largo Italian · revision 38884

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1294, Dante}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈlar.ɡo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''largo''' (feminine larga, masculine plural larghi, feminine plural larghe, superlative larghissimo, diminutive larghétto, pejorative (uncommon) largàccio)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|largus|t=abundant; generous]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) In Latin the word meant “abundant” and then “generous”, a sense kept mainly in derivatives such as [[largire]];^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) Latin said “wide” with [[m|la|lātus]], and the pairing with [[m|la|longus|t=long]] helped the Latin adjective take over that sense.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) The word is found across Romance: [[fr|large]], [[oc|larc]], [[ca|llarg]], [[es|largo|t=long]], [[pt|largo]], [[sc|largu]], [[ro|larg]] and [[dlm|luarg]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) [[cy|llary|t=generous, gentle]] was borrowed from Latin.^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin word has no sure cognates.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|2169) Walde–Hofmann and Pokorny proposed a compound “carrying fat”, but de Vaan rejects it, since the long vowel may not be original and the meaning is not convincing.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of the sense “ample, capacious” is in Dante (before 1294), who also used ''larga significazione'', a sense not limited to the letter.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The figurative sense “generous” is in a 13th-century didactic poem.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Dante also used ''largo'' for “open” and “abundant” (1300–1308), and Boccaccio for “of a given width” (1348–1353).^(DELI 1999) Used as a noun, it meant “width” in Dante, and later “the open sea, away from the coast” (1444, portolans) and “open space” (before 1764).^(DELI 1999) In music ''largo'' marks a very slow tempo: DIFIT dates the adjective to 1596 and the noun to 1640, and, from Italian it passed into English (1683), French (1705) and German (1728).^(DIFIT)

+

+ The noun “small square where several streets meet” is Neapolitan, and spread from Naples to Rome from 1907 and further.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) An English guide of 1778 already mentions the ''largos'' of Naples.^(DIFIT)^(DELI 1999) The nautical ''vento largo'', a wind on the beam, is in Ramusio (16th century).^(DEI|2169) [[tr|alarga]] comes from the Italian noun.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – ''Largo'' “generous” in a didactic poem.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Dante uses ''largo'' “ample”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it for “of a given width”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1444 – The noun “open sea” appears in portolans.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT)

+ * 1596 – The musical adjective is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1683 – English ''largo'' in music is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1778 – ''Largo'' “small square” appears in an English guide to Naples.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1907 – The sense “small square” is recorded in Rome.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|wide]], [[m|en|broad]]: ''un fiume largo e lento''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Of a given width: ''un'asse larga venti centimetri''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Ample, roomy; of clothes, [[m|en|loose]]: ''Questi pantaloni mi stanno larghi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # Of arms or legs: spread apart: ''a gambe larghe''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|generous]], free: ''È sempre largo di complimenti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Abundant, large: ''con largo anticipo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Broad, not limited to the literal meaning: ''un'interpretazione larga della norma''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(phonetics)'' Of a vowel: open.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Width: ''per il largo''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # Room, open space: ''fare largo'', to make way.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The open sea: ''al largo'', offshore.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A small square where several streets meet.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(music)'' A [[m|en|largo]], a slow movement or tempo.^(Wiktionary)^(DIFIT)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Make way!: ''Largo, largo!''^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[larghezza]]

+ * [[largheggiare]]

+ * [[largura]]

+ * [[allargare]]

+ * [[allargamento]]

+ * [[rallargare]]

+ * [[slargare]]

+ * [[slargo]]

+ * [[largamente]]

+ * [[larghetto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[largire]]

+ * [[lato]]

+ * [[la|largus]]

+ * [[fr|large]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''alla larga'' (keep away), ''prenderla alla larga'' (to come to the point in a roundabout way), ''su larga scala'' (on a large scale) and ''essere di manica larga'' (to be lenient).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}