accusa Italian · revision 38174

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1260–1261, Brunetto Latini, Rettorica|origins=la causa}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /akˈku.za/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''accusa''' ''f'' (plural accuse)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|acchusa]], [[roa-oit|accuza]] and [[roa-oit|acusa]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed from the verb [[accusare]] without a suffix ([[af|it|accusare|-a]]).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(TLIO)^(Wiktionary) The verb, recorded from the 11th century, is a learned word from [[la|accūsō|t=to blame; to charge in court]], formed from [[m|la|ad-]] and [[m|la|causa|t=cause, reason; lawsuit]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The same Latin verb gave [[fr|accuser]], [[pro|acuzar]], [[es|acusar]], [[ca|acusar]] and [[pt|acusar]].^(LEI) Dialect forms without the initial ⟨a⟩, perhaps through a fusion with the article, include [[rm|chüsa]] (Engadine) and [[rm|tgisa]] (Sursilvan).^(LEI)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Brunetto Latini's ''Rettorica'' of about 1260–1261, for a declaration that someone is guilty.^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the word also meant blame or reproach, a public denunciation and the confession of one's sins, besides the legal charge.^(TLIO) The legal phrase ''atto di accusa'' “indictment” is recorded in a Milanese newspaper of 1812, and ''capi di accusa'' “counts of the indictment” in a news sheet of 1788, then in Tommaseo–Bellini (1865).^(DELI 1999) In modern Italian ''l'accusa'' also stands for the prosecution in a trial.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The card-game sense, declaring a scoring combination, is recorded in 1961.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1260–1261 – Brunetto Latini uses ''accusa'' in the ''Rettorica''.^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * 1788 – ''Capi di accusa'' appears in a news sheet.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1812 – ''Atto di accusa'' appears in a Milanese newspaper.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1961 – The card-game sense is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|accusation]], a statement blaming someone for a fault or wrongdoing: ''Ha respinto ogni accusa di favoritismo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(law)'' A [[m|en|charge]], the act by which someone is called before a court to answer for an offence: ''Lo hanno arrestato con l'accusa di furto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(law)'' The [[m|en|prosecution]], the public prosecutor in a criminal trial: ''L'accusa ha chiesto dieci anni di carcere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(religion)'' The confession of one's sins.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(TLIO)

+ # ''(card games)'' The declaration of a scoring combination of cards.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contraccusa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[accusare]]

+ * [[accusatore]]

+ * [[accusativo]]

+ * [[causa]]

+ * [[la|accūsō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases are ''capo d'accusa'' (count of an indictment), ''atto d'accusa'' (indictment), ''pubblica accusa'' (public prosecutor) and ''stato d'accusa'' (the state of being formally charged).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) In card games the regional ''accuso'' is also used, from the first person ''io accuso'' “I declare” said by the player.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}