terreno Italian · revision 39095

+ Italian has two words ''terreno'', both from Latin ''terrēnus'' “of earth”: the adjective “earthly; at ground level”, and the noun “ground, land”, from the neuter of the adjective used as a noun.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) DELI and GRADIT treat them as two words, though they number them differently; the order here is DELI's.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

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+ {{homograph|1|earthly; ground-floor}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1304–1308, Dante|origins=la terra}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /terˈre.no/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''terreno''' (feminine terrena, masculine plural terreni, feminine plural terrene)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective is [[inh|la|terrēnus|t=of earth, earthly, terrestrial]], a derivative of [[m|la|terra|t=earth, land]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini notes that the Latin adjective is well represented in the Romance languages.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3765)

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+ Wiktionary traces the Latin word to [[itc-pro|*terzeznos]], from the stem of [[m|la|terra]], from [[ine-pro|*ters-|t=dry]]; another view, which Nussbaum put forward, derives it from an old locative of [[m|la|terra]].^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) Zingarelli assumes an older adjective [[m|la|*terēsnos]] remade after the noun.^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308), with the sense “of the Earth, as the place where human life unfolds”, opposed to heaven.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) Zingarelli gives an earlier date, before 1257.^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Brunetto Latini already has ''paradiso terreno'', the earthly paradise.^(DEI|3765) Around 1340 the Italian ''Palladio'' uses the adjective for a room at street level.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|988) The noun use followed: ''terreno'' alone for the ground floor is found in Agnolo Firenzuola before 1543, and “street level” in Vasari in 1550;^(DELI 1999) ''piano terreno'' is in Tommaseo's dictionary (1879).^(DELI 1999) English took the word in this sense in 1740, for a ground-floor room or a parlour.^(DIFIT)

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+ Today the adjective means mainly “worldly”, as against what is spiritual: ''vita terrena'', ''beni terreni''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1257 – Zingarelli's date for the adjective.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''terreno'' “of this Earth”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * About 1340 – The Italian ''Palladio'' uses it of a ground-floor room.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1543 – Firenzuola uses ''terreno'' as a noun for the ground floor.^(DELI 1999)^(DIFIT)

+ * 1740 – English ''terreno'' “ground-floor room” is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|earthly]], [[m|en|worldly]]: belonging to this world, as opposed to the spiritual: ''Ha rinunciato ai piaceri terreni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # At ground level, on the ground floor: ''un locale terreno''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(dated)'' Of the Earth; [[m|en|terrestrial]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(dated)'' The [[m|en|ground floor]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[terrenamente]]

+ * [[terrenità]]

+ * [[terrenezza]]

+ * [[ultraterreno]]

+ * [[pianterreno]]

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+ {{homograph|2|ground, land}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1313–1319, Dante|origins=la terra}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /terˈre.no/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''terreno''' ''m'' (plural terreni)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[inh|la|terrēnum|t=earth, land, field]], the neuter of the adjective [[m|la|terrēnus]] used as a noun.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Prati 1951|988)^(Wiktionary) The same noun is [[es|terreno]], and [[ro|țărână|t=earth, soil]] and Engadine [[m|rm|terrain]] continue the Latin word; [[fr|terrain]], recorded from the 12th century, has a changed suffix.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|3765)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is in Dante's ''Commedia'' (1313–1319), for cultivated land.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The sense “an area of the Earth's surface” is found in the 14th century in Zucchero Bencivenni.^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Later senses include “land for various uses” (16th century, Varchi), “territory” in old texts, and the military “battlefield”, recorded in Tommaseo's dictionary (1879) with ''guadagnare'' and ''perdere terreno''.^(DEI|3765)^(DELI 1999) Figurative uses grew from the farmer's and the soldier's ground: ''preparare il terreno'', at first “to work the soil before sowing” (1862) and, from 1879 “to prepare the way”, ''tastare il terreno'' “to sound out”, and ''trovare il terreno adatto'' “to find a favourable setting”.^(DELI 1999) By the late 19th century ''terreno'' could also mean a field of discussion.^(DEI|3765) The 20th century added “building land” and the ''terreno di gioco'', the playing field.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses ''terreno'' for cultivated land.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 14th century – Bencivenni uses it for an area of ground.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1862 – ''Preparare il terreno'' “to prepare the soil” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1879 – Tommaseo's dictionary has the military sense and the figurative ''preparare il terreno''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1961 – The sense “building land” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|ground]], the surface of the earth: ''La palla è rotolata sul terreno.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # [[m|en|soil]] or land considered for its nature or use: ''un terreno argilloso'', ''un terreno sabbioso''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A piece of land, a plot: ''Hanno comprato un terreno fuori città.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(military)'' The battlefield; the area of operations.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(sports)'' The playing field: ''terreno di gioco''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A field of activity or discussion; a favourable or unfavourable setting.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DEI|3765)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[terrenaccio]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[terrestre]]

+ * [[terra]]

+ * [[territorio]]

+ * [[la|terrēnus]]

+ * [[fr|terrain]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common figurative phrases are ''guadagnare terreno'' and ''perdere terreno'' (“to gain, lose ground”), ''preparare il terreno'' (“to prepare the ground”), and ''tastare'' or ''sondare il terreno'' (“to test the water”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}