convinto Italian · revision 38279

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1298, Sienese statutes|origins=la convincō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /konˈvin.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''convinto''' (feminine convinta, masculine plural convinti, feminine plural convinte)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote ''convicto'' and ''convincto''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective, it is the past participle of [[convincere]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) DEI describes the participle as a learned adaptation of [[la|convictus]], the participle of the Latin verb, with an ⟨n⟩ added on the model of [[vinto]].^(DEI)

+

+ The verb is a learned word from [[m|la|convincō|t=to overcome; to prove guilty]], formed with [[m|la|con-]] from [[m|la|vincō|t=to conquer]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini glosses the Latin verb as “to prove in a winning way”.^(Nocentini 2010) De Vaan derives the root of the simple verb from [[ine-pro|*ui-n-k-|t=to bend, tie]]: bending another led to “overcome”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Sienese statutes of 1298.^(TLIO)^(DEI) In the oldest texts the word means “induced to accept an opinion”, and in law “proved guilty by witnesses and evidence”, at the stage of a trial before confession.^(TLIO) DELI dates the sense “persuaded” to Bartolomeo da San Concordio, before 1347.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The legal sense lives on in ''reo convinto'', a defendant whose guilt has been proved, as in Alfieri's line ''Agide è reo convinto di maestade lesa'' (“Agis is proven guilty of lese-majesty”).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Tommaseo contrasts ''reo convinto'' with ''confesso'', guilty by one's own admission.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The TLIO also records the old sense “overcome by an opponent's valour”.^(TLIO)

+

+ From Galileo onwards the word means persuaded by proofs or reasoning, and then firmly holding a conviction.^(GDLI) Today it is often placed after a noun of belief or allegiance for a committed supporter.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The adverb ''convintamente'' means with conviction.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1298 – The Sienese statutes give the first record.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1347 – Bartolomeo da San Concordio uses ''convinto'' for “persuaded”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|convinced]], [[m|en|persuaded]]: ''Ero convinto che il treno partisse alle otto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Firm in one's ideas, committed: ''un vegetariano convinto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(law)'' Proved guilty, chiefly in ''reo convinto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[convintamente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[convincere]]

+ * [[convinzione]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}