pesante Italian · revision 38899

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=13th century, Chiaro Davanzati|origins=la pendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /peˈzan.te/, /peˈsan.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pesante''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural pesanti, superlative pesantissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also had [[m|roa-oit|pesanti]] and [[m|roa-oit|pesente]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|pesare|-ante|t1=to weigh]], the present participle of the verb used as an adjective.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) Meyer-Lübke lists it among the derivatives of the verb, with the senses “heavy” and “tiresome”.^(REW 1935)

+

+ The verb [[pesare]] continues [[la-vul|*pēsō|alt=*pesāre]], classical [[la|pēnsō|t=to weigh]] with the loss of /n/ before /s/; the classical form came back as the learned [[pensare]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) The Latin verb comes from [[m|la|pēnsus]], the past participle of [[m|la|pendō|t=to hang; to weigh]].^(Nocentini 2010) The same verb is [[fr|peser]], [[oc|pezar]], [[ca|pesar]], [[es|pesar]] and [[pt|pesar]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Chiaro Davanzati, in the 13th century, in the sense “that weighs”: “Nonn-è al mondo cosa sì pesante / ch'i' no gli truovi contro amovimento” (there is nothing in the world so heavy that I cannot find a way to move it).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) The figurative sense “tiresome, irksome” is also recorded in the 13th century, in an anonymous poem.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Fra Giordano explained that a thing is called heavy not by its size but by its substance, and Leonardo wrote of the wings that keep the “pesante aquila” (heavy eagle) up in the thin air.^(GDLI) The sense “serious, worrying”, as in ''parola pesante'' and ''condizioni pesanti'', is recorded in Tommaseo's dictionary in 1871.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Modern Italian uses the word of warm, thick clothes, of food that is hard to digest, of a heavy head or stomach, of stale air, of slow, clumsy movement, of over-ornate buildings and of a laboured style.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Technical phrases include ''acqua pesante'' “heavy water”, ''industria pesante'', ''artiglieria pesante'' and ''droga pesante'' “hard drug”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) As a musical direction, ''pesante'' “weighty” was borrowed into German (1802), French and English (19th century).^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – Chiaro Davanzati uses ''pesante'' “heavy”.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * 13th century – An anonymous poem uses it for “tiresome”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1802 – German takes ''pesante'' as a musical term.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1812 – The musical sense “grave, imposing” of a voice is recorded in Italian.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1871 – Tommaseo records ''parola pesante'' and ''condizioni pesanti'' “serious”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|heavy|alt=Heavy]], of great or relatively great weight: ''uno zaino troppo pesante''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Thick and [[m|en|warm]] (of fabric or clothes).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Hard to [[m|en|digest]] (of food or a meal).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Weighed down, oppressed (of the head, stomach, eyes); deep (of sleep).^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # Stale, unpleasant (of a smell or air); ''(figurative)'' tense (of a situation).^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # Slow and [[m|en|clumsy]], lacking agility: ''un passo pesante''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Too massive or too ornate (of a building or furniture); too marked (of make-up).^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Tiresome, tedious, [[m|en|oppressive]]; hard to bear: ''un clima pesante in ufficio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Serious, grave (of words, conditions, an accusation).^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Heavily, ''andarci pesante'', to go too far, to be harsh.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pesantezza]]

+ * [[pesantemente]]

+ * [[pesantone]]

+ * [[superpesante]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pesare]]

+ * [[peso]]

+ * [[pensare]]

+ * [[fr|pesant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}