stanco Italian · revision 38543

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=borrowing|attested=mid-13th century|origins=la stagnum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈstan.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''stanco''' (feminine stanca, masculine plural stanchi, feminine plural stanche, superlative stanchissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is disputed.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Nocentini and Devoto–Oli see it as [[bor|pro|estanc|t=exhausted]], the short past participle of [[m|pro|estancar|t=to exhaust, to dry up]], from [[m|pro|estanc|t=pool]], from [[la-vul|*stangum]], for classical [[la|stagnum|t=pond]]; the ⟨gn⟩ of the Latin word was reversed to ⟨ng⟩ in Vulgar Latin.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The meaning would have passed from “drained, exhausted” to “tired”, as in the synonym [[stracco]] and in [[fr|épuisé|t=exhausted]], from [[m|fr|puits|t=well]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ DEI, followed by Meyer-Lübke, assumes instead [[la-vul|*stancus]] found across the Romance languages, which can't be an old French loan because of [[ro|stâng|t=left]]; the same word is [[fro|estanc|t=weak, exhausted]].^(DEI|3617)^(REW 1935) Its origin is unknown: DEI mentions a crossing of “stracco” with [[manco|t=left; lacking]], the explanation Devoto gives, but DELI finds it unconvincing.^(DEI|3617)^(Devoto 1968)^(DELI 1999) Meyer-Lübke rejected a link with Latin “stagnum” as impossible in form and meaning, and the ⟨g⟩ of Romanian “stâng” and [[pt|estanguido|t=exhausted]] is unexplained.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3617) Wiktionary explains “stanco” as the Tuscan short participle of [[stancare]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini dates the word to the mid-13th century;^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Monte Andrea's poems compare it to soldiers tired in battle, and DELI's and GRADIT's first date is Dante (1304–1308), with the sense “weakened by effort and in need of rest”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante also used ''mano stanca'' for the left hand, the weaker one, a sense that is now obsolete: “volgemmo e discendemmo a mano stanca” (“we turned and went down on the left hand”).^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(DEI|3617) This is the same development as Romanian ''stâng'' and Old Italian ''mano stanca'' “left hand”.^(REW 1935)

+

+ The sense “weary of doing something” appears in Manzoni's ''Promessi sposi'' (1825–1827), and “no longer able to bear” in 1836.^(DELI 1999) In 1607 the word was used of running water that has lost its force, and in later use it describes exhausted soil (''terreno stanco''), a slack market and a worn printing plate.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Stanco morto'' means “dead tired”, and ''nato stanco'' “born tired” is said jokingly of a lazy person.^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) English briefly borrowed the word as ''stank'' “weary” (1579).^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-13th century – ''Stanco'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses the verb ''stancare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani has ''stanchezza''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1579 – English ''stank'' “weary” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1607 – It is used of running water that has lost its force.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1825–1827 – Manzoni uses it for “weary of doing something”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|tired]], [[m|en|weary]]: worn out by physical or mental effort and in need of rest: ''Dopo la partita i giocatori erano stanchi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Showing tiredness: ''Mi ha risposto con una voce stanca.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Weary of something or someone, [[m|en|fed up]] (with ''di''): ''Sono stanca di aspettare il tram.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Lacking fresh energy or creativity, [[m|en|jaded]]: ''una vena poetica ormai stanca''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of soil, exhausted by continuous cultivation; of a market, slack; of a printing plate or an old binding, worn.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' [[m|en|left]]: ''mano stanca'', the left hand.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stancare]]

+ * [[stanchezza]]

+ * [[stanca]]

+ * [[stancabile]]

+ * [[instancabile]]

+ * [[stancamente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stracco]]

+ * [[stagno]]

+ * [[ro|stâng]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Stanco morto'' means “exhausted”, and ''nato stanco'' is a joking label for a lazy person.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) In Ligurian and on Elba ''stanco'' is also a noun meaning “tobacconist's”, from Spanish ''estanco''.^(Cortelazzo & Marcato 1998|465)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}