sergente Italian · revision 38170

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1294, Brunetto Latini|origins=la serviō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /serˈd͡ʒɛn.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sergente''' ''m'' (plural sergenti)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|sargente]], [[roa-oit|sargiente]] and [[roa-oit|sergiente]].^(GDLI|18, 722)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|sergent|t=servant]], recorded in French from 1050 in the sense “servant”, from [[la|serviēns|t=serving]], the present participle of [[m|la|serviō|t=to serve, be a slave]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin participle has a learned descendant in [[servente]].^(Devoto 1968|402)

+

+ According to Arrigo Castellani, quoted by DELI, the word came from French twice: in the first centuries with the senses “foot soldier” and “servant”, and at the beginning of the 17th century with the sense “non-commissioned officer”, which is found in English from 1548 and in Spanish from 1607.^(DELI 1999) French also gave [[es|sargento]], [[en|sergeant]] and [[de|Sergeant]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The native outcome is [[pro|sirven]], and its derivative [[m|pro|sirventes]] named a kind of song.^(REW 1935) Prati notes [[roa-oit|sergiere|t=servant]], with another suffix.^(Prati 1951|911)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Brunetto Latini, before 1294, with the sense “subordinate, servant”.^(DELI 1999) The Italian translation of his ''Tesoro'' says that a ''sergente'' should conform to his lord's manner.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the word meant a servant, as in Dante's ''Convivio'', where the ''sergenti'' take the bread at the start of a banquet, a foot soldier (Giovanni Villani), and a constable or watchman: in Boccaccio's ''Decameron'' the ''sergenti'' of the town's captain arrive to break up a brawl.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DEI|3459)^(Prati 1951|911)

+

+ The military rank is first found in Roseo da Fabriano before 1580; for several centuries it named officers of various levels, and only later the first rank of non-commissioned officers.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Sergente maggiore'', recorded in Francesco Guicciardini, follows [[es|sargento mayor]].^(Prati 1951|911) In 1772 D'Alberti records the joiner's clamp called ''sergente'', after [[fr|sergent]] (1549) in the same sense, because it serves a purpose.^(DELI 1999) The figurative sense “a harsh, domineering person” is recorded in 1960.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1050 – French ''sergent'' “servant” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''sergente'' “servant”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – Boccaccio uses it for a constable, Villani for a foot soldier.^(DEI|3459)

+ * 1548 – English ''sergeant'' is recorded in the military sense.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1580 – Roseo da Fabriano uses it as a military rank.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1772 – D'Alberti records ''sergente'', the joiner's clamp.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1960 – The figurative sense “domineering person” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(military)'' A [[m|en|sergeant]], the first rank of non-commissioned officer, in command of a squad: ''Il sergente fece schierare i soldati.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A harsh, domineering person: ''La nostra allenatrice è un vero sergente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(carpentry)'' A [[m|en|clamp]] for holding glued pieces of wood together.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(typography, plural)'' Angle quotation marks, [[m|en|guillemets]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A servant; a foot soldier; a constable.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sergentesco]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[servire]]

+ * [[servente]]

+ * [[inserviente]]

+ * [[fr|sergent]]

+ * [[en|sergeant]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Sergente maggiore'' is the next rank above ''sergente''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) The clamp is also called ''servente'', and the guillemets ''caporali''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}