cambio Italian · revision 38395

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=late 12th century, record of an exchange of land (as canbio)|origins=xtg cambion}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkam.bjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cambio''' ''m'' (plural cambi, relational adjective cambiale)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had the plural ''cambiora''.^(GDLI)^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed from the verb [[cambiare]] ([[af|it|cambiare|-o]]).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(TLIO) The verb continues [[la-lat|cambiō|t=to exchange]], first found in Apuleius and explained in the glosses as “to give one thing for another”.^(LEI)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb is generally taken to be Gaulish: LEI compares [[mga|cimb|t=tribute]], and Wiktionary derives [[la|cambium|t=exchange]] from [[xtg|cambion]], from [[cel-pro|*kambos|t=twisted, crooked]].^(LEI)^(REW 1935)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Figge rejected a Gaulish source and proposed [[la-vul|*coambō|alt=*coambāre|t=to join, connect]], from [[la|ambō|t=both]], and LEI leaves the question to Latinists.^(LEI)

+

+ The verb lives on in all the Romance languages except Romanian, which has [[ro|schimba]] from [[la-vul|*excambiō|alt=*excambiāre]].^(LEI) The noun is [[es|cambio]], [[pt|câmbio]] and [[oc|cambi]], while the French noun is [[m|fr|change]].^(Körting 1907)^(Wiktionary) Italian also has [[cangiare]], borrowed from [[fr|changer]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ DEI treats the botanical “cambio” “cambium” (19th century) as a separate, learned word, from [[la-new|cambium]] (1818).^(DEI|698)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is ''canbio'' at the end of the 12th century, in a Tuscan record of an exchange of land, with the sense of exchange or replacement of one thing for another.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) The money sense came soon after: Medieval Latin ''cambium'' for the changing of one currency into another is found at Bologna in 1209, and Italian ''cambio'' in 1211.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|698)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Merchants used the word from 1278 for the trade in money between places by means of bills, and ''lettera di cambio'' “bill of exchange” appears in a Lucca document of 1376.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT) Dante writes in the ''Convivio'' (1304–1308) that one “makes a fine exchange” who gives imperfect things to gain perfect ones (''fa bello cambio'').^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) Old Italian also used the word for a reward or a just punishment, and had the phrase ''in cambio di'' “instead of”.^(TLIO)

+

+ The sense “cambium”, the growing layer between wood and bark, is recorded in 1830, and ''cambio di velocità'', the gearbox of a motor car, in Panzini's dictionary of 1918.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In modern Italian the word also means a change of clothes, the relief who takes over a shift, a bureau de change, and an exchange of pieces in chess.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ English used ''cambio'' for a bill of exchange from 1645 and for an exchange office from 1656, and German had ''Cambio'' from 1616, beside ''Wechsel'', a calque of the Italian money sense recorded from 1383.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – ''Canbio'' in a record of an exchange of land.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * 1209 – Medieval Latin ''cambium'' “money exchange” at Bologna.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|698)

+ * 1211 – Italian ''cambio'' for the exchange of one coin for another.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT)

+ * 1278 – The trade in money by bills of exchange, in the records of the Tolomei.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''cambio'' in the ''Convivio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1376 – ''Lettera di cambio'' in a Lucca document.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1383 – German ''Wechsel'' in the money sense, modelled on the Italian word.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1645 – English ''cambio'' “bill of exchange”.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1830 – The botanical sense “cambium”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1918 – ''Cambio di velocità'' “gearbox” in Panzini's dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The replacement of something with another thing of the same kind; a [[m|en|change]]: ''Abbiamo avuto un cambio di orario all'ultimo momento.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A change of clothes or linen: ''Metti in valigia un cambio, staremo via una notte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A person or group who takes over from others in an activity; the [[m|en|relief]]: ''Il collega che mi dà il cambio è in ritardo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # An [[m|en|exchange]], a swap or barter: ''in cambio di'' “in exchange for”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(finance)'' The [[m|en|exchange rate]] of one currency against another; the buying and selling of foreign currency: ''Il cambio tra euro e dollaro è peggiorato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A bureau de change.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(mechanics)'' The [[m|en|gearbox]] of a vehicle, and its gear lever: ''un'auto con il cambio automatico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(chess)'' An exchange of pieces of equal value.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(botany)'' The [[m|en|cambium]], the layer of tissue between wood and bark that makes stems and roots grow thicker.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(anatomy)'' The layer of the periosteum that forms new bone.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cambiale]]

+ * [[cambiario]]

+ * [[cambista]]

+ * [[intercambio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cambiare]]

+ * [[scambio]]

+ * [[ricambio]]

+ * [[cangiare]]

+ * [[la|cambium]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''dare il cambio'' (to take over from someone), ''darsi il cambio'' (to take turns), ''fare a cambio'' (to swap) and ''cambio della guardia'' (the changing of the guard; figuratively, a change of leadership).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}