perfettamente Italian · revision 38799

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=first half of the 13th century|origins=la faciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /per.fet.taˈmen.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''perfettamente'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|perfetto|-mente|t1=perfect]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011) The adjective is a learned borrowing of [[la|perfectus|t=completed]], the past participle of [[m|la|perficiō|t=to carry through, complete]], from [[m|la|per-|t=thoroughly]] and [[m|la|faciō|t=to do, make]].^(DELI 1999|perfetto)^(Nocentini 2010|perfetto) Latin had the adverb [[m|la|perfectē]].^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Prati traces the use of the adverb as an approving answer, “just so, quite right”, to [[fr|parfaitement]]; he cites Giusti for it.^(Prati 1951|761)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT and Devoto–Oli date the word to the first half of the 13th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) One of the earliest quotations is from the Sicilian poet Mazzeo di Ricco, who wrote that anything ''si può giudicare / perfettamente bona in sua natura'', can be judged perfectly good in its nature.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the adverb meant “completely, so that nothing is lacking”, as in Dante's ''Paradiso'': ''Acciò che tu assommi / perfettamente ... il tuo cammino'', so that you may perfectly complete your journey.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI) Old forms include ''perfectamente'' and ''perfetamente''.^(GDLI)

+

+ Through the dictionaries of the 19th century it also meant “excellently” and, from the French model, the approving reply.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Prati 1951|761) In current use it is often an intensifier, “completely, utterly”, before adjectives such as ''inutile'' or ''convinto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 13th century – First record.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ * 1300–1321 – Dante uses it in the ''Paradiso''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+ * 19th century – Giusti uses it as an approving answer, after French ''parfaitement''.^(Prati 1951|761)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|perfectly]], in a perfect way, very well: ''Parla perfettamente tre lingue.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[m|en|completely]], absolutely, quite: ''È perfettamente inutile insistere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # As an answer, approving fully: “exactly, just so”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Prati 1951|761)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[perfetto]]

+ * [[perfezione]]

+ * [[fr|parfaitement]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}