famoso Italian · revision 38251

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1252–1258, Storie de Troia e de Roma (Rome)|origins=la fāma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /faˈmo.zo/, /faˈmo.so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''famoso''' (feminine famosa, masculine plural famosi, feminine plural famose, superlative famosissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include southern [[m|roa-oit|famuso]] and [[m|roa-oit|famusu]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|fāmōsus|t=much talked of; notorious]], formed [[m|la|fāma|t=report, reputation]] and [[m|la|-ōsus|t=full of]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The Latin adjective often meant “of bad repute”, and Devoto thinks its Italian sense was reshaped by [[fama]].^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto 1968) The same word is [[ro|faimos]], [[oc|famos]], [[es|famoso]] and [[pt|famoso]], and [[fr|fameux]], recorded from the 15th century.^(Körting 1907)^(DEI|1592)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Roman ''Storie de Troia e de Roma'' of 1252–1258.^(TLIO) DELI dates the sense “celebrated, illustrious” to Bono Giamboni, before 1292.^(DELI 1999) From the start the word was used both of good fame and of people known for wicked deeds.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante greets Virgil as ''famoso saggio'', “famous sage”, in the first canto of the ''Inferno'', and Petrarch and Boccaccio use the word freely.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The bad sense lasted in the phrase ''libello famoso'', a defamatory pamphlet, now archaic.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Old Italian also had a noun ''famosità'', “fame”, from the 14th century.^(DEI|1592)

+

+ Modern Italian adds an ironic use for a person or thing much talked about that disappoints, or for something promised and long awaited.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Zingarelli contrasts ''famoso'', said of any fame, with ''famigerato'', for bad fame, and ''illustre'', which stresses merit.^(Zingarelli 2010) English recorded ''famoso'' as a rare noun in 1663.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1252–1258 – First record, in the ''Storie de Troia e de Roma''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses the word for “illustrious”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300–1321 – Dante calls Virgil ''famoso saggio''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+ * 14th century – ''Famosità'' “fame” appears.^(DEI|1592)

+ * 1663 – English ''famoso'' is recorded as a rare noun.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|famous]], renowned, [[celebre]]; also with ''per'': ''È diventata famosa con il suo primo romanzo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of a thing, widely known; of an event, [[memorabile|alt=memorable]]: ''un quadro famoso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(ironic)'' Much talked of, and often disappointing: ''E questo sarebbe il famoso ristorante di cui parlano tutti?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Also of something long awaited: ''Quando arriva questo famoso rimborso?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Defamatory, as in ''libello famoso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[famosamente]]

+ * [[famosità]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fama]]

+ * [[famigerato]]

+ * [[la|famosus]]

+ * [[fr|fameux]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The ⟨s⟩ is pronounced either /z/ or /s/.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''Le ultime parole famose'' (“famous last words”) mocks a confident statement that proves wrong.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}