interessato Italian · revision 38724

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=14th century, Statutes of the Arte della Seta|origins=la intersum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /in.te.resˈsa.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''interessato''' (feminine interessata, masculine plural interessati, feminine plural interessate, superlative interessatissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the past participle of [[interessare|t=to interest; to concern]], used as an adjective and a noun.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The verb was formed on [[interesse]], a learned word from [[la-med|intersum|alt=interesse]], a legal term for “advantage, profit”: the classical infinitive of the impersonal [[la|intersum|alt=interest|t=it matters]], literally “it is between”, from [[m|la|inter|t=between]] and [[m|la|sum|alt=esse|t=to be]], used as a noun.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) GRADIT sets [[fr|intéresser]], recorded in 1423, beside the Italian verb, and DELI notes that the purists of the early 19th century rejected several of its senses as French.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is the noun, in the 14th-century statutes of the Florentine silk guild, for a person who has an interest in something.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The adjective “having an interest” is first found in Benvenuto Cellini, before 1571, of a man with a stake in selling a large diamond to the Duke.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century ''interessato'' took the moral sense “greedy, out for one's own advantage”: DELI's first record is Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger (1618), whose ''Fiera'' lists ''Interessati, avari, e ambizïosi'' (“the self-interested, the greedy and the ambitious”).^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The opposite ''disinteressato'' followed in the same century.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The economic sense “having a share in a business” is still used, and modern Italian adds “affected by”, of areas reached by bad weather or organs reached by disease.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) In bureaucratic use ''l'interessato'' is the person concerned, and ''il diretto interessato'' the person most directly involved.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 14th century – The noun ''interessato'' appears in the statutes of the Arte della Seta.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ * Before 1571 – Cellini uses the adjective.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * 1618 – Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger uses it for a self-seeking person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 17th century – ''Disinteressato'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|interested]] (in something, with ''a''): ''Sono molto interessato al tuo progetto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Having a share or a stake in a business or affair (with ''in''): ''È interessato in una società di trasporti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|self-interested]], acting for one's own gain; of an act, dictated by self-interest: ''Quel regalo mi sembra un gesto interessato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Affected or involved (with ''da''): ''Il quartiere interessato dai lavori resterà chiuso al traffico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who is interested in something: ''Gli interessati riceveranno una lettera.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(bureaucratic)'' The person concerned: ''il diretto interessato''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[interessatamente]]

+ * [[disinteressato]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[interessare]]

+ * [[interesse]]

+ * [[interessante]]

+ * [[cointeressato]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}