offerta Italian · revision 38308

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1302–1305, Giordano da Pisa|origins=la offerō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ofˈfɛr.ta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''offerta''' ''f'' (plural offerte)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine of [[offerto]], the past participle of [[offrire|t=to offer]] (in its older form “offerire”), used as a noun.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968|302) Wiktionary allows that it may also continue a Late or Medieval Latin noun [[la-lat|offerta]].^(Wiktionary) Körting saw in the Romance word a popular Latin “*offerta” that took the place of [[la|oblata]].^(Körting 1907) The verb goes back to [[la|offero|alt=offerō|t=to bring before, present]], a compound of [[m|la|ob-|t=towards]] and [[m|la|ferō|t=to carry]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ The same formation is [[es|oferta]], [[pt|oferta]], [[ca|oferta]], [[sc|oferta]], [[fur|ufierte]], [[rm|offerta]] and [[scn|ufferta]].^(Wiktionary) German used “Offerta” rarely from 1695, a blend of the French and the Italian word.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI and GRADIT give the sermons of Giordano da Pisa (1302–1305) as the first record, for the act of offering;^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) Zingarelli dates the word to about 1261.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The second sense, what is offered, follows in Matteo Villani before 1363.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In older Italian the word was much used of gifts made in church: Tommaseo notes ''offerta'' for what is given to priests or religious houses in honour of God, and ''andare all'offerta'' for going to church to make it.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|3, 577) In Dante's ''Paradiso'' the Hebrews are bound to make an offering, “ancor ch'alcuna offerta si permutasse” (“even though some offering might be changed”).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861|3, 577) In the liturgy the plural still names the bread and wine brought to the altar at the offertory.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ The commercial sense, a price offered in a shop, an auction or a tender, is recorded in a Tuscan proclamation of 1585 and in Giuseppe Casaregi in 1723–1737, and the general sense “proposal” in Petrocchi in 1891.^(DELI 1999) Emilio Cecchi used it in 1936 for goods put on sale on the market, the economists' “supply”, as in ''la legge della domanda e dell'offerta''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''In offerta speciale'', for goods sold cheaply for a time, is recorded in 1973.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1302–1305 – Giordano da Pisa uses ''offerta'' for the act of offering.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1363 – Matteo Villani uses it for what is offered.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1585 – A Tuscan proclamation uses it for a price offered.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1695 – German ''Offerta'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1891 – Petrocchi records the sense “proposal”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1936 – Emilio Cecchi uses it for the supply of goods on the market.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1973 – ''In offerta speciale'' appears in the Zingarelli dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of [[m|en|offer|alt=offering]] something, or of offering oneself: ''Abbiamo accettato volentieri la sua offerta di aiuto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # What is offered, especially money given freely for a cause; a [[m|en|donation]]: ''una piccola offerta per la parrocchia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|proposal]]: ''un'offerta di lavoro''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A price offered for goods or services; a [[m|en|bid]], also in an auction or a [[m|en|tender]]: ''Per la sua moto gli hanno fatto un'offerta bassa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(commerce)'' A sale at a reduced price: ''Questa settimana i detersivi sono in offerta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(economics)'' [[m|en|supply]]: the quantity of goods or services producers are willing to sell at a given price.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(religion, plural)'' The bread and wine brought to the altar at the [[offertorio|alt=offertory]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[controfferta]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[offrire]]

+ * [[offertorio]]

+ * [[la|offero]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases include ''offerta speciale'' (a promotional sale), ''offerta pubblica di acquisto'' (a takeover bid, abbreviated OPA) and, in law, ''offerta reale'', the formal tender of what a debtor owes.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}