intelligente Italian · revision 38416

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1276|origins=la legō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /in.tel.liˈd͡ʒɛn.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''intelligente''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural intelligenti, superlative intelligentissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|intelligens|t=understanding]], the present participle of [[m|la|intelligō|t=to understand, perceive]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin verb, also spelled [[m|la|intellegō]], is formed from [[m|la|inter|t=between]] and [[m|la|legō|t=to gather, pick, choose]], and so first meant “to choose between, distinguish”, then “to perceive, understand”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968) DEI compares [[fr|intelligent]], recorded in 1488.^(DEI|2057) The same Latin word gave [[es|inteligente]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the first record before 1276.^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first date is in Dante, before 1321, for a being “able to understand, think and judge”: in the ''Paradiso'' he says that free will was given to “the intelligent creatures”, all of them and they alone.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “gifted with particular mental abilities”, a clever person, is in Domenico Cavalca before 1342, and the sense “done or said with intelligence”, as of an answer or a remark, is recorded in 1869.^(DELI 1999) In philosophy ''intelligente'' was also a noun, the subject that understands.^(GDLI) The literary sense “expert, connoisseur of something” is found in Ariosto.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ The noun ''intelligenza'' is older than the adjective in DELI's records (before 1276, Pannuccio dal Bagno); in the 19th century the purists treated its use for a person of great intellect as a French loan.^(DELI 1999) Recent Italian uses ''intelligente'' for weapons and devices with electronic control, such as ''bomba intelligente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) The Latin saying ''intelligenti pauca'', “a few words are enough for the intelligent”, is used in Italian from the 19th century.^(DEI|2057)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1276 – The noun ''intelligenza'' is first recorded, in Pannuccio dal Bagno.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1276 – GRADIT's date for ''intelligente''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante writes of ''le creature intelligenti''.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses it for a clever person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1488 – French ''intelligent'' is recorded.^(DEI|2057)

+ * 1869 – It is recorded for something done or said with intelligence.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Endowed with [[m|en|intellect]], able to understand and reason: ''l'uomo, essere intelligente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|clever]], quick to understand and learn: ''È una bambina molto intelligente.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Showing unusual skill and understanding in one's work: ''un regista intelligente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Of animals, able to understand signs and learn behaviour: ''I corvi sono uccelli intelligenti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Done or said with intelligence; showing intelligence: ''una domanda intelligente'', ''uno sguardo intelligente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' Expert, knowledgeable in something.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(technology)'' Controlled by a computer or designed to perform a task automatically: ''bomba intelligente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[intelligenza]]

+ * [[intelligibile]]

+ * [[inintelligente]]

+ * [[intelligentemente]]

+ * [[intelligentone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[intelletto]]

+ * [[leggere]]

+ * [[la|intelligo]]

+ * [[fr|intelligent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}