ladro Italian · revision 38732

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=early 13th century, Uguccione da Lodi|origins=la latro}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈla.dro/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ladro''' ''m'' (plural ladri, feminine ladra)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|latro]], [[roa-oit|laro]], [[roa-oit|lar]], [[roa-oit|lairo]] and [[roa-oit|laire]].^(TLIO) The feminine is ''ladra''.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|latro|t=highwayman, robber]], continued in the nominative (or, as Bonfante held, the vocative) form, not in the accusative, which gave the doublet [[ladrone]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) The voiced /d/ in place of /t/ shows that the word spread from the northern dialects;^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI|8, 686) GDLI calls it a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI|8, 686) In Latin the word gradually replaced [[la|fur|t=thief]] in the sense “thief”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|8, 686) The same word is [[fr|larron]] (Old French [[m|fro|lerre]], [[m|fro|larron]]), [[pro|laire]], [[m|pro|lairon]], [[ca|lladre]], [[es|ladrón]] and [[pt|ladrão]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) Romance has both nominative and accusative forms.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin word first meant “mercenary soldier”, a borrowing of an institution unknown at Rome, and came down to “highway robber”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini takes it from [[grc|λάτρον|tr=látron|t=pay, hire]] and [[m|grc|λατρεύς|tr=latreús|t=hired servant]]; the OLD thinks of an unrecorded [[m|grc|*λάτρων|tr=*látrōn]], and Beekes, who sees the Greek words as Pre-Greek, also derives the Latin from such an unrecorded form.^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Others connect the Greek words with [[ine-pro|*leh₂t-|t=to grant; to possess]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the ''Libro'' of Uguccione da Lodi, of Cremona, from the early 13th century;^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) DELI cites Paolo Zoppo, also of the 13th century.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) The sense is the one it still has: someone who takes what belongs to others, by stealth or by force.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used ''ladro'' for the two thieves crucified with Christ, ''ladro di mare'' for a pirate, and the cry ''al ladro!'', “stop thief!”.^(TLIO) The adjective “thieving” is in Boccaccio (before 1375), and figuratively ''ladro'' meant “wicked” and, of eyes, “seductive”; the sense “very bad” is from the 14th century.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) Dante's thieves are in the eighth circle: “ladro a la sagrestia d'i belli arredi” (“a thief of the sacristy's fine furnishings”, ''Inferno'' 24).^(GDLI|8, 686) Writers who imitated Latin still kept apart the ''ladro'', who comes in secret, and the ''ladrone'', who robs in the open country (Segneri, 1686).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ''Ladro in guanti gialli'', a thief with the look of a gentleman, is often credited to Giusti, but DELI shows that he wrote ''martire in guanti gialli'' (1846), on which many similar phrases were made.^(DELI 1999) Tuscan ''ladra'' is an inside pocket of a jacket (1863), and ''ladro'' a stray bit of wick that makes a candle burn down on one side.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Early 13th century – Uguccione da Lodi uses ''ladro''.^(TLIO)

+ * 13th century – Paolo Zoppo uses it.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1375 – Boccaccio uses ''ladro'' as an adjective.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The figurative sense “very bad” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1846 – Giusti coins ''martire in guanti gialli'', the model for ''ladro in guanti gialli''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1863 – ''Ladra'' “inside pocket” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1882 – Carducci uses ''ladruncolo'' “petty thief”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|thief]], someone who steals: ''I ladri sono entrati dalla finestra del bagno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(by extension)'' Someone who gets rich dishonestly at others' expense, or who charges far too much: ''Quel meccanico è un ladro!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(Tuscan)'' A bit of [[m|en|wick]] that falls on the candle and makes it burn down on one side.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(printing)'' A scrap of paper caught between the forme and the sheet, which leaves part of the page unprinted.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Thieving, [[m|en|dishonest]]: ''un socio ladro''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Very bad, wretched (of weather and the like).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ladra]]

+ * [[ladresco]]

+ * [[ladruncolo]]

+ * [[ladreria]]

+ * [[ladramente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ladrone]]

+ * [[ladrocinio]]

+ * [[latrocinio]]

+ * [[la|latro]]

+ * [[fr|larron]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Fixed phrases include ''ladro di galline'' (a petty thief), ''ladro di cuori'' (a heartbreaker), ''tempo da ladri'' (foul weather), ''guardie e ladri'' (cops and robbers) and the proverb ''l'occasione fa l'uomo ladro'' (“opportunity makes the thief”).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}