otto Italian · revision 38437

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1211, account book of Florentine bankers|origins=ine-pro *h₃eḱtéh₃}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɔt.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''otto''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ An old spelling is [[roa-oit|octo]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|octō|t=eight]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The numeral is panromance: [[fr|huit]], [[oc|uech]], [[ca|vuit]], [[es|ocho]], [[pt|oito]], [[fur|vot]], [[sc|otto]] and [[ro|opt]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin word is from [[itc-pro|*oktō]], from [[ine-pro|*h₃eḱtéh₃|t=eight]].^(de Vaan 2008) Like the other basic numerals it is shared by the whole Indo-European family: [[grc|ὀκτώ|tr=oktṓ]], [[sa|अष्ट|tr=aṣṭa]], [[got|𐌰𐌷𐍄𐌰𐌿|tr=ahtau]], [[sga|ocht]], [[de|acht]] and [[en|eight]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Devoto sees in the ending an old dual, still clear in Sanskrit and Gothic, which would point to a counting system based on four, with eight as a pair of fours.^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Many Italian words of the family are learned: [[ottavo]], [[ottagono]] and [[ottano]], the last coined by French chemists for a hydrocarbon with eight carbon atoms; [[ottanta]] is the popular derivative.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is of 1211, in an account book of Florentine bankers, as the number seven plus one.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Bono Giamboni writes of an army drawn up in “otto schiere” (eight ranks), and Dante makes Minos wind his tail “otto volte” (eight times) round his back.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 15th century ''gli Otto'' (the Eight) was the name of Florentine magistracies, such as the ''Otto di Balìa''.^(DEI|2706)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GRADIT 2003) As a noun the word names the number and its sign (1803), and a track or object in the shape of an eight (1696).^(DELI 1999) The ''otto volante'', a fairground ride on a figure-of-eight track, is recorded in 1935.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Treccani 2011) In rowing an ''otto'' is a boat for eight oarsmen and a cox (1904), named after English ''eight''.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ The phrase ''in quattro e quattr'otto'' (in four and four makes eight) means “in no time”, as quickly as one adds those round numbers.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Treccani 2011) ''Dare gli otto giorni'' was to give a servant a week's notice.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) In schools ''otto'' is a good mark out of ten, and ''l'otto per mille'' is the share of income tax that taxpayers may assign to the State or to a religious body.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1211 – The first record, in the account book of Florentine bankers.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – The ''Tristano Riccardiano'' uses the word.^(DEI|2706)

+ * 15th century – ''Gli Otto'' names a Florentine magistracy.^(DEI|2706)

+ * 1696 – ''Otto'' is recorded for a figure-of-eight track.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1803 – ''Otto'' is recorded as a noun for the number and its sign.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1904 – The rowing boat called ''otto'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1935 – ''Otto volante'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Numeral===

+ # [[m|en|eight]], one more than seven: ''La lezione dura otto ore.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # After a noun, eighth: ''Leggete il capitolo otto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The number eight, and the figure 8.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The eighth day of a month; the eighth year of a century: ''Ci vediamo l'otto di maggio.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # A good school mark, two points below the highest: ''Ha preso otto in matematica.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The eight of a suit of playing cards.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(feminine plural)'' Eight o'clock: ''Il negozio apre alle otto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # A track or shape like the figure 8: ''fare un otto con la bicicletta''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(rowing)'' An eight, a racing boat for eight oarsmen and a [[m|en|coxswain]].^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ottanta]]

+ * [[ottocento]]

+ * [[ottomila]]

+ * [[ottenne]]

+ * [[ottennio]]

+ * [[otto volante]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ottavo]]

+ * [[ottobre]]

+ * [[ottagono]]

+ * [[ottuplo]]

+ * [[la|octo]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Oggi a otto'' means “a week today”, counting today as the first of eight days.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}