terzo Italian · revision 38521

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1173, Gallurese charter (terthio)|origins=la tres}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈtɛr.t͡so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''terzo''' (feminine terza, masculine plural terzi, feminine plural terze)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old and dialect forms include [[roa-oit|terso]], [[roa-oit|tercio]] and [[roa-oit|terzio]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|tertius|t=third]], the ordinal formed from [[m|la|trēs|t=three]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[fr|tiers]], [[oc|tertz]], [[ca|ters]], [[fur|terts]] and [[rm|terz]]; [[es|tercio]] and [[pt|terço]] are learned.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The Latin word comes from Proto-Italic [[m|itc-pro|*tritios]], from [[ine-pro|*tr̥tyós]], the ordinal of [[ine-pro|*tréyes|t=three]]; it is akin to [[grc|τρίτος|tr=trítos]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Devoto 1968) The Latin cluster /tj/ gave Italian /ts/, written ⟨z⟩.^(Wiktionary)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Some uses were modelled on French: the word in law for a person outside a legal relationship translates [[fr|tiers]], and [[terzo stato]] and [[terzo mondo]] are from [[fr|tiers état]] and [[m|fr|tiers monde]] (1956).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first records are the form ''terthio'' in a Gallurese charter of 1173 and ''tercia'' in a Veronese document of the 13th century, perhaps of 1205.^(DELI 1999) Dante uses ''terzo'' as the ordinal number in the ''Commedia'' (1300–1313).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun “a third part” is in Folcacchiero de' Folcacchieri in the 13th century, and Matteo Villani writes that a third of the citizens died of the plague.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The use for an outsider is older than the legal term: Giorgio Vasari has ''i terzi'' “others, outsiders” in 1550, and Vincenzo Martelli wrote ''terza persona'' for a go-between in 1563; the legal ''terzo'' is recorded in 1863.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In the 16th and 17th centuries ''terzo'' also named a Spanish infantry regiment, after Spanish ''tercio''.^(GDLI)^(DIFIT)^(DEI|3769) Galileo used ''terzo'' as an adverb, “thirdly”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DEI|3769) The feminine ''terza'' names the third gear, the third class of a school and the canonical hour of terce.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1173 – ''Terthio'' appears in a Gallurese charter.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Folcacchiero uses ''terzo'' for a third part.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses the ordinal.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1550 – Vasari uses ''terzi'' for outsiders.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1601 – ''Terzo'' is recorded for a Spanish-style infantry regiment.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1863 – The legal sense “third party” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1956 – French ''tiers monde'' is coined, the model of ''terzo mondo''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|third]]: coming after the second in a series: ''Abitiamo al terzo piano.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # After the name of a ruler or pope, written III: ''Napoleone III''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Being one of three equal parts: ''la terza parte del raccolto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Outside a group or agreement; [[m|en|neutral]]: ''paesi terzi''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A third, one of three equal parts: ''Ha speso un terzo dello stipendio in affitto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A third person; in the plural, other people, outsiders: ''Non voglio che la cosa si sappia in giro tra terzi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(law)'' A [[m|en|third party]], a person outside a legal relationship.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[terza]]

+ * [[terzetto]]

+ * [[terzina]]

+ * [[terzino]]

+ * [[terziario]]

+ * [[terziere]]

+ * [[terzultimo]]

+ * [[terzarolo]]

+ * [[terzana]]

+ * [[rinterzare]]

+ * [[interzare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tre]]

+ * [[la|tertius]]

+ * [[fr|tiers]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''in terzo luogo'' “thirdly”, ''terza età'' “old age”, ''di terz'ordine'' “third-rate”, and ''terzo grado'' for a harsh interrogation.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011) The regiment ''terzo'', after Spanish ''tercio'', is a historical word.^(GDLI)^(DEI|3769)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}