ufficiale Italian · revision 38405

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1275, Prato accounts|origins=la officium}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /uf.fiˈt͡ʃa.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ufficiale''' ''m'' (plural ''ufficiali'', feminine ''ufficialessa''); as an adjective, the same form for masculine and feminine (plural ''ufficiali'').^(Wiktionary)

+ Older spellings are ''uficiale'', ''ufiziale'', ''uffiziale'', ''officiale'', ''offiziale'', ''oficiale'' and ''ofiziale''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Prati 1951|1025)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la-lat|officialis|alt=officiālis|t=relating to an office or service; public servant]], from [[m|la|officium|t=service, duty; office]] with the suffix [[m|la|-ālis]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(OLD 2012) In Late Latin the adjective was also used as a noun for a public servant or a magistrate's attendant.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI explains [[m|la|officium]] as a contraction of [[m|la|opificium|t=the doing of a work]], from [[m|la|opus|t=work]] and [[m|la|faciō|t=to do]].^(DELI 1999) [[fro|oficial]] and [[pt|oficial]] mean “official”, while [[es|oficial]] came to mean a skilled workman.^(REW 1935)

+

+ The military sense comes from [[fr|officier]], recorded in 1564;^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Prati 1951|1025) French “bas-officier” (1680) was replaced by “sous-officier” in 1791, which gave [[sottufficiale]].^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Prati 1951|1025) The spelling with ⟨uff-⟩ won only in the second half of the 19th century, “under the auspices of bureaucracy”, over ⟨off-⟩ and ⟨-ziale⟩, as Migliorini put it.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the accounts of the commune of Prato in 1275, as ''uficiale'', a person holding a public office.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Dante has ''officiale'' in the ''Convivio'' (1304–1308).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the city-states and signorie the ''ufficiali'' were the holders of public offices: a Sienese statute requires the podestà “and all the other officials of the Commune of Siena” to give counsel and help.^(GDLI|21, 495) The military sense, any commissioned officer from second lieutenant up, appears in documents of the Sienese republic at Montalcino in 1556–1558, and ''basso ufficiale'' in a law of Victor Amadeus II in 1723.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo records ''pubblico ufficiale'' and the grade in orders of chivalry in 1879.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The adjective is much later.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) In 1812 Bernardoni listed ''ufficiale'' or ''officiale'' as a new word for “authentic”, and ''notizia ufficiale'' is attested in 1846; the adjective now describes anything issued by an authority, done according to protocol or formally announced.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1275 – ''Uficiale'' is recorded in the accounts of Prato.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''officiale''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1556–1558 – ''Ufiziale'' is used for a military officer at Montalcino.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1723 – ''Basso ufficiale'' appears in a Savoyard law.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1812 – The adjective is recorded, in the sense “authentic”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1846 – ''Notizia ufficiale'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1879 – Tommaseo records ''pubblico ufficiale''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person holding a public office, ''pubblico ufficiale'', a public [[m|en|official]], ''ufficiale giudiziario'', a bailiff, ''ufficiale di stato civile'', a registrar.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(military)'' A commissioned [[m|en|officer]], from second lieutenant or ensign upwards: ''È ufficiale di marina da vent'anni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # In an order of chivalry, the grade above knight and below commander.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Issued by the competent authority, and so [[m|en|authentic]]: ''un comunicato ufficiale'', ''fonti ufficiali''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Done according to protocol; [[m|en|formal]]: ''una visita ufficiale del presidente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Made public with formalities: ''Il loro fidanzamento è ormai ufficiale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Recognized or authorized as the only one: ''la lingua ufficiale di un paese'', ''la mascotte ufficiale dei Giochi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(sports)'' Of a match or a race, valid for a championship or ranking.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ufficialmente]]

+ * [[ufficialità]]

+ * [[ufficializzare]]

+ * [[sottufficiale]]

+ * [[ufficialessa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ufficio]]

+ * [[ufficioso]]

+ * [[la|officialis]]

+ * [[fr|officier]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}