maschio Italian · revision 38849

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Guittone d'Arezzo|origins=la mās}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈmas.kjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''maschio''' ''m'' (plural maschi, diminutive maschiétto or maschiétta f (“tomboy”), augmentative maschiòtto or maschióne or maschiòtta f (“beautiful but butch girl”) or maschióna f (“masculine woman”), pejorative maschiàccio)^(Wiktionary)

+ The popular Tuscan form is ''mastio'', and old forms include ''mascolo'', ''masculo'' and ''màsgio''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI)^(DEI|2382)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|masclus]], the contracted form of [[la|masculus|t=male]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI and Nocentini give the source as [[m|la|masculus]], an adjective that later became a noun.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) It is a diminutive of [[m|la|mās|t=male]], which it replaced because the longer word was more serviceable than the monosyllable.^(DELI 1999)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The origin of [[m|la|mās]] is unknown: Nocentini finds no sure comparisons, and Devoto calls it a very old word without Indo-European connections.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The Latin word is pan-Romance: [[fr|mâle]], [[oc|mascle]], [[ca|mascle]], [[es|macho]], [[pt|macho]], [[sc|masciu|t=ram]] and [[ro|mascur|t=boar]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) Sabatini explains ⟨maschio⟩ and ⟨mastio⟩ by the loss of the vowel after the stress and the palatalization of the resulting cluster /kl/.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The learned doublets are [[mascolo]] and [[masculo]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ DELI connects the technical senses (the tool, the projecting part that fits a socket) with the sense “pig” or simply “male element” that the word has in several dialects.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Guittone d'Arezzo, before 1294, uses it as an adjective of a son: a woman rejoices in bearing ''maschio bel figlio'', a fine male child.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) Dante uses the noun in the ''Commedia'' (1300–1313) for the male of a species, and in 1313–1319 he also uses the adjective in the sense “manly, strong”.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the 14th century the noun was used of boys and men, as in the Italian Bible translations, and old texts use it of male birds and plants.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(Prati 1951|643) Petrarch's ''ogni maschio pensier'', “every manly thought”, shows the adjective's sense of strength and resolve.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ Several technical senses grew from the 15th and 16th centuries: the principal tower of a castle (before 1502, Francesco di Giorgio Martini), the relief die that strikes the hollow of a mould (before 1537, Biringuccio) and the cutting tool for threading holes (before 1597, Soderini).^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|2382) A part that fits into a matching hollow is still called ''maschio'' and the hollow ''femmina''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ The diminutive ''maschietto'' “baby boy” is recorded in Nievo (1856), and ''maschietta'', a girl of free and easy manners, came into use about 1925 as a rendering of French ''garçonne''.^(DELI 1999) ''Maschilismo'', male chauvinism, was coined from ''maschile'' on the model of ''femminismo'' and is recorded before 1937 in Gramsci.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo uses ''maschio'' as an adjective.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses the noun for the male of a species.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The sense “boy, man” appears in the Bible translations.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1502 – Francesco di Giorgio Martini uses it for the keep of a castle.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1537 – Biringuccio uses it for the relief die of a mould.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1597 – Soderini uses it for the threading tool.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1856 – Ippolito Nievo uses ''maschietto'' “baby boy”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * c. 1925 – ''Maschietta'' comes into use for a boyish girl.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1937 – Gramsci uses ''maschilismo''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|male]] person, a boy or a man, especially as opposed to a daughter: ''Hanno tre figli, tutti maschi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A male animal: ''il maschio del leone''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(biology)'' In species with separate sexes, the individual that produces the male [[m|en|gamete|alt=gametes]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(humorous)'' A strong, virile man.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(mechanics)'' A [[m|en|tap]], the tool for cutting a thread inside a hole.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(technology)'' The part of a joint or connector that fits into a matching hollow, called the ''femmina''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(building)'' The continuous part of a retaining wall between the buttresses, against the bank of earth.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(architecture)'' The [[m|en|keep]], the main tower of a medieval castle or fortress.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Male; with animal names that have one form for both sexes it is used invariably: ''un gatto maschio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Manly, [[virile]], vigorous: ''una stretta di mano maschia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(botany)'' Of a plant species or variety, the more robust or valued one beside a related one, as in ''felce maschio''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(football)'' Of play, aggressive and rough.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[maschiare]]

+ * [[maschiatura]]

+ * [[maschietta]]

+ * [[maschietto]]

+ * [[maschile]]

+ * [[maschilismo]]

+ * [[mascolinità]]

+ * [[mascolinizzare]]

+ * [[mascolino]]

+ * [[maschiaccio]]

+ * [[maschilista]]

+ * [[maschiamente]]

+ * [[maschiezza]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[maschione]]

+ * [[uomo]]

+ * [[mascolo]]

+ * [[la|masculus]]

+ * [[la|mas]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Auguri e figli maschi!'' is a traditional wish to newlyweds, and ''salute e figli maschi!'' is said to someone who sneezes.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}