telefonata Italian · revision 38522

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1908}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /te.le.foˈna.ta/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''telefonata''' ''f'' (plural telefonate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[telefonare|t=to telephone]] with the suffix [[-ata]], the feminine of the past participle used as a noun.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) The verb (1886) is from [[telefono]], which came from [[fr|téléphone]], made of [[grc|τῆλε|tr=têle|t=far off]] and [[grc|φωνή|tr=phōnḗ|t=voice]], and spread through [[en|telephone]] after Bell's patent.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Sabatini–Coletti date the word to 1908 and Zingarelli to 1911.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) In 1911 ''L'Illustrazione Italiana'' reports that the first news of a terrible accident came by a ''telefonata'' from Tor di Quinto.^(GDLI) Nocentini, GRADIT and Devoto–Oli give 1918.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word has kept the same sense, a call made by telephone or the conversation itself.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Dictionaries distinguish ''telefonata urbana'', within one city's network, and ''interurbana'', between networks, and Treccani names the ''telefonata anonima'', made by someone who hides his name.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011) The diminutive ''telefonatina'' is a short call.^(GDLI)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1886 – The verb ''telefonare'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1908 – Sabatini–Coletti's date for ''telefonata''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ * 1911 – ''L'Illustrazione Italiana'' uses the word.^(GDLI)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1918 – Nocentini's and GRADIT's date.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|phone call]]: ''Aspetto una telefonata dal medico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A telephone [[m|en|conversation]]: ''una telefonata di due ore con la nonna''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[telefonatina]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[telefono]]

+ * [[telefonare]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Telefonata'' is also the feminine of the participle ''telefonato'', which in sport describes a weak, easily read shot.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}