ricco Italian · revision 38250

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century, Ritmo di Sant'Alessio|origins=cel-pro *rīg-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈrik.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ricco''' (feminine ricca, masculine plural ricchi, feminine plural ricche, superlative ricchissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote [[m|roa-oit|rico]], and the ''Ritmo di Sant'Alessio'' has [[m|roa-oit|riccu]].^(GDLI|16, 59)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|lng|*rīhhi|t=powerful]], which wholly replaced the Latin [[m|la|dīves|t=rich]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|3247) The old sense “powerful” survives in Old French and in Chiaro Davanzati.^(DELI 1999) Arrigo Castellani (1985), quoted by DELI, preferred an earlier loan of the 4th or 5th century, either West Germanic [[m|gmw-pro|*rīki]] or Gothic [[m|got|𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃|tr=reiks]], in that original sense.^(DELI 1999) DEI leaves open whether the word is Lombardic or [[frk|*rīki]], like [[fr|riche]] and [[oc|ric]].^(DEI|3247) Nocentini derives the French word from Frankish and [[es|rico]] from Gothic, while Meyer-Lübke takes the Spanish and Portuguese words from Occitan or Catalan.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) The form [[la-med|ricus]] appears in charters of the 11th and 12th centuries.^(Zaccaria 1901)

+

+ The Lombardic word is the same as [[goh|rīhhi]], modern [[de|reich]], from [[gem-pro|*rīkijaz]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini traces it to a Germanic [[m|gem-pro|*rīk-|t=lord, ruler]], taken from [[cel-pro|*rīg-]], which corresponds to [[la|rēx|t=king]].^(Nocentini 2010) The Latin noun goes back to [[ine-pro|*h₃rḗǵs|t=ruler, king]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is ''riccu'' in the ''Ritmo di Sant'Alessio'', of the end of the 12th century: the saint's father “was rich and very powerful” (''foe riccu e multu potentissimu'').^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|16, 59) The form ''ricco'' follows in Bono Giamboni before 1292, and around 1300 the Italian Albertano defines it: “he is rich who has as much property as suffices him to live generously”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “well supplied with something” is recorded in the 14th century, in Fazio degli Uberti, and “precious, of great value” in Petrarch (1374).^(DELI 1999) The ''Novellino'' already uses the word for what is showy or luxurious, and in 1600–1603 it describes things that bring wealth or a good income.^(DELI 1999) John Florio (1563) speaks of ''piombo ricco'', lead rich in silver, the first of the technical senses for a substance with a high proportion of an element.^(DELI 1999) The noun ''il ricco'', “the rich man”, is dated by DELI to a collection of Tuscan proverbs of 1853.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ''Ricchezza'' is recorded before 1250, in Frederick II, formed with the Latin suffix ''-itia'';^(DELI 1999) ''ricchezza mobile'', income from capital and work as opposed to land and buildings, dates from 1798.^(DELI 1999) Popular sayings include ''chi ha la sanità è ricco e non lo sa'', health is the greatest wealth.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) DEI notes that the Dalmatian word ''rec'' was adapted from Venetian ''rico''.^(DEI|3247)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – ''Riccu'' appears in the ''Ritmo di Sant'Alessio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1250 – Frederick II has ''ricchezza''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni has the form ''ricco''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses it for “sumptuous”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1374 – Petrarch uses it for “precious”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1563 – John Florio writes of ''piombo ricco'', lead rich in silver.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1798 – ''Ricchezza mobile'' appears in the acts of the Cisalpine assemblies.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1853 – The noun ''ricco'' is recorded in a collection of Tuscan proverbs.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|rich]], [[m|en|wealthy]], having more money and goods than most, the opposite of [[povero]]: ''Suo nonno era un ricco commerciante di stoffe.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) ''(colloquial)'' ''Ricco sfondato'' means extremely rich.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of a country or city, [[prospero|alt=prosperous]], economically developed.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Abundantly supplied with something, with ''di'': ''una regione ricca di vigneti''; in chemistry, containing a high proportion of an element or compound: ''Le noci sono ricche di grassi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Endowed with qualities or gifts: ''un insegnante ricco di esperienza''; of a text or a life, full: ''un'estate ricca di avvenimenti''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Large, substantial; also bringing wealth: ''un ricco premio'', ''un mestiere ricco''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Costly, [[lussuoso|alt=luxurious]], sumptuous: ''una sala ricca di stucchi e dorature''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Of land, [[fertile]]; of vegetation, luxuriant.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of clothing, ample, full: ''un cappotto ricco e morbido''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A rich person, ''i ricchi'', the rich: ''Le tasse dovrebbero pesare di più sui ricchi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ricchezza]]

+ * [[arricchire]]

+ * [[arricchimento]]

+ * [[riccone]]

+ * [[riccamente]]

+ * [[straricco]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[re]]

+ * [[de|reich]]

+ * [[fr|riche]]

+ * [[es|rico]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases include ''nuovo ricco'' (a newly rich person, a parvenu), ''rima ricca'' (rich rhyme) and ''miscela ricca'' (a fuel mixture with too little air).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) The augmentative ''riccone'' is used only as a noun.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}