principe Italian · revision 38228

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 13th century, Uguccione da Lodi|origins=la princeps}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈprin.t͡ʃi.pe/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''principe''' ''m'' (plural principi, feminine principessa, diminutive principino, augmentative principóne)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|prencipe]], [[roa-oit|principo]] and [[roa-oit|prencepe]].^(DEI|3082)^(GDLI) The forms [[roa-oit|prence]] and [[roa-oit|prenze]] were taken from French or Occitan.^(Körting 1907)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|princeps|t=first; chief, ruler]], literally “one who takes the first place”, a compound of [[m|la|prīmus|t=first]] and the stem of [[m|la|capiō|t=to take]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|3082) The Latin word goes back to [[itc-pro|*prīzmokaps]] shortened by syncope.^(Wiktionary) In the Roman Republic it named a leading man, and under the Empire the emperor himself, the first citizen of the state; this sense passed through learned tradition to the western languages.^(DEI|3082)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The same word is [[fr|prince]], the source of [[de|Prinz]] and of the English word, and [[es|príncipe]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini, GRADIT and Devoto–Oli date the word to the early 13th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The GDLI's earliest quotation is the northern poet Uguccione da Lodi, for whom neither ''re ni emperador'' nor ''principo ni dus'', king, emperor, prince or duke, can stand against death.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Bono Giamboni, before 1292, uses the plural for the soldiers of the Roman legion who fought in the second line.^(DELI 1999) Dante applies ''principe'' to Saint Francis and Saint Dominic, and in the ''Convivio'' (1304–1308) to a man who excels all others.^(DELI 1999) Machiavelli's ''Il Principe'' (1513) made the word the name of the ruler of a Renaissance state, and ''principato'' the name of the state he ruled.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999) The sense “son of a reigning sovereign” is recorded in Pigafetta about 1525.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The adjective ''principe'' “first, chief” survives in ''edizione principe'', the first printed edition (1839).^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3082) ''Principe consorte'' copies English ''prince consort'', the title given to Prince Albert in 1857.^(DELI 1999) ''Principe azzurro'', “Prince Charming”, seems to be an Italian coinage absent from Grimm and Perrault: DELI suggests, without proof, that it arose with the engagement of Victor Emmanuel of Savoy to Elena of Montenegro in 1896, since blue was the colour of the House of Savoy.^(DELI 1999) English has used ''principe'' for an Italian prince since 1835.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 13th century – ''Principe'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for Roman soldiers of the second line.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for someone who excels.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1513 – Machiavelli writes ''Il Principe''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1525 – Pigafetta uses it for a king's son.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1835 – English ''principe'' “Italian prince” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1839 – ''Edizione principe'' “first edition” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1896 – ''Principe azzurro'' may date from the engagement of Victor Emmanuel of Savoy.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|sovereign]] or ruler, especially an absolute one: ''Il principe governava la città con mano di ferro.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # [[m|en|prince]]: a member of a royal family, especially a sovereign's son, or the ruler of a principality: ''il principe di Monaco''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The highest title of nobility, above duke.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' The most eminent member of a group, as in ''principe del foro'' “leading barrister”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(historical)'' In ancient Rome, a soldier of the heavy infantry.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Main, most important: ''la prova principe dell'accusa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # First, earliest, as in ''edizione principe'' “first edition”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[principessa]]

+ * [[principessina]]

+ * [[principato]]

+ * [[principesco]]

+ * [[principino]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[principio]]

+ * [[primo]]

+ * [[la|princeps]]

+ * [[fr|prince]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Principe azzurro'' is the ideal husband or lover of fairy tales, ''principe consorte'' the husband of a reigning queen, ''principe ereditario'' the heir to the throne, and ''principe della Chiesa'' a cardinal.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Vivere da principe'' means to live in luxury.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003) The feminine is ''principessa''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}