politico Italian · revision 39053

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1312, Ugo Panziera|origins=grc πόλις}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /poˈli.ti.ko/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''politico''' (feminine politica, masculine plural politici, feminine plural politiche)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote ''pulitico''; the TLIO lists the feminine plural ''pollitiche'' and the Latin-looking ''politice''.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|polīticus|t=of citizens, political]], from [[grc|πολιτικός|tr=politikós|t=of or concerning citizens; of the state]], the adjective of [[m|grc|πολίτης|tr=polítēs|t=citizen]], from [[m|grc|πόλις|tr=pólis|t=city]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Prati 1951|791) The noun [[politica]] is the Greek feminine [[m|grc|πολιτική|tr=politikḗ]], short for “the political art”, and is recorded in Italian earlier than the adjective, before 1294 in Brunetto Latini.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The same learned word is [[fr|politique]] and [[es|político]], and it spread to the other European languages.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Two later formations were modelled on other languages: [[politicizzare]] follows the English verb [[m|en|politicize]] (1758), and the recent phrase [[m|it|politica politicante]] copies the French phrase [[m|fr|politique politicienne]].^(DELI 1999) English borrowed [[m|en|politico]], from Italian or Spanish, in 1630, often with a pejorative tone.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is a letter of Ugo Panziera, written in western Tuscany in 1312;^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) DELI gives the 14th-century ''Fiorità d'Italia''.^(TLIO)^(DELI 1999) In Old Italian the adjective described civil life in an organized community, especially as the mark of human nature, the moral teaching on which life together rests (as against theology), and laws issued by a lay authority (as against canon law).^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Aristotle's definition of man as a political animal kept the old sense alive: Giacomini writes that man is by nature a ''politico'' animal, born not for himself alone but for friends, family and country.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The noun for a statesman appears in 1585, in Figliucci, and already before 1540 Guicciardini uses it for a person who knows how to act and speak shrewdly in any situation.^(DELI 1999) The augmentative ''politicone'' “very wily person” is in Tassoni (before 1635), and the scornful ''politicante'' “self-seeking amateur politician” from 1834.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ In modern Italian the adjective covers everything that concerns government and public life, with many set phrases (''prigioniero politico'', ''asilo politico'', ''elezioni politiche''), and the noun names a professional politician.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) The figurative sense “diplomatic, tactically clever” is still alive.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses the noun ''politica''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1312 – Ugo Panziera's letter has the adjective ''politico''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1540 – Guicciardini uses ''politico'' for a shrewd, adroit person.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1585 – Figliucci uses it as a noun, “statesman”.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT)

+ * 1630 – English ''politico'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1834 – ''Politicante'' appears in the Milanese press.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1950 – ''Politicizzare'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|political]]: concerning [[politica|alt=politics]], the government of the state and the running of public life: ''Il paese sta attraversando una grave crisi politica.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Done for political purposes, or taking part in politics: ''un partito politico'', ''uno sciopero politico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Dealing with politics as a subject: ''Legge soprattutto le pagine politiche del giornale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Social by nature, in Aristotle's phrase ''l'uomo è un animale politico''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[diplomatico|alt=Diplomatic]], tactful and shrewd.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|politician]]: one who is professionally engaged in politics: ''Molti politici hanno commentato la notizia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A shrewd, diplomatic person: ''Con lui bisogna fare il politico.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[politica]]

+ * [[politicante]]

+ * [[politicità]]

+ * [[politicizzare]]

+ * [[politicizzazione]]

+ * [[politicone]]

+ * [[politologo]]

+ * [[spoliticizzare]]

+ * [[politicismo]]

+ * [[politologia]]

+ * [[apolitico]]

+ * [[impolitico]]

+ * [[antipolitico]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[polis]]

+ * [[cittadino]]

+ * [[la|politicus]]

+ * [[fr|politique]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A rare homograph, ''politico'' in metrics, names the Byzantine fifteen-syllable “political verse” (''verso politico''), from Byzantine Greek ''politikós'' in the sense “common, popular”;^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) GRADIT dates it to 1835.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''Le politiche'', short for ''elezioni politiche'', are the elections to the national parliament.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}