estate Italian · revision 38982

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250, Cielo d'Alcamo|origins=ine-pro *h₂eydʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /esˈta.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''estate''' ''f'' (plural estati)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older and popular forms are ''state'' and ''istate'';^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951)^(Treccani 2011) ''està'' is poetic and southern.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951)^(Treccani 2011) The TLIO records Old Italian forms such as ''estade'', ''istade'', ''istà'' and ''stae''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It continues [[inh|la|aestās|t=summer]], from the accusative [[m|la|aestātem]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) The older Italian forms ⟨state⟩ and ⟨istate⟩ came down by unbroken popular tradition, while ⟨estate⟩ is a learned form remodelled on the Latin word.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) The same Latin word gave [[fr|été]] and [[oc|estat]], and it is widespread in the Italian dialects.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI)

+

+ The Latin noun is related to [[m|la|aestus|t=burning heat]].^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Devoto explains it as a shortened [[m|la|*aestitās]], as [[m|la|honestās]] stands beside [[m|la|honestus]], and links it with [[m|la|aedēs|t=hearth; temple]] and [[grc|αἴθω|tr=aíthō|t=to burn]].^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*h₂eidʰ-teh₂t-|t=burning, heat]] from the root [[ine-pro|*h₂eydʰ-|t=to burn]]; he thinks the expected outcome was [[itc-pro|*aissāt-]], with the suffix ⟨-tās⟩ restored later.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first records are ''state'' in Cielo d'Alcamo, before 1250, and the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur''; the word named the season between spring and autumn, or generally the hot part of the year.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010) Guittone d'Arezzo wrote ''istate'' before 1294, and the form ''estate'' appears in Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian phrases include ''mezza estate'', the time around Saint John's day (24 June), and ''d'estate e d'inverno'', “in every season”, hence “always”.^(TLIO) Dante has the dogs that scratch ''di state'' when bitten by fleas and flies.^(GDLI|5)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The ''estate di San Martino'', mild days around 11 November, is recorded in Anton Francesco Doni in the 16th century; figuratively it is a late return of vigour in old age.^(Prati 1951)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''Estate'' also came to mean the summer holidays, and figuratively a period of flowering, as in “the summer of Romanticism”.^(GRADIT 2003) In recent use it names a city's programme of summer events, such as the ''Estate romana''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1250 – Cielo d'Alcamo uses the form ''state''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Guittone d'Arezzo writes ''istate''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''estate'' in the ''Convivio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 16th century – Doni records the ''estate di San Martino''.^(Prati 1951)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|summer]], the warmest season, between spring and autumn: ''Quest'estate ha fatto un caldo insopportabile.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The summer holidays: ''Dove andate in estate?''^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A period of greatest flowering of an art or movement.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wikizionario)

+ # A season of shows and cultural events held in a city in summer.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[estivo]]

+ * [[estivare]]

+ * [[estuario]]

+ * [[la|aestas]]

+ * [[fr|été]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Estate di San Martino'' is a spell of fine weather around 11 November, and ''estate indiana'' is the North American Indian summer.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020) The adjective for “summer” is [[estivo]], from Latin ''aestīvus''.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}