presenza Italian · revision 39188

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1253, Venice|origins=la praesēns}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /preˈzɛn.t͡sa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''presenza''' ''f'' (plural presenze)^(Wiktionary)

+ The old form [[presenzia]] survives in literature; other old spellings are ''presència'', ''presènsia'', ''prexènsia'' and ''prezènsia''.^(GDLI|14, 233)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|praesentia|t=presence]], a learned word.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI|14, 233) The Latin noun is formed from [[m|la|praesēns|t=present]] with the abstract suffix [[m|la|-ia]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) [[fr|présence]] and [[es|presencia]] come from it in the same way.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907)

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+ The phrase “fare atto di presenza” “to put in an appearance” is a calque of [[fr|faire acte de présence]], recorded in Italian from 1890.^(DEI|3069)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini and GRADIT date the word to the second half of the 12th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) DELI's first dated record is a Venetian ''presencia'' of 1253 in the sense of someone's presence, as in “in the presence of”.^(DELI 1999) Dante, before 1321, uses it for being in a place: in the ''Vita nuova'' he is asked why he loves a lady whose presence he cannot bear.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|14, 233)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Petrarch, before 1374, used the word for outward appearance, as in ''bella presenza'', a sense still current.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The sense “existence” of something in a place or a substance, such as gas underground or germs in water, is dated from 1884.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

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+ Modern Italian has added many technical and figurative uses: an appearance in a national team or a competition, the visitors registered at a show or in hotels, the role of a country in an organisation, and a mysterious presence in a haunted house.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Office language has the ''foglio di presenza'' and the ''gettone di presenza'', a fee for attending meetings, and ''presenza di spirito'' is presence of mind.^(Treccani 2011)^(GRADIT 2003)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * Second half of the 12th century – The word is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1253 – Venetian ''presencia'' appears in the sense “presence of someone”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante uses it for being in a place.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1374 – Petrarch uses it for outward appearance.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1884 – The sense “existence” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1890 – ''Fare atto di presenza'' is recorded.^(DEI|3069)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|presence]], the fact of being in a certain place or taking part in something: ''La sua presenza alla cena mi ha sorpreso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(sports)'' An appearance in a match or competition: ''Ha trenta presenze in serie A.''^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # A role or participation in a field or organisation: ''la presenza italiana in Africa''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # A person present, especially in a count of visitors or guests: ''Le presenze negli alberghi sono calate.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A mysterious being, such as a [[m|en|ghost]] or spirit: ''strane presenze nella villa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The existence of something in a place or a substance: ''la presenza di nebbia sull'autostrada''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Outward [[m|en|appearance]], bearing: ''un giovane di bella presenza''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Word family==

+ * [[presenziale]]

+ * [[presenzialismo]]

+ * [[presenzialista]]

+ * [[presenziare]]

+ * [[compresenza]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[presente]]

+ * [[la|praesentia]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''In presenza di'' and ''alla presenza di'' mean “in the presence of, before”;^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''di presenza'' means “in person”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Presenza di spirito'' is “presence of mind”, and ''fare atto di presenza'' is “to put in an appearance” for form's sake.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}