dente Italian · revision 38237

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=9th–10th century, Monza Glossary|origins=ine-pro *h₃dónts}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈdɛn.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dente''' ''m'' (plural denti, diminutive dentìno or dentèllo, augmentative dentóne, pejorative dentàccio, endearing-derogatory dentùccio)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|dēns|t=tooth]], continued through its accusative.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is found in every Romance language: [[fr|dent]], [[oc|dent]], [[ca|dent]], [[es|diente]], [[pt|dente]], [[sc|dente]], [[ro|dinte]], [[fur|dint]] and [[dlm|diánt]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|19, 1072)^(Körting 1907) DÉRom reconstructs a masculine Proto-Romance noun; the feminine of French, Occitan and Catalan is a later change, while the outlying areas of the east, north and west keep the masculine.^(DÉRom) Körting notes that Late Latin writers such as Gregory of Tours already treat the Latin word as feminine.^(Körting 1907) Its doublet is [[zanna|t=tusk, fang]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin noun goes back to [[itc-pro|*dent-]] and [[ine-pro|*h₃dónts|alt=*h₃d-nt-|t=tooth]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cognates include [[sga|dét]], [[cy|dant]], [[lt|dantìs]], [[got|𐍄𐌿𐌽𐌸𐌿𐍃|tr=tunþus]], [[goh|zand]] and [[grc|ὀδούς|tr=odoús]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini and Devoto see in the word an old participle of the root [[ine-pro|*h₁ed-|alt=*ed-|t=to eat]], “the eating one”, as in [[m|la|edō|t=to eat]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the Monza Glossary of the 9th or 10th century, for the tooth in the mouth that serves to chew.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Before 1292 Bono Giamboni uses the word for a projection on a tool or gear, and before 1294 Guittone d'Arezzo for a bite or attack.^(DELI 1999) Dante speaks of the Lombard tooth that bit the holy Church (''quando il dente longobardo morse / la santa Chiesa''), and the figurative “tooth” of hunger or envy is still used.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Fogazzaro uses the word for a sharp mountain peak in 1881, as in the name ''Dente del Gigante''.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ DELI thinks ''dente da latte'' “milk tooth” a northern phrase that replaced Tuscan ''dente lattaiolo'', and ''dente del giudizio'' “wisdom tooth” a popular form of the traditional ''dente della sapienza'', which Cardona saw as a calque of Arabic.^(DELI 1999) Many derivatives came through French: [[dentiera]] (1797), [[dentifricio]], [[dentista]] (1760) and [[dentizione]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 9th–10th century – ''Dente'' appears in the Monza Glossary.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * Late 13th century – ''Dentice'' “dentex fish” in Folgore da San Gimignano.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for a projection on a tool.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses it for a bite or attack.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304 – ''Dentello'' in Giordano da Pisa.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1760 – ''Dentista'' appears in the ''Gazzetta veneta''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1797 – ''Dentiera'' “dentures” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1881 – Fogazzaro uses it for a mountain peak.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(anatomy)'' A [[m|en|tooth]]: ''Mi fa male un dente da ieri sera.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # An artificial tooth.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # A tooth or [[m|en|prong]] of a comb, fork, rake or saw: ''Il pettine ha perso due denti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|cog]] of a gear wheel.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A gnawing pang, or a destructive force: ''il dente della gelosia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A sharp, jagged mountain peak.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(botany)'' A small point on the margin of a leaf or petal.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(fortification)'' A work with two faces meeting in an angle that points toward the enemy.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dentale]]

+ * [[dentario]]

+ * [[dentata]]

+ * [[dentato]]

+ * [[dentatura]]

+ * [[dentello]]

+ * [[dentellare]]

+ * [[dentice]]

+ * [[dentiera]]

+ * [[dentifricio]]

+ * [[dentina]]

+ * [[dentista]]

+ * [[dentizione]]

+ * [[dentino]]

+ * [[addentare]]

+ * [[sdentato]]

+ * [[stuzzicadenti]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dentarolo]]

+ * [[sdentare]]

+ * [[zanna]]

+ * [[la|dens]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common idioms include ''al dente'' (of pasta or rice, cooked to stay firm), ''a denti stretti'' (reluctantly, or with all one's strength), ''armato fino ai denti'', ''avere il dente avvelenato'' (to bear a grudge) and ''occhio per occhio, dente per dente''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(TLIO)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}