improvviso Italian · revision 38939

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1298, Questioni filosofiche|origins=la prōvideō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /im.provˈvi.zo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''improvviso''' (feminine improvvisa, masculine plural improvvisi, feminine plural improvvise)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older and literary spelling is ''improviso'', with a single ⟨v⟩.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The TLIO records Old Italian forms such as ''inproviso'', ''emprovisa'' and ''’mproviso''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|imprōvīsus|t=unforeseen, unexpected]], a learned word.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin adjective is formed with the negative prefix [[m|la|in-]] on [[m|la|prōvīsus|t=foreseen]], the past participle of [[m|la|prōvideō|t=to foresee; to provide]], the source of [[provvedere]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(OLD 2012) DELI adds that the Latin word also served to render [[grc|ἀπρονόητος|tr=apronóētos]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The old adverb, meaning “suddenly”, continues the Latin adverb [[m|la|imprōvīsō|t=unexpectedly]], formed from the adjective.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The family of [[fr|improviser]] comes from Italian, and that of [[es|improvisar]] from French.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Tuscan ''Questioni filosofiche'' of about 1298, with the sense “appearing or happening without warning, unforeseen”.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is Giovanni Villani's chronicle (before 1348), which says of an attack on the pope: ''il presente assalto fu improviso al papa e a' suoi'' (“this attack came unexpected to the pope and his men”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian also used the word of people, for “unprepared, caught off guard”, a sense the dictionaries now mark as archaic.^(TLIO)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The adverbial use, recorded from the 13th century, is literary today: Ariosto writes ''improviso udiron quella voce'' (“suddenly they heard that voice”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) From the “unexpected” sense grew “sudden, abrupt”, which DELI dates to Torquato Tasso in 1581.^(DELI 1999) The locutions ''all'improvviso'' and ''d'improvviso'' became the usual way to say “suddenly”.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ As a noun ''improvviso'' named a piece composed on the spot, without preparation, from before 1494 (Matteo Franco).^(DELI 1999) In music it is the Romantic piano piece of free form called an [[m|en|impromptu]], such as those of Chopin.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) The verb ''improvvisare'' (1547) and ''improvvisatore'' (1722) followed, and Rigutini in 1886 defended ''improvvisazione'' (1877) against purists who called it a Gallicism.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) English borrowed the Italian word as ''improviso'' (1784), now obsolete.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1298 – The Tuscan ''Questioni filosofiche'' have the first recorded ''improvviso''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses it for an unexpected attack.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+ * Before 1494 – Matteo Franco uses ''improvviso'' as a noun for an improvised piece.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1547 – The verb ''improvvisare'' is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1581 – Torquato Tasso uses the adjective for “sudden, abrupt”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1722 – ''Improvvisatore'' “extempore poet” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1784 – English ''improviso'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1877 – ''Improvvisazione'' is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|unexpected]], [[m|en|unforeseen]], taking people by surprise: ''La notizia improvvisa ha cambiato i nostri piani.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|sudden]], abrupt: ''Ha fatto un gesto improvviso e il gatto è scappato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' Improvised, [[m|en|extempore]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(music)'' An [[m|en|impromptu]], a piece of free form in the manner of an improvisation.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' An improvised poem.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(literary)'' Suddenly, all of a sudden.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[improvvisamente]]

+ * [[improvvisare]]

+ * [[improvvisata]]

+ * [[improvvisatore]]

+ * [[improvvisazione]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[provvedere]]

+ * [[imprevisto]]

+ * [[la|improvisus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The usual adverbial phrases are ''all'improvviso'' and ''d'improvviso'', “suddenly, without warning”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) ''Morte improvvisa'' is sudden death.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}