maledizione Italian · revision 38268

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1250, Cielo d'Alcamo|origins=la maledīcō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ma.le.ditˈt͡sjo.ne/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''maledizione''' ''f'' (plural maledizioni)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms are [[roa-oit|maladizione]], which survives as an archaism, and [[roa-oit|maledezone]].^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|maledictiō|t=slander, abuse]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|2329) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|maledīcō|t=to speak ill of]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tiō]], and so is related to [[maledire]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Nocentini 2010) Its classical sense was “slander”; the Church sense “curse” is found in Jerome in the 4th century, beside [[grc|κακολογία|tr=kakología|t=evil-speaking]].^(DEI|2329)

+

+ French has the same learned word, [[fr|malédiction]] (14th century), which replaced the inherited [[fro|maudiçon]].^(DEI|2329)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The oldest form DELI cites is ''maladizione'', before 1250, in Cielo d'Alcamo.^(DELI 1999) The act of cursing is first recorded in Giordano da Pisa's sermons of 1304, which list among the devil's signs ''l'idolatria, l'indivinamenti, le malie e ogne maledizione'' (“idolatry, soothsaying, spells and every curse”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the word also meant a sentence of excommunication, as in Dante's ''per lor maladizion sì non si perde'' (“by their curse one is not so lost”).^(GRADIT 2003) Boccaccio has a character promise that her mouth will never be without ''le tue maladizioni'' (“curses on you”).^(GDLI) The old Latin sense “slander” lasted into the 14th century and is now obsolete.^(DEI|2329)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The modern form ''maledizione'' is recorded before 1484 in Luigi Pulci.^(DELI 1999) From the 19th century the word is also an oath, an exclamation of anger.^(DEI|2329)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – ''Maladizione'' appears in Cielo d'Alcamo.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304 – Giordano da Pisa uses the word for a curse.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1306 – Jacopone da Todi writes ''maledezone''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1484 – Luigi Pulci uses the form ''maledizione''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 19th century – The word is used as an interjection.^(DEI|2329)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|curse]], the calling down of divine punishment or of misfortune on someone, and the words that do it: ''Il vecchio scagliò la sua maledizione sul figlio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # An [[m|en|imprecation]], an insult shouted in anger.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A punishment sent by God.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Misfortune, ill luck: ''avere la maledizione addosso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A person or thing that causes ruin, or a great nuisance: ''Questa nebbia è una maledizione per chi guida.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' [[m|en|slander]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # [[m|en|damn]]!, an expression of anger or annoyance: ''Maledizione, ho dimenticato le chiavi!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[maledire]]

+ * [[maledetto]]

+ * [[benedizione]]

+ * [[la|maledictio]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}