' (plural fami)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include [[m|roa-oit|fam]], [[m|roa-oit|famme]] and [[m|roa-oit|fami]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|famēs|t=hunger; famine]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) In early Latin the noun belonged to the fifth declension and later moved to the third.^(DEI|1591)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|faim]], [[oc|fam]], [[ca|fam]], [[ro|foame]] and Vegliote [[m|dlm|fum]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Logudorese [[m|sc|fàmine]], [[es|hambre]] and [[pt|fome]] instead continue a form [[la-vul|*famen]] declined like [[m|la|lūmen|t=light]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|1591)^(REW 1935) The DÉRom reconstructs a Proto-Romance neuter noun of this shape, /ˈɸamen/, behind all the Romance forms.^(DÉRom)

+

+ The origin of the Latin word is unknown.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) Walde and Hofmann suggested a root [[ine-pro|*dʰH-]] and a link with [[la|fatīgō|t=to tire]], but de Vaan finds the comparison too vague in sound and meaning.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the ''Ritmo cassinese'', from the beginning of the 13th century.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is Guido delle Colonne, before 1290, for the need and wish to eat;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) GRADIT gives the same date.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the first records the word meant both hunger and the lack of food, famine, and figuratively a strong desire.^(TLIO) Onesto da Bologna uses it for an ardent longing before 1303, and Dante calls the tower where Ugolino starved ''la torre della fame''.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) In the ''Inferno'' the she-wolf ''dopo 'l pasto ha più fame che pria'' (after eating is hungrier than before).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Phrases describe hunger and poverty: ''morire di fame'' “to starve” and figuratively “to be very poor”, ''morto di fame'' “wretch, pauper”, ''salario da fame'' “starvation wage”, ''fare la fame'';^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''brutto come la fame'' and ''lungo come la fame'' recall the Virgilian monster Fames.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) The modern ''sciopero della fame'' is the hunger strike, and ''la fame nel mondo'' the undernourishment of poor countries.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 13th century – The ''Ritmo cassinese'' uses the word.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1290 – Guido delle Colonne uses ''fame'' for hunger.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1303 – Onesto da Bologna uses it for ardent desire.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1306 – ''Affamare'' “to starve” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1353 – Boccaccio uses ''famelico'', taken from Latin.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|hunger]], the need and wish to eat: ''Abbiamo camminato tutto il giorno e ora ho una fame terribile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lack of food; [[m|en|famine]], undernourishment: ''la fame nel mondo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Extreme poverty: ''una paga da fame''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A strong desire, [[m|en|craving]]: ''Ha sempre avuto fame di successo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[famelico]]

+ * [[affamare]]

+ * [[affamato]]

+ * [[affamatore]]

+ * [[sfamare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[carestia]]

+ * [[appetito]]

+ * [[fr|faim]]

+ * [[la|famēs]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Avere fame'' is “to be hungry”;^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''una fame da lupi'' is a ravenous hunger.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''La fame è cattiva consigliera'' (hunger is a bad counsellor) is a proverb.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}