ministro Italian · revision 38853

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=14th century, Guido da Pisa|origins=la minus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /miˈnis.tro/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ministro''' ''m'' (plural ministri, feminine ministra)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|minister|t=servant, attendant]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|minus|t=less]] with the suffix [[m|la|-ter]], which marked a contrast between two, and it forms a pair with [[m|la|magister|t=master]] from [[m|la|magis|t=more]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary reconstructs [[itc-pro|*minosteros]], and the OLD compares [[osc|minstreis]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The same Latin word gave [[amministrare]] and [[minestra]], soup served at table.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ DELI notes that the word has climbed from a plainly diminutive meaning, “servant”, to a high one.^(DELI 1999) French [[m|fr|ministre]] meant above all a servant of God from the 12th to the 16th century, and then a Protestant pastor.^(DEI|2466) The word is also [[es|ministro]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT and Nocentini date the word to the 14th century.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI's earliest dated sense is figurative, someone who defends and spreads an ideal or a principle, in Guido da Pisa in the 14th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Dante calls the sun ''lo ministro maggior della natura'', “the greatest minister of nature”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The feminine ''ministra'' is older, from the 13th century.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the older language a ''ministro'' was an official serving a prince or a power, or the executor of someone's orders;^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Manzoni calls Nibbio one of the most skilful and daring ''ministri'' of his master's crimes.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Machiavelli wrote that the choice of ''ministri'' is no small matter for a prince.^(GDLI)

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+ The sense “member of the government” is dated from Machiavelli, before 1527.^(DELI 1999) The religious sense, one who administers the sacraments, is recorded from Goldoni in 1758, and ''ministro'' is still the title of the superiors of some orders, such as the Franciscans.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) Diplomacy uses ''ministro plenipotenziario'' for an envoy below an ambassador.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – The feminine ''ministra'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 14th century – Guido da Pisa uses ''ministro'' for a champion of an ideal.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1527 – Machiavelli uses it for a member of the government.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1758 – Goldoni uses it for one who administers the sacraments.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|minister]], a member of the government who heads a department: ''la ministra della Salute''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A [[m|en|diplomat]] ranking below an ambassador: ''ministro plenipotenziario''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # One who holds an office on behalf of a higher authority, especially of God; a priest: ''ministro di Dio'', ''ministro del culto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The superior of certain religious orders.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(literary)'' An agent or executor of another's will: ''farsi ministro di concordia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ministra]]

+ * [[ministrare]]

+ * [[ministressa]]

+ * [[ministero]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[amministrare]]

+ * [[minestra]]

+ * [[maestro]]

+ * [[meno]]

+ * [[la|minister]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Primo ministro'' is the head of government, and ''ministro senza portafoglio'' a minister without a department.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The masculine is also used of women, beside the feminine ''ministra''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}