adulto Italian · revision 38761

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1309–1310, Sienese statute|origins=la alō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /aˈdul.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''adulto''' (feminine adulta, masculine plural adulti, feminine plural adulte)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|adultus|t=grown up, fully grown]], the past participle of [[m|la|adolēscō|t=to grow up]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|66)^(GRADIT 2003) The Latin verb is an inchoative formed with [[m|la|ad-]] on [[m|la|alō|t=to nourish]], the verb that also gave [[la|altus]] and so Italian [[alto]];^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) Devoto compares [[de|alt|t=old]].^(Devoto 1968) Wiktionary takes the root back to [[ine-pro|*h₂el-]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The LEI lists only learned continuations of the Latin participle in Romance: [[ro|adult]], [[pro|adulto]] (about 1140), [[fr|adulte]], [[ca|adult]] (13th century), [[es|adulto]] (1463) and the Italian word.^(LEI|1, 862)^(Nocentini 2010) DEI calls it an international word.^(DEI|66)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is a Sienese statute of 1309–1310, where the noun means someone who is no longer a minor and can act at law.^(TLIO)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) DELI and the LEI date the word to Dante (before 1321), with the sense of a person in full physical and mental maturity.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 862)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian used ''adulto'' of human beings who had grown up, and as a noun for a grown man.^(TLIO) The use for animals and plants that have reached full growth is recorded from Federico Frezzi's ''Quadriregio'' (1416), and the adjective used as a noun from Giovanni Rucellai (1525).^(LEI|1, 862) Derivatives were few and late: ''adultivo'' “able to grow” in the 14th-century translation of Crescenzi, ''inadulto'' “not yet grown up” in Silvio Pellico (1821) and ''adultità'' “adulthood” in Alberto Savinio (before 1952).^(LEI|1, 862)

+

+ The word long kept a learned tone: Petrocchi's dictionary of 1891 marked it as not popular.^(LEI|1, 862) In the modern language it is a word of high frequency, with a figurative sense “mature, fully developed” said of a style or a society, and ''per adulti'' marks films and publications not meant for children.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1309–1310 – A Sienese statute uses ''adulto'' for a person no longer under age.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses the word.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|1, 862)

+ * 14th century – ''Adultivo'' appears in the Italian translation of Crescenzi.^(LEI|1, 862)

+ * 1416 – Frezzi applies ''adulto'' to growth in general.^(LEI|1, 862)

+ * 1525 – Rucellai uses ''adulto'' as a noun.^(LEI|1, 862)

+ * 1821 – Pellico has ''inadulto''.^(LEI|1, 862)

+ * Before 1952 – Savinio coins ''adultità''.^(LEI|1, 862)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Fully grown, having reached complete physical and mental [[m|en|maturity]]: ''Ha due figli ormai adulti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(biology)'' Of an animal or plant, fully developed and able to reproduce.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Typical of or suited to a grown person: ''una scelta adulta''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|mature]], advanced, fully developed: ''una democrazia adulta''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|adult]], a grown-up person: ''Il biglietto per gli adulti costa dieci euro.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''Per adulti'': for adults only, of a film, show or publication not suitable for children.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[adultità]]

+ * [[inadulto]]

+ * [[subadulto]]

+ * [[adultismo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[adolescente]]

+ * [[alto]]

+ * [[la|adultus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}