medicina Italian · revision 38243

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /me.diˈt͡ʃi.na/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''medicina''' ''f'' (plural medicine)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and dialect forms include [[roa-oit|medecina]], [[roa-oit|medesina]], [[roa-oit|medexina]], [[roa-oit|medizina]], [[roa-oit|meesina]] and [[roa-oit|midicina]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|medicīna|t=the art of healing; a remedy]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin noun is short for a phrase with [[m|la|ars|t=art]], “the doctor's art”, and is the feminine of the adjective [[m|la|medicīnus|t=of a doctor]], from [[m|la|medicus|t=doctor]] (see [[medico]]).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ DEI notes that the Latin word lived on as a popular word in the northern dialects, in Logudorese, Old French, Occitan, Catalan and Portuguese, mostly with the sense “poison”, and a [[la-med|medicinaria]] “poisoner” is recorded at Cremona in 1379.^(DEI|2403) Meyer-Lübke lists [[pms|meizina]], [[lij|mezina]], [[sc|meigina]], [[fro|messine]], [[pro|metzina]], [[ca|metzina|t=poison]] and [[pt|mezinha]].^(REW 1935) The form [[roa-oit|meesina]] of Uguccione da Lodi, early in the 13th century, belongs to these northern forms.^(DELI 1999) The learned word is also [[fr|médecine]], recorded from the 12th century, and [[es|medicina]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Before the learned form, ''meesina'' appears in the northern poem of Uguccione da Lodi, early in the 13th century.^(DELI 1999) ''Medicina'' itself is first recorded in Brunetto Latini, before 1294, for the science of disease and its treatment.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In his ''Rettorica'' Latini says that the art of medicine was drawn from natural science (''di questa scienzia fue ritratta l'arte di medicina'').^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The popular sense “drug, medicament” is found in a 13th-century Florentine chronicle, the wider “cure, remedy” in Bono Giamboni before 1292, and the figurative sense of anything that brings relief or comfort in the early 14th century.^(DELI 1999) DEI dates the sense “drug” to the 14th century and finds Cellini using the word for a rule of hygiene.^(DEI|2403) The adjective ''medicinale'' is recorded before 1304.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The branches of modern medicine named themselves with fixed phrases: ''medicina legale'' “forensic medicine” in 1819, ''medicina del lavoro'' “occupational medicine” in 1931 and ''medicina interna'' in 1939–1940.^(DELI 1999) The word also names the university faculty and the course of study.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''Medicina alternativa'' for the treatments outside official medicine, such as acupuncture and homoeopathy, is quoted from ''La Repubblica'' of 1986.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 13th century – The northern form ''meesina'' in Uguccione da Lodi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – The sense “drug” in a Florentine chronicle.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for a cure or remedy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses ''medicina'' for the science.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1304 – ''Medicinale'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1379 – Medieval Latin ''medicinaria'' “poisoner” at Cremona.^(DEI|2403)

+ * 1819 – ''Medicina legale'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1931 – ''Medicina del lavoro'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|medicine]], the science that studies diseases and how to recognize, prevent and treat them: ''Ha dedicato la vita alla medicina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The university [[m|en|faculty]] or degree course of medicine: ''Mia sorella studia medicina a Padova.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # The profession of a doctor.^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A medicine, a [[farmaco|alt=drug]] taken to cure an illness: ''Ricordati di prendere la medicina dopo cena.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A [[m|en|remedy]] for a physical or moral ill: ''Il lavoro è stato la sua medicina contro la solitudine.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' A substance added to correct or improve another, such as wine.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[medicinale]]

+ * [[medicinare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[medico]]

+ * [[medicare]]

+ * [[la|medicina]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases name the branches of the science: ''medicina legale'' (forensic medicine), ''medicina interna'', ''medicina del lavoro'', ''medicina preventiva'' and ''medicina alternativa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}