professore Italian · revision 38291

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1325, Sette arti liberali di Seneca|origins=la profiteor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pro.fesˈso.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''professore''' ''m'' (plural professori, feminine professoressa)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|professor|t=public teacher]], the agent noun of [[m|la|profiteor|t=to declare openly]], through its past participle [[m|la|professus]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Besides “to declare”, the Latin verb also meant to teach in public, and the noun was used for teachers of wisdom (Celsus) or of eloquence (Suetonius).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(DEI|3095) The same Latin word gave [[fr|professeur]] (14th century), [[es|profesor]] and [[pt|professor]].^(DEI|3095)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in a Florentine translation of the ''Seven Liberal Arts'' attributed to Seneca, perhaps before 1325.^(TLIO) GRADIT and Zingarelli date the word to before 1342.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The early sense was one who shows by his conduct that he holds a belief or principle: Domenico Cavalca calls Saint Francis a ''professore e maestro di povertà'', a professor and master of poverty.^(TLIO)^(GDLI|14, 506)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century ''professore'' also named one who teaches a science or an art, one who knows an art thoroughly (Francesco da Buti), and one who has taken religious vows.^(TLIO)^(DEI|3095) DELI's first record of the sense “one who teaches” is the will of Lemmo di Balduccio of 1389.^(DELI 1999) In music it was used for orchestral players (''professore d'orchestra'') from the early 18th century.^(DEI|3095)

+

+ In 1871 the Tommaseo–Bellini dictionary observed that the title had spread from university teachers to teachers in colleges, seminaries and technical schools, and even to teachers of small schools.^(DELI 1999) The feminine ''professoressa'' is recorded from the end of the 19th century.^(DEI|3095)^(Prati 1951|805) ''Professore ospite'', a visiting professor, is a calque of German ''Gastprofessor''.^(DEI|3095)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1325 – ''Professore'' appears in a Florentine translation of Seneca.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca calls Saint Francis a ''professore'' of poverty.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|14, 506)

+ * 1389 – The will of Lemmo di Balduccio uses the word for a teacher.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3095)

+ * 1774 – G. B. Martini uses it of musicians.^(DEI|3095)

+ * 1897 – The feminine ''professoressa'' is recorded.^(DEI|3095)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|teacher]] at a secondary school or a [[m|en|university]], a professor: ''La professoressa di storia ci ha dato un compito.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(music)'' A teacher at a conservatory, and a member of an [[orchestra]] (''professore d'orchestra'').^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A head of a hospital department, or a doctor who also teaches at a university, and more broadly an eminent specialist.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Anyone who teaches a subject outside school, as a ''professore di tango''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A very learned person, and ''(ironic)'' a pedant who lectures others.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(literary)'' One who professes a religion or belief.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[professoressa]]

+ * [[professorale]]

+ * [[professorato]]

+ * [[professorino]]

+ * [[professorone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[professo]]

+ * [[professare]]

+ * [[professione]]

+ * [[la|professor]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Before a name the word is shortened to ''professor'' (''il professor Bianchi''), and in speech it is often clipped to ''prof''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003) The university ranks are ''professore ordinario'' (full professor), ''associato'' and ''a contratto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}