baciare Italian · revision 38763

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th century, Ritmo laurenziano|origins=la bāsium}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /baˈt͡ʃa.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''baciare''' (first-person singular present bàcio, first-person singular past historic baciài, past participle baciàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms are [[roa-oit|basciare]], [[roa-oit|basare]] and [[roa-oit|bagiare]]; there is also [[scn|vasari]].^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|397)^(GDLI|1, 929)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|bāsiō|alt=bāsiāre|t=to kiss]], derived from [[m|la|bāsium|t=kiss]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(TLIO) Catullus brought the verb into Latin literature for an amorous kiss, and Martial uses it for a kiss of respect; it competed with [[m|la|ōsculor]] and [[m|la|sāvior]], and in the spoken language it replaced them, so that neither has Romance descendants.^(LEI|4, 1653)^(DEI|397)^(GDLI|1, 929) The verb lives on in [[dlm|bissuor]], [[fur|basâ]], [[fr|baiser]] (from the 10th century), [[pro|baisar]], [[ca|besar]], [[es|besar]], [[pt|beijar]] and [[sc|basare]].^(LEI|4, 1653)^(REW 1935)

+

+ De Vaan thinks the noun a loanword, since it appears late.^(de Vaan 2008) Catullus came from Verona, so it might be Celtic.^(de Vaan 2008) Many languages have a word for “kiss” in ⟨bu-⟩ with a sibilant (such as [[mga|bus|t=lip]], [[lt|bučiuoti|alt=bučiúoti|t=to kiss]], [[de|Buss]], [[en|buss]] and [[sv|puss]]), which suggests that it was imitative in origin.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The Latin ⟨-si-⟩ became /ʃ/, written ⟨sc⟩ in [[roa-oit|basciare]], the old Tuscan form (as in [[camicia|alt=camiscia]] and [[cacio|alt=cascio]]); the modern spelling ⟨c⟩ follows the Tuscan pronunciation of a soft ⟨c⟩ between vowels.^(GDLI|1, 929)^(Devoto 1968) The forms [[roa-oit|basare]] and [[scn|vasari]] are dialectal.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|1, 929)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is ''basciare'' in the Tuscan ''Ritmo laurenziano'' of the late 12th century.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) ''Basare'' is in Giacomino Pugliese in the 13th century, and ''baciare'' in Dante (1300–1313).^(DELI 1999) The TLIO lists the old uses: a kiss of love, of family affection, of respect (often on the feet), the kiss that sealed a peace, and the false kiss of Judas.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The infinitive was also used as a noun, ''il baciare'' “kissing”, from Giacomo da Lentini (about 1230–1250); Boccaccio writes of “gli amorosi baciari e i piacevoli abbracciari”, “loving kisses and pleasant embraces”.^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) The LEI traces this noun back to spoken Latin, where it replaced ''bāsium'' in Gallo-Romance and Aromanian.^(LEI|4, 1653)

+

+ The reciprocal ''baciarsi'' is recorded in 1887.^(DELI 1999) A technical sense “to touch, to fit closely” is known in Gallo-Romance from the 16th century and in Old Catalan; in Italian it gives the nautical ''a baciare'' “touching” (1797) and Pisan ''baci'' for the spots where loaves touched in the oven.^(LEI|4, 1653)^(DELI 1999) ''Baciamano'' (before 1554) imitates a Spanish custom and word, ''besamanos'';^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|4, 1653) ''baciapile'', a bigot who kisses the holy-water stoups, belongs to the age of the Counter-Reformation (before 1675).^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|4, 1653) A lucky person is ''baciato dalla fortuna''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th century – The ''Ritmo laurenziano'' has ''basciare''.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * About 1230–1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses ''baciare'' as a noun.^(TLIO)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante has the form ''baciare''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1554 – ''Baciamano'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1675 – ''Baciapile'' “bigot” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1797 – The nautical phrase ''a baciare'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1887 – Reciprocal ''baciarsi'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|kiss]] someone, out of love or affection, or something, out of respect or devotion: ''La nonna baciò i nipoti uno per uno.'' ''Baciare la mano'': to kiss someone's hand.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To touch lightly, to [[m|en|caress]] (of light, air or water): ''una spiaggia baciata dal sole''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(reciprocal, baciarsi)'' To kiss each other: ''Si baciarono sotto la pioggia.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''A baciare'': touching closely, flush (of two parts, in joinery).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[baciamano]]

+ * [[baciapile]]

+ * [[baciucchiare]]

+ * [[sbaciucchiare]]

+ * [[ribaciare]]

+ * [[baciatore]]

+ * [[combaciare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bacio]]

+ * [[la|bāsium]]

+ * [[fr|baiser]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Baciare'' as a noun (''i baciari'') is archaic and literary.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) ''Bacio le mani'' survives as a deferential greeting in Sicily.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}