terapia Italian · revision 39033

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1828|origins=grc θεράπων}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /te.raˈpi.a/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''terapia''' ''f'' (plural terapie)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-new|therapia|alt=therapīa]], a learned word of medicine, from [[grc|θεραπεία|tr=therapeía|t=service; care, medical treatment]].^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|3756)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The Greek noun belongs to [[m|grc|θεραπεύω|tr=therapeúō|t=to serve, take care of, treat]], derived from [[m|grc|θεράπων|tr=therápōn|t=servant, attendant, squire]], a word of uncertain origin.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(Zingarelli 2010) DELI notes that the Greek service could be rendered to the gods in worship, to people by medical treatment, and to plants by growing them.^(DELI 1999) The same word is [[fr|thérapie]] and [[es|terapia]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The related [[terapeutica]] “the science of treatment” is older in Italian: Nocentini dates it before 1577, from Late Latin [[m|la-lat|therapeutica]], which first appears in Cassiodorus.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) [[terapeutico]] dates from 1805.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The noun became a productive second element of learned compounds such as [[idroterapia]] and [[chemioterapia]].^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|3756)^(Prati 1951|987)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to 1828.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Prati cites Leone (1828).^(Prati 1951|987) DELI's first records are from 1829: in Marchi's dictionary of learned words it is the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of disease, and in Fantonetti it is the treatment itself.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Tommaseo–Bellini distinguished the two words: ''terapeutica'' for the treatment of diseases in general, ''terapia'' for the treatment of a given illness.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) In the 20th century the word acquired many fixed phrases, such as ''terapia intensiva'' (intensive care), ''terapia d'urto'' (a massive initial dose) and ''terapia del dolore'' (pain management).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ In everyday use ''terapia'' now also stands for [[psicoterapia]]: ''essere in terapia'' is to be in therapy.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) A figurative sense, a set of measures to remedy an unfavourable situation such as a state deficit, is also current.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1577 – ''Terapeutica'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1805 – ''Terapeutico'' and ''terapeutica'' appear in D'Alberti's dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1828 – ''Terapia'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1829 – Marchi and Fantonetti use ''terapia''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1940 – ''Terapeuta'' “therapist” is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1961 – ''Terapista'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(medicine)'' The treatment of a disease; the measures and remedies used to cure or prevent it: ''Il medico le ha prescritto una terapia a base di antibiotici.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(medicine)'' The branch of medicine concerned with treatment; [[terapeutica]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' [[psicoterapia|alt=Psychotherapy]]: ''Da un anno va in terapia due volte alla settimana.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A set of measures to remedy a negative situation: ''Il governo propone una terapia d'urto per l'economia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[terapeutico]]

+ * [[terapeutica]]

+ * [[terapeuta]]

+ * [[terapista]]

+ * [[terapico]]

+ * [[chemioterapia]]

+ * [[fisioterapia]]

+ * [[psicoterapia]]

+ * [[idroterapia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cura]]

+ * [[grc|θεραπεία|tr=therapeía]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''terapia intensiva'' “intensive care”, ''terapia d'urto'' “aggressive initial treatment” (also figurative), ''terapia del dolore'' “pain therapy” and ''terapia di gruppo'' “group therapy”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}