gioia Italian · revision 39024

+ Italian has two nouns spelled ''gioia'': one means “joy” and comes from French, the other means “jewel” and is probably taken from [[gioiello]].^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ {{homograph|1|joy}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century, Proverbia que dicuntur|origins=la gaudeō}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈd͡ʒɔ.ja/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gioia''' ''f'' (plural gioie)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun meaning “joy” is [[bor|fro|joie]] (1080), from [[la-lat|gaudia]], the plural of [[la|gaudium|t=joy, delight]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI notes that the plural was already more frequent than the singular in Plautus and later, partly for metrical reasons, prevailed entirely; taken as a feminine singular, it gave the French word.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) The Provençal lyric passed on its masculine [[pro|joi]], much used by the Sicilian poets, and the TLIO derives the masculine [[roa-oit|gioi]] from it.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) The inherited outcomes of the Latin word are northern dialect forms such as Piedmontese [[m|pms|goi]], and [[ca|goig]].^(REW 1935) The French word also gave [[en|joy]].^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ The Latin noun comes from [[m|la|gaudeō|t=to be glad, to rejoice]], which de Vaan traces to [[ine-pro|*ǵeh₂u-]] “to rejoice” with a suffix; it is related to [[grc|γηθέω|tr=gēthéō|t=to rejoice]].^(de Vaan 2008) The learned doublet is [[gaudio]].^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur'', of the late 12th century.^(TLIO) DELI's first record is the 13th-century poet Rinaldo d'Aquino, for a state of intense gladness; a ''cortese portamento'' “courteous bearing” gives him joy and sure confidence.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|6, 810)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Already in the 13th century the word was used for a person or thing that gives joy (Chiaro Davanzati), for the bliss of the saints, and ironically for a worthless rogue.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) Iacopone da Todi took up the troubadours' ''gioia d'amore'' in a strictly mystical key.^(DELI 1999) Foscolo's line ''Gioia promette e manda pianto Amore'' (“Love promises joy and sends tears”) shows the literary use.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ Modern Italian uses it for great gladness and its causes, often ironically (''che gioia!'' of a boring task), and colloquially ''mai una gioia!'' “never any luck” is a complaint that one's hopes are always disappointed.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1080 – French ''joie'' is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Late 12th century – ''Gioia'' appears in the Venetian ''Proverbia que dicuntur''.^(TLIO)

+ * 13th century – Rinaldo d'Aquino uses it for gladness.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – Chiaro Davanzati uses it for a person who gives joy.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1249 – Pier della Vigna uses the adjective ''gioioso''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|joy]], deep [[allegria|alt=gladness]] and contentment: ''Quando ha saputo la notizia è scoppiata a piangere di gioia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A person or thing that makes one happy: ''Quel nipotino è la gioia del nonno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # (usually plural) A pleasure, a [[soddisfazione|alt=satisfaction]]: ''le gioie della vita di campagna''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(ironic)'' Annoyance: ''Che gioia, un'altra riunione!''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gioioso]]

+ * [[gioire]]

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+ {{homograph|2|jewel}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=back-formation|attested=before 1250, Giacomo da Lentini|origins=la iocus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈd͡ʒɔ.ja/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gioia''' ''f'' (plural gioie)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun meaning “jewel” is probably extracted [[der|it|gioiello|t=jewel]], with the feminine gender of its synonyms [[gemma]] and [[perla]], and with the influence of the word for joy.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) DELI also allows that it is the same word as the one meaning “joy”.^(DELI 1999) Zingarelli takes it from French, extracted from the Old French word for jewel.^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ The longer noun is [[fro|joel|alt=jo(i)el]] (1175), from [[la-vul|*iocāle|t=thing of play]], from [[la|iocus|t=jest, game]]; the French word was associated with [[m|fro|joie]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Giacomo da Lentini, before 1250: “Ogni gioia ch'è più rara / tenut'è più preziosa” (“Every jewel that is rarer / is held more precious”).^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(GDLI|6, 812)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Marco Polo's translator says that coral is held a great jewel in one province, and Castiglione compares a setting that makes a jewel more beautiful to art.^(GDLI|6, 812) As a figure, a ''gioia'' is a person or thing much loved, and the word is used affectionately in address: ''gioia mia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) In artillery a ''gioia'' was a metal ring strengthening the muzzle or breech of old guns.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1175 – Old French ''joel'' “jewel” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses ''gioia'' for a precious stone.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * 1946 – Pisani proposes that the noun is extracted from ''gioiello''.^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # (usually plural) A [[m|en|jewel]], a precious stone or piece of jewellery: ''Teneva le sue gioie in un cofanetto d'argento.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A much-loved or valued person or thing, also as an affectionate form of address: ''Vieni, gioia, è pronta la cena!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(historical)'' A metal ring reinforcing the [[volata|alt=muzzle]] or breech of old artillery pieces.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[portagioie]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gaudio]]

+ * [[godere]]

+ * [[gioiello]]

+ * [[la|gaudium]]

+ * [[fr|joie]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Darsi alla pazza gioia'' means to throw oneself into merrymaking.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) A third, now obsolete ''gioia'' was the ordinary ship's compass, named after Flavio Gioia of Amalfi, long said to have invented it;^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI)^(DEI|1812) Zingarelli dates it to 1889.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI)^(DEI|1812)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}