civile Italian · revision 38836

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1260–1261, Brunetto Latini, Rettorica|origins=la cīvis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /t͡ʃiˈvi.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''civile''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural civili, superlative civilissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|cevile]], [[roa-oit|civil]] and [[roa-oit|civigle]].^(TLIO) The form [[nap|cevile]] is found in Naples.^(LEI|14, 895)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|cīvīlis|t=of a citizen; public; courteous]], from [[m|la|cīvis|t=citizen]] with the suffix [[m|la|-īlis]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The LEI notes that Latin already used it both for what belongs to the citizen and for the state and its law as opposed to the church or the nobility, the two lines of meaning that continue in Italian.^(LEI|14, 895) The corresponding [[fr|civil]] (from 1330), [[ca|civil]] (from 1284) and [[es|civil]] (from 1169) are learned too.^(LEI|14, 895)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ DELI quotes Bruno Migliorini's remark that Italian has many more words reflecting the outlook of townspeople than of peasants: this word and [[urbano]] against [[rustico]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is Brunetto Latini's ''Rettorica'' (about 1260–1261), where the word is used of the life and customs of a city community and of a battle between citizens.^(TLIO)^(LEI|14, 895) DELI gives Latini (before 1294) for the sense “of the citizen as a member of a state”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante (before 1321) used it for a people that has reached a high degree of civilization, and also for strife within a city, in ''Paradiso'' 11: ''chi rubare, e chi civil negozio'', “one robbing, another busy with public affairs”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(LEI|14, 895) In the law the word distinguished private law from criminal and canon law from the 14th century.^(TLIO) From about 1492 it is said of the civilian as opposed to the clergy and the army, and the noun “private citizen, bourgeois” is recorded before 1475 in Matteo Palmieri.^(LEI|14, 895)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ From the sense “belonging to life in society” came “well-mannered, decent”, already in Latin.^(LEI|14, 895)^(Nocentini 2010) Regionally ''civile'' was a person of the upper classes, and in the Marche it still means “of fair, delicate skin”, the skin of those who did not work in the sun.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Cortelazzo & Marcato 1998) ''Stato civile'' is a calque of French ''état civil''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Of the derivatives, ''civiltà'' is recorded as ''civilitade'' in Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308), while ''civilizzare'' and ''civilizzazione'' are French ''civiliser'' and ''civilisation''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * About 1260–1261 – Brunetto Latini uses ''civile'' in the ''Rettorica''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''civilitade'' in the ''Convivio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for a civilized people.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1475 – Matteo Palmieri uses it as a noun for a private citizen.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1492 – The sense “civilian, not military or clerical” is recorded.^(LEI|14, 895)

+ * 1673 – ''Civilista'' “civil lawyer” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1684 – Gregorio Leti uses ''civilizzare''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of the [[m|en|citizen|alt=citizens]] of a state and their life together: ''i diritti civili''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # [[m|en|civilian]], not military or religious: ''un matrimonio civile''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Inspired by the values of the community: ''poesia civile''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(law)'' Of [[m|en|civil law]], as opposed to criminal law: ''una causa civile''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|civilized]], having reached a high degree of [[civiltà]]: ''un paese civile''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Polite, well-behaved; decent: ''Comportati in modo civile!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A civilian: ''I civili furono evacuati dalla città.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(regional)'' A member of the nobility or the wealthy middle class.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[civilista]]

+ * [[civilizzare]]

+ * [[civilizzatore]]

+ * [[civilizzazione]]

+ * [[civiltà]]

+ * [[incivile]]

+ * [[inciviltà]]

+ * [[incivilire]]

+ * [[rincivilire]]

+ * [[civilistico]]

+ * [[civilmente]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[città]]

+ * [[cive]]

+ * [[civico]]

+ * [[cittadino]]

+ * [[la|civilis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Guerra civile'' is a war between citizens of the same state, ''codice civile'' the civil code, and ''costituirsi parte civile'' to join criminal proceedings as the injured party claiming damages.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}