traffico Italian · revision 39040

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=1294, Sienese letter|origins=la faex}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈtraf.fi.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''traffico''' ''m'' (plural traffici)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[m|roa-oit|trafico]], [[m|roa-oit|trafago]] and [[m|roa-oit|trafeo]];^(TLIO)^(GDLI) Venetian had [[m|vec|trafego]].^(TLIO)^(GDLI) The old plural was ''traffichi'', and Old Italian also had a feminine plural ''le traffiche''.^(GDLI)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[der|it|trafficare|t=to trade; to busy oneself]], a noun formed from the verb without a suffix.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO) The origin of the verb is much discussed.^(DELI 1999) Migliorini, whom DELI and Nocentini follow, saw in it a loan from [[ca|trafegar|t=to decant, to pour from one vessel to another]], reaching Italy at the end of the 13th century with the sense “to bustle, to handle”; the commercial sense became dominant in 14th-century Italy.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The Catalan verb is from [[la-vul|*transfaecō|alt=*tra(n)sfaecāre|t=to decant, freeing from the lees]], from [[m|la|faex|t=dregs, lees]] with the prefix [[m|la|trans-|t=across]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999) Malkiel answered Corominas's objections to this etymology.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Other proposals are [[la-vul|*extraficō|alt=*extraficāre]], [[m|la-vul|*transficō|alt=*tra(ns)ficāre]] or [[m|la-vul|*traficcō|alt=*traficcāre]], and [[ar|تَفْرِيق|tr=tafrīq|t=distribution]], reshaped on the prefix [[tra-]].^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) Etymonline and Wiktionary also mention a Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*transfricō|alt=*transfricāre|t=to rub across]], from [[m|la|fricō|t=to rub]].^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is a Sienese letter of 1294, for trade, the transfer of goods from one party to another.^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI dates the noun to Giovanni Villani, before 1348, who names the trade in grain as one of the causes of a quarrel over the Commune's accounts.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian also used the word for any dealing or contact with something, for social relations, and for business or bustle in general, as of people coming and going.^(TLIO) The great sea trade of the Italian merchant cities spread the verb and the noun abroad: [[fr|trafic]] is recorded from 1339, and [[en|traffic]], about 1500, came through French ''trafique'' from the Italian noun.^(DIFIT)^(Etymonline)^(Nocentini 2010) German had Austrian ''Trafik'' from the 16th century, which now means a tobacconist's shop.^(DIFIT)

+

+ The sense “illicit trade” is recorded in Florio's dictionary (1598, ''trafico'').^(DELI 1999) The modern sense “movement of vehicles and people in the streets”, recorded from 1917, is due to English ''traffic'', so the word came back to Italian with a meaning it had acquired abroad.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Treccani 2011) Telecommunications added the volume of messages sent over a network.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1294 – A Sienese letter has the first record.^(TLIO)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1339 – French ''traffic'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses the noun.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1500 – English ''traffic'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1598 – Florio records ''trafico'' for illicit trade.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – The sense “movement of business” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1917 – The sense “movement of vehicles and people” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|trade]], commerce, especially the great sea and colonial trade of the past: ''il traffico delle spezie con l'Oriente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Illicit trade, [[m|en|trafficking]]: ''un traffico di armi scoperto dalla polizia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The movement of vehicles, passengers and goods, by sea, air or rail: ''il traffico aereo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Road [[m|en|traffic]]; heavy, congested traffic: ''Siamo arrivati tardi per colpa del traffico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative, colloquial)'' Bustle, people coming and going: ''Che traffico c'è oggi in ufficio!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(telecommunications)'' The volume of messages or data sent over a network.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[antitraffico]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[trafficare]]

+ * [[trafficante]]

+ * [[trafficatorio]]

+ * [[traffichino]]

+ * [[ca|trafegar]]

+ * [[en|traffic]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare traffico di qualcosa'' is to make a trade of something that should not be sold, such as offices or votes.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Zona a traffico limitato'' (ZTL) is a city area closed to most private cars.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}