ospite Italian · revision 38298

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1342, Domenico Cavalca|origins=la hospes}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɔs.pi.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ospite''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural ospiti)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''òspide'', ''òspido'' and ''òspito''.^(GDLI|12, 204)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|hospes|t=host; guest]], from the accusative ⟨hospitem⟩, a learned word beside the inherited [[oste|alt=oste]], which came through Old French.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DEI|2692)^(REW 1935)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word had both meanings, the one who gives hospitality and the one who receives it, and most Romance languages kept both.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Inherited forms are [[fro|oste]] (modern [[fr|hôte]]), [[oc|oste]], [[ca|hoste]], [[es|huésped]], [[pt|hóspede]] and [[ro|oaspete]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The origin of the Latin word is uncertain.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|2692)^(Zingarelli 2010) A widely quoted explanation takes it from an older ⟨*hostipotis⟩ “master of the stranger”, the head of the house who gave hospitality to a foreigner, a compound of [[la|hostis|t=stranger]] and [[m|la|potis|t=master]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI) Nocentini traces this to [[ine-pro|*gʰóstis|t=stranger, guest]] and [[ine-pro|*pótis|t=master]], and compares [[cu|господь|tr=gospodĭ|t=lord]] and [[ru|господи́н|tr=gospodín|t=sir]].^(Nocentini 2010) The DEI compares the Paelignian ⟨hospus⟩ and the Latin [[m|la|sospes|t=safe]].^(DEI|2692)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is before 1342 in Domenico Cavalca, with the sense “guest”: he speaks of being eager to receive guests kindly (''sollicito in ricevere ospiti benignamente'').^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|12, 204) The adjective “foreign” appears in the 14th-century translation of Saint Augustine, and the sense “host” in a 15th-century legend of Lazarus, Martha and Mary Magdalene.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As in Latin, the word kept both sides of hospitality: in Italian today ''ospite'' is the host as well as the guest, and context tells them apart.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Its family grew in the same period: ''ospitalità'' is recorded in the 14th century, ''ospitale'' “hospitable” before 1565 in Varchi, and ''ospitare'' in 1687.^(DELI 1999) The Tommaseo–Bellini dictionary in 1869 still called ''ospitare'' a needless word that some people used.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In biology, from 1935, the ''ospite'' is the organism a parasite lives on.^(DELI 1999) Later uses include the guest on a television show, the visiting team in sport (''squadra ospite''), and a small guest towel.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses ''ospiti'' for guests.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 14th century – ''Ospitalità'' and the adjective ''ospite'' “foreign” are recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 15th century – First record of the sense “host”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1565 – Benedetto Varchi uses ''ospitale'' “hospitable”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1687 – ''Ospitare'' is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1935 – The Enciclopedia Italiana uses ''ospite'' for the host of a parasite.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|guest]]: someone who stays with another person and is given food and lodging: ''Mia cugina sarà nostra ospite per una settimana.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A visitor invited to a meal, a party or a short visit: ''Domenica abbiamo ospiti a pranzo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A guest invited to a television or radio programme, a show or a conference.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A guest of a hotel.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|host]] or hostess: someone who receives others in their home.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(biology)'' An organism on or in which a [[m|en|parasite]] lives.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A person who receives a transplant.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # A small guest towel.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # That gives hospitality: ''la città ospite''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # That receives hospitality, ''(sports)'' of a team, playing away, on the other team's ground.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' Hospitable, [[ospitale]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ospitale]]

+ * [[ospitalità]]

+ * [[ospitare]]

+ * [[ospitante]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ospedale]]

+ * [[ospizio]]

+ * [[oste]]

+ * [[ostello]]

+ * [[la|hospes]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The proverb ''l'ospite è come il pesce: dopo tre giorni puzza'' (“guests are like fish: after three days they stink”) warns against staying too long.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) To leave ''insalutato ospite'' is to go without saying goodbye to anyone.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) The word is masculine or feminine according to the person: ''un ospite'', ''un'ospite''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}