soldato Italian · revision 38469

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1276–1279, Libro Guelfo (Florence)|origins=la solidus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /solˈda.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''soldato''' ''m'' (plural soldati, feminine soldata)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the past participle of [[roa-oit|soldare|t=to take into one's pay]], used as an adjective and then as a noun: a soldier was originally a man hired for pay.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO) The verb is formed from [[soldo]], the coin and then the soldier's pay, which continues [[la-lat|soldus]], short for [[la|solidus|t=solid]], said of the gold coin of stable value issued under Constantine.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Körting reconstructs [[la-vul|*solidātus]] for the noun.^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin adjective probably comes from the same root as [[m|la|salvus|t=safe, whole]], [[ine-pro|*solh₂-|t=whole]], through [[itc-pro|*soliðos]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ [[fr|soldat]], [[es|soldado]] and [[pt|soldado]] were borrowed from Italian, and the French word passed on to [[de|Soldat]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3532)^(REW 1935) The English word [[m|en|soldier]] has a separate origin: it is [[fro|soudier]], also formed from the name of the coin.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Florentine ''Libro Guelfo'' of 1276–1279, where the adjective describes horsemen and foot soldiers taken into service for pay.^(TLIO) DELI and GRADIT date the noun to Giovanni Villani's chronicle, before 1348.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the rise of national armies the word meant a mercenary: Villani's ''gente soldata'' is a hired force, and Boccaccio's two Lombards had been ''in fatti d’arme e soldati'' in their youth.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI|19) In the 16th century Vincenzio Borghini noted that the word fitted Roman soldiers badly, since the old writers used it only for men hired from outside, never for citizens.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The modern sense “member of an army, by choice or by conscription” grew from it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ The figurative sense, someone who fights for an ideal or a faith, is recorded from 1495, and ''soldati di Cristo'' are the faithful who have been confirmed.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) The diminutive ''soldatino'' has meant a toy soldier since 1873.^(DELI 1999) In zoology the word names the members of an ant or termite colony that defend it, and in slang a low-ranking member of a Mafia family.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ The Italian word spread widely through European armies: French ''soldat'' is recorded from 1475, German ''Soldat'' from 1521, and [[ru|солдат|tr=soldat]] and Ottoman Turkish borrowed it too.^(DIFIT)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1276–1279 – The ''Libro Guelfo'' of Florence has ''soldato'' “hired for pay”.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses the verb ''soldare''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses ''soldato'' for a fighting man.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1363 – Matteo Villani has ''soldataglia''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1475 – French ''soldat'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1495 – The figurative sense “fighter for a cause” appears.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1521 – German ''Soldat'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1873 – ''Soldatino'' “toy soldier” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|soldier]], anyone serving in an army regardless of rank or arm: ''Il soldato tornò a casa dopo due anni al fronte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The lowest rank in the army, a private (''soldato semplice'').^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(history)'' A [[m|en|mercenary]] serving for pay a ruler or state without a national army.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A dedicated fighter for an ideal or a faith: ''un soldato della verità''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(zoology)'' In ant and termite colonies, an individual specialised in defence.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(slang)'' A member of a Mafia family.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[soldatino]]

+ * [[soldatesca]]

+ * [[soldatesco]]

+ * [[soldataglia]]

+ * [[soldatessa]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[soldo]]

+ * [[assoldare]]

+ * [[fr|soldat]]

+ * [[la|solidus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare il soldato'' and ''andare soldato'' mean to do one's military service.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) The feminine is ''soldata'' or, popular and ironic, ''soldatessa'', and the masculine is also used of women.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Old Italian forms include ''soldado'', ''sollato'' and Sicilian ''suldatu''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}