camion Italian · revision 38906

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1875, Lessona}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈka.mjon/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''camion''' ''m'' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ Tuscan speech adapted the word as [[camione]] and [[camio]].^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|702)^(Prati 1951|215)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|camion]], kept in its French spelling.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The French word is recorded from 1352 in the form [[m|fro|chamion|t=small cart]];^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) the form with initial /k/ is Norman and Picard.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) The further origin of the French word is unknown.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|702)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ Italian stresses the first syllable, which Devoto–Oli calls an arbitrary rendering of the French pronunciation.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(DELI 1999) The small French truck, [[fr|camionnette]] (end of the 19th century), gave [[camionetta]] in 1942.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first Italian record is from 1875, in Lessona, as ''camione'': a small two-wheeled vehicle that carried earth and similar loads over short distances.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Prati dates the same use to a dictionary of 1874.^(Prati 1951|215)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The modern sense came with the motor vehicle: in 1908 Panzini noted that ''camion'' now meant the motor goods wagon, and that the people said ''càmion'' and ''càmio''.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(Prati 1951|215) Derivatives soon followed: ''camioncino'' (1923–1939, Ojetti), ''camionabile'' “passable for lorries” (1926), ''camionista'' (1935) and ''camionetta'' (1942).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The word was a target of the Fascist campaign against foreign words: an order of 1932 told newspapers to use ''camionale'' in place of ''camionabile'', and an official order of 1939 imposed ''autocarro'' in place of ''camion''.^(DELI 1999) The Royal Academy's list of foreign words in 1942 nonetheless judged that the word could stay, stressed ''càmion'' and invariable in the plural, since ''autocarro'' was common only in military use.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1352 – French ''chamion'' “cart” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1875 – Lessona records ''camione'', a small two-wheeled cart.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1908 – Panzini records ''camion'' for the motor lorry.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|215)

+ * 1926 – ''Camionabile'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1932 – A Fascist order replaces ''camionabile'' with ''camionale''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1939 – An official order imposes ''autocarro'' in place of ''camion''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1942 – ''Camionetta'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|lorry]] or [[m|en|truck]], a large motor vehicle for carrying goods: ''Il camion dei traslochi è arrivato alle otto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' A small two-wheeled [[m|en|cart]] for carrying earth and loads over short distances.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[camioncino]]

+ * [[camionetta]]

+ * [[camionista]]

+ * [[camionabile]]

+ * [[camionale]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[autocarro]]

+ * [[fr|camion]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The plural is usually invariable (''i camion''); ''camions'' and ''camioni'' are rarer.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI) A ''camion bar'' is a van or lorry fitted out to sell drinks and snacks.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}