esperienza Italian · revision 38280

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1243, Guido Faba|origins=la experior}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /es.peˈrjɛn.t͡sa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''esperienza''' ''f'' (plural esperienze)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had ''esperienzia'', ''sperienza'', ''isperienza'' and ''asperienza'', and Latinizing spellings such as ''experientia'' and ''experienza''.^(TLIO)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|experientia|t=trial, test; experience]], taken from the accusative ⟨experientiam⟩.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|experiēns]], the present participle of [[m|la|experior|t=to try, put to the test]], with the suffix [[m|la|-ia]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto 1968) The verb [[esperire]] continues the same verb.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The same learned word is [[fr|expérience]], recorded from the 13th century, and [[es|experiencia]].^(DEI)^(Nocentini 2010) The LEI lists ⟨sperienza⟩ and ⟨esperienza⟩ among the learned forms of the Latin word.^(LEI|22, 763) DEI compares [[grc|πεῖρα|tr=peîra|t=trial, attempt]].^(DEI)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the ''Parlamenti'' of Guido Faba (Bologna, about 1243).^(TLIO) DELI dates the sense “knowledge and practice gained by trying things oneself or seeing them done”, also knowledge of the world, to Onesto da Bologna, who died before 1303.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Around 1304 Giordano da Pisa used the word for a trial that lets one learn something at first hand, and before 1321 Dante used it for a phenomenon produced on purpose in order to study it, an experiment.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) Leonardo da Vinci wrote that ''la esperienza non falla mai, ma sol fallano i nostri giudizi'' (“experience never errs, only our judgements err”), and Galileo still used ''esperienza'' for a physical experiment.^(Zingarelli 2010) Manzoni could use it in the literary sense of an experienced person.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ In modern Italian the word also covers an event that leaves a mark on someone, an episode of life, and, usually in the plural and as a euphemism, a love affair.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) In philosophy it names knowledge given by the senses and the whole of what is perceived and verified.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1243 – Guido Faba's ''Parlamenti'' give the first record.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1303 – Onesto da Bologna uses the word for knowledge gained by practice.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1304 – Giordano da Pisa uses it for a trial or test.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for an experiment.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|experience]]: direct knowledge of something gained by observation or practice: ''Lo so per esperienza, non per sentito dire.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Practical knowledge of life and the world, or skill gained in a job: ''Cercano un tecnico con molta esperienza.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # An event or episode lived through, especially one that changes a person: ''Il viaggio in Africa è stata un'esperienza bellissima.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(euphemistic, often plural)'' A love affair.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' Knowledge that comes from the senses, and the whole of what is perceived.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(science)'' An [[m|en|experiment]]: ''un'esperienza di ottica''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inesperienza]]

+ * [[esperienziale]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[esperire]]

+ * [[esperto]]

+ * [[esperimento]]

+ * [[la|experientia]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare esperienza'' means to gain practice, and ''per esperienza'' means from first-hand knowledge.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}