biglietto Italian · revision 38153

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1600, Bernardo Davanzati|origins=la bulla}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /biʎˈʎet.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''biglietto''' ''m'' (plural biglietti)^(Wiktionary)

+ An older variant is [[viglietto]], with the treatment of initial /b/ found in the southern dialects.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In 1726 Anton Maria Salvini noted that the more refined speakers said ''viglietto''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|billet]], recorded in French from 1457.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The French noun is the masculine counterpart of Old French [[m|fro|billette]], itself a form of [[m|fro|bullette|t=certificate]], a diminutive of the word for a seal that goes back to [[la|bulla|t=bubble; boss, stud; seal]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|517)^(Wiktionary) The change of vowel is explained by crossing with [[m|fro|bille|t=small ball]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Prati 1951|143) Devoto alone derives the French word from [[es|billete]].^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ Through Latin “bulla” the word belongs with Italian [[bolla]] and [[bolletta]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The Latin noun first meant a bubble on water, then a round boss or ornament, and, from Late Latin also a seal, the sense behind the documents and certificates of the medieval languages.^(LEI) Its origin is uncertain: Wiktionary mentions a link with Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*bʰel-|t=to blow, swell]] and sees the word as ultimately imitative.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Bernardo Davanzati, who died in 1606, for a small sheet of paper with a short private message written on it.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In his translation of Tacitus the word is used for a note sent to a tribune.^(GDLI|2, 227)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 18th century the word took on the senses it has today.^(DELI 1999) Benedetto Marcello used it about 1720 for the slip that admits someone to a show, and ''biglietto di banca'' “banknote” is recorded in Ferdinando Galiani in 1751; the banknote had been introduced in France, as ''billet de banque'', in 1716, and DELI thinks it unlikely that the Italian name came through English.^(DELI 1999) ''Biglietto da visita'', the visiting card, is in Alessandro and Pietro Verri in 1778.^(DELI 1999) In the 19th century purists such as Ugolini objected to the use of ''biglietto'' for any short note, an objection DELI considers excessive, since the use was established even in the dialects.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The ticket sense grew with public transport: ''bigliettaio'' “ticket seller, conductor” is recorded in 1929 and ''biglietteria'' “ticket office” in 1933.^(DELI 1999) ''Bigliettazione'', the way tickets are issued on public transport, was called a “horrible neologism” by Bruno Migliorini in 1975.^(DELI 1999) In journalism ''biglietto verde'' is the US dollar.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1600 – Bernardo Davanzati uses ''biglietto'' for a short written note.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1720 – Benedetto Marcello uses it for an admission ticket.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1726 – Anton Maria Salvini records the variant ''viglietto''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1751 – ''Biglietto di banca'' “banknote” is in Ferdinando Galiani.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1778 – ''Biglietto da visita'' is used by the Verri brothers.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1929 – ''Bigliettaio'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1933 – ''Biglietteria'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1975 – ''Bigliettazione'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|note]]: a small sheet of paper or card with a short message; the message itself: ''Gli ho lasciato un biglietto sulla scrivania.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|card]] with greetings or wishes: ''un biglietto di auguri'', a greetings card.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|ticket]]: a printed slip that shows a fare or entry fee has been paid: ''Hai già comprato il biglietto del treno?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A lottery or raffle ticket.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A [[m|en|banknote]], in full ''biglietto di banca'': ''un biglietto da cinquanta euro''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(military, administrative)'' A written order from a superior officer or an authority.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(heraldry)'' A [[m|en|billet]], a small rectangular charge.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bigliettaio]]

+ * [[biglietteria]]

+ * [[bigliettazione]]

+ * [[bigliettificio]]

+ * [[bigliettino]]

+ * [[bigliettone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bolla]]

+ * [[bolletta]]

+ * [[bollettino]]

+ * [[fr|billet]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Biglietto da visita'' is a business or visiting card, and figuratively anything that gives a first impression of someone.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) The diminutive ''bigliettino'' is used above all for small written notes.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}