assurdo Italian · revision 38542

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 14th century, Cicerone volgarizzato|origins=la surdus}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /asˈsur.do/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''assurdo''' (feminine assurda, masculine plural assurdi, feminine plural assurde, superlative assurdissimo)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|absurdus|t=out of tune; senseless]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The earliest form is [[roa-oit|assordo]], in a translation of Cicero of the early 14th century;^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 198) “assurdo” became usual in the 16th century.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 198) The same word is [[fr|absurde]] and [[es|absurdo]].^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ The Latin adjective is [[m|la|ab-]] with [[m|la|surdus|t=deaf; dull-sounding]], so that its first sense was “out of tune, discordant”, close to [[la|absonus|t=out of tune]];^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI)^(DEI|336)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary explains it as a blend of “absonus” and “surdus”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI)^(DEI|336)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini connects “surdus” with an imitative root “sur-”, found also in [[la|susurrus|t=whisper]], and Devoto with a root “*swer-”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) The derivative “absurditās” meant “dissonance” in the grammarians and took the sense “absurdity” only in Late Latin.^(DEI|336)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The earliest record is ''assordo'' in the ''Cicerone volgarizzato'' of the early 14th century: “no thing can be more absurd than to seek more money for the road the less of it remains”; the TLIO's first example is in Jacopo della Lana's commentary on the ''Purgatorio'' (Bologna, 1324–1328).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(TLIO) The sense is “contrary to logic or to common sense”.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun ''assurdo'' “an absurdity, a contradiction” is recorded before 1602 (Serdonati) and in Galileo, who speaks of another graver ''assurdo''.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(LEI|1, 198) ''Assurdità'' (before 1573, Giannotti) and ''assurdamente'' (1540, Guicciardini) followed.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 198)

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+ Logic gave the phrases ''riduzione all'assurdo'' (1845) and ''dimostrazione per assurdo'', proof by contradiction, and ''per assurdo'' “supposing the impossible”.^(LEI|1, 198)^(Treccani 2011) The ''teatro dell'assurdo'' is the 20th-century theatre of the absurd.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) In everyday use the adjective has weakened to “strange, incredible” and, colloquially, “excessive”, as of a price.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 14th century – ''Assordo'' appears in the ''Cicerone volgarizzato''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1324–1328 – Jacopo della Lana uses ''assurdo''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1540 – Guicciardini has ''assurdamente''.^(LEI|1, 198)

+ * Before 1573 – Giannotti has ''assurdo'' and ''assurdità''.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 198)

+ * Before 1602 – Serdonati uses ''assurdo'' as a noun.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1845 – ''Riduzione all'assurdo'' is recorded.^(LEI|1, 198)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|absurd]]: contrary to logic, reason or common sense: ''un'accusa assurda''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Strange, hard to believe: ''Ci siamo trovati in una situazione assurda.'' Of a person, odd, eccentric.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Excessive, out of all proportion: ''Chiedono una cifra assurda per l'affitto.''^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|absurdity]], something contrary to reason: ''Quello che dici è un assurdo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(logic)'' ''Dimostrazione per assurdo'': [[m|en|proof by contradiction]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[assurdità]]

+ * [[assurdamente]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sordo]]

+ * [[sussurro]]

+ * [[la|absurdus]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Per assurdo'' means “for the sake of argument, supposing the impossible”.^(Treccani 2011) Zingarelli distinguishes ''assurdo'' (against common sense) from ''illogico'' (against logic) and ''incoerente'' (lacking consistency).^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}