indirizzo Italian · revision 38320

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1476|origins=la dīrigō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /in.diˈrit.t͡so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''indirizzo''' ''m'' (plural indirizzi)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older form is [[roa-oit|indrizzo]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed from the verb [[indirizzare|t=to direct, address]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968) DELI traces the verb to [[la-vul|*indīrēctiō|alt=*indirectiāre]], from [[m|la|in-|t=towards]] and a verb formed on [[m|la|dīrēctus|t=straight]].^(DELI 1999) Nocentini thinks it more likely an Italian derivative of [[dirizzare|t=to straighten]] with the sense “to direct towards”; that verb continues [[m|la-vul|*dīrēctiō|alt=*directiāre|t=to set in a straight line]], from ⟨dīrēctus⟩, the past participle of [[m|la|dīrigō|t=to direct]].^(Nocentini 2010) The same verb gave [[fr|dresser]], the source of [[en|dress]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The sense “address” for a letter is not, Tommaseo thought, a Gallicism, but the political sense, a formal message to an authority, is a calque of [[fr|adresse]];^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini also counts the sense “political tendency” as a 19th-century calque of the French word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Zingarelli dates the word to 1476, in the older form ''indrizzo''.^(Zingarelli 2010) DELI's earliest date is Pietro Bembo (1546), with the sense “guiding principle, line of conduct”, which GRADIT also gives as the first.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The older meaning “direction, guidance on the way to go” is quoted in the GDLI from Annibal Caro.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “name and residence of someone, to find him or send him letters” is recorded before 1587 in Giovan Maria Cecchi, and earlier, before 1566, in Annibal Caro.^(DELI 1999) It took time to displace its rivals ''soprascritta'', ''direzione'' and ''mansione'': in 1829 Boerio still listed Venetian ''inderizzo'' as a new word that some used instead of ''mansion''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In 1797 ''indirizzo'' meant an official message to a political or religious authority, after the French ''adresse'', and purists objected to this use as late as 1831.^(DELI 1999) The sense “tendency, trend” is dated 1869, in Francesco De Sanctis, and ''all'indirizzo di'' “aimed at someone” 1880.^(DELI 1999) In the 20th century came ''indirizzario'' “mailing list” (1942) and the computer senses: the address of a memory cell and ''indirizzo di posta elettronica''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1476 – The form ''indrizzo'' is recorded.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1546 – Pietro Bembo uses it for “line of conduct”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1566 – Annibal Caro uses it for the address of a letter.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1797 – The sense “official message to an authority” appears.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1829 – Boerio calls Venetian ''inderizzo'' a new word.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1869 – De Sanctis uses it for “tendency”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1880 – ''All'indirizzo di'' “aimed at” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – ''Indirizzario'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|address]]: the name, street, number and town needed to find someone or deliver mail to them: ''Scrivi l'indirizzo in stampatello sulla busta.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The place where one lives: ''Da maggio ho un nuovo indirizzo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # By extension, the name and whereabouts of someone useful: ''Mi sai dare l'indirizzo di un buon idraulico?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|direction]], orientation; the line of conduct or the course of study followed: ''un liceo a indirizzo linguistico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A [[m|en|trend]] or school of thought: ''i nuovi indirizzi della critica''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A formal message or speech addressed to or by an authority.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(computing)'' The number identifying a cell in a computer's memory, and the code identifying a computer, a website or an e-mail box on a network.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[indirizzario]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[indirizzare]]

+ * [[dirizzare]]

+ * [[diritto]]

+ * [[fr|adresse]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Sbagliare indirizzo'' means to turn to the wrong person, and ''all'indirizzo di'' is “aimed at”, said of praise, insults or protests.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}