destra Italian · revision 38277

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1274, Brunetto Latini|origins=la dexter}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈdɛs.tra/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''destra''' ''f'' (plural destre)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include ''destera'', ''dextra'' and ''dresta''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is the feminine of [[destro]] used as a noun: [[inh|la|dextera|t=right hand]], short for “right hand” with [[m|la|manus|t=hand]] understood.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(OLD 2012) Zingarelli calls it a learned word.^(Zingarelli 2010) The LEI explains the popular Italo-Romance forms from the Latin variant ⟨dester⟩, which also gave [[fro|destre]] (about 1148), [[pro|destre]] and [[es|diestro]].^(LEI|20, 116) Spanish also has [[m|es|diestra]] for the right hand.^(DEI)

+

+ Other Romance languages, and Italian in the phrase ⟨man dritta⟩, use a word for “straight” instead: [[fr|droite]] and [[m|es|derecha]], from [[la|dīrēctus]].^(DEI)^(Nocentini 2010) The political sense was copied from the French noun.^(DEI) Right and left took on their political meaning in France in 1793, from the place members sat in relative to the president of the assembly.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In Latin ⟨dexter⟩ the suffix ⟨-ter⟩ marks a contrast of two.^(DELI 1999) Its cognates include [[grc|δεξιτερός|tr=dexiterós]] and [[m|grc|δεξιός|tr=dexiós]], [[sa|दक्षिण|tr=dákṣiṇa]], [[lt|dešinas]], [[sga|dess]] and [[got|𐍄𐌰𐌹𐍈𐍃𐍅𐌰|tr=taihswa]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*deḱs-tero-|t=right, right-hand side]].^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini connects the root with [[m|ine-pro|*dek-|t=to receive]] and [[m|la|decet|t=it is fitting]], the right being the proper side.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in Brunetto Latini's ''Tesoretto'', written before 1274, for the hand on the right side of the body, the hand that does fine work and holds the sword.^(TLIO) DELI dates the sense “the side on the right” to Brunetto Latini, before 1294.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante writes in the ''Purgatorio'' of counting letters ''con le dita della destra scempie'' (“with the fingers of my right hand spread”).^(GDLI|4, 268) In Old Italian the right hand stood for a promise, a welcome, power and favour, and ''chiedere destra'' meant to look for a good opportunity.^(TLIO) Tasso used the word for the east.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The political sense is recorded in 1851, for the conservative members who sat to the right of the president of parliament.^(DELI 1999) The ''Destra storica'' was the moderate liberal party, formed under Cavour, that governed Italy until 1876.^(Treccani 2011) The word then spread to the conservative wing of any party or school of thought, as in ''la destra hegeliana''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) In heraldry it is the side of the shield on the viewer's left, and hunters use it for the right barrel of a double-barrelled gun.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1274 – Brunetto Latini's ''Tesoretto'' gives the first record.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses ''destra'' for the right hand.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1793 – Right and left take on their political sense in France.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1851 – The political sense is recorded in Italian.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1876 – The ''Destra storica'' loses power.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The right hand: ''Gli strinse la destra e lo ringraziò.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The [[m|en|right]] side or direction: ''Al semaforo gira a destra.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(politics)'' The seats to the right of the president in parliament, and the conservative members and parties that sit there.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(politics)'' The conservative wing of a party or movement.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(heraldry)'' The [[m|en|dexter]] side of a shield, on the viewer's left.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(hunting)'' The right barrel of a double-barrelled gun.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[addestrare]]

+ * [[destrismo]]

+ * [[destroide]]

+ * [[ultradestra]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[destro]]

+ * [[destriero]]

+ * [[la|dexter]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''tenere la destra'' (to keep to the right), ''dare la destra'' (to let someone walk on one's right as a mark of respect) and ''a destra e a sinistra'' (on all sides).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ Tommaseo records a separate nautical ''destra'', a heavy rope used to hold a ship across the wind or current.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|2, 112)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}