domenica Italian · revision 39209

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=11th century, Umbrian confession formula|origins=la dominus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /doˈme.ni.ka/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''domenica''' ''f'' (plural domeniche)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include [[roa-oit|dominica]], [[roa-oit|domenega]], [[roa-oit|domenga]] and [[roa-oit|duminica]].^(TLIO) Southern dialects have derivatives such as Sicilian ''duminicarìa''.^(DEI|1377)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|dominica|t=the Lord's (day)]], short for [[m|la-lat|diēs dominica|t=the day of the Lord]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The adjective [[la|dominicus|t=of a master; of the Lord]] is a derivative of [[m|la|dominus|t=master, lord]], itself from [[m|la|domus|t=house]].^(DELI 1999)^(de Vaan 2008) The Christian name is a calque of [[grc|κυριακή|tr=kuriakḗ]] (with [[m|grc|ἡμέρα|tr=hēméra|t=day]] understood), from [[m|grc|κύριος|tr=kúrios|t=lord]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|1377) It is already used by Tertullian, and Constantine put it in the place of [[la|diēs sōlis|t=day of the sun]], the name kept in [[de|Sonntag]] and [[en|Sunday]].^(DEI|1377)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ The word is panromance: [[fr|dimanche]], [[oc|dimenge]], [[ca|diumenge]], [[es|domingo]], [[pt|domingo]], [[sc|domìniga]] and [[ro|duminică]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) It is feminine in Italian, Sardinian and Romanian because Latin “diēs” could be feminine, while Spanish and Portuguese “domingo” continues the masculine “diēs dominicus”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907) The masculine Old French “diemanche” puzzled Meyer-Lübke, who thought it might come from a masculine form.^(REW 1935) De Vaan explains “dominus” as “he of the house”, from [[itc-pro|*domono-]] or [[m|itc-pro|*domuno-]];^(de Vaan 2008) Pinault's reconstruction “*dom-h₃n-o-” “who profits from the house” is possible but not required.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Latin form ''dominica'' appears in the 11th-century Umbrian confession formula, and DELI dates the Italian form ''domenica'' to about 1225, in Garzo.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) The TLIO's first record is the Monza Glossary of the 10th century.^(TLIO)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The sense in all of them is the day of the week dedicated by Christians to worship and rest.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian texts already explain the name: Bono Giamboni writes that the Roman Church moved the day of rest from the Sabbath to Sunday in honour of God, “because Christ rose from death on that day”.^(GDLI|4, 927) The ''Novellino'' tells of a blacksmith who worked all the time and kept neither Sunday nor Easter.^(GDLI|4, 927) Feast names followed: ''domenica delle palme'' or ''dell'ulivo'' (Antonio Pucci) for Palm Sunday, ''domenica di passione'' in the 14th century, and the northern ''domenica delle nòva'' for Easter, after the custom of distributing blessed eggs.^(DEI|1377)

+

+ The adjective ''domenicale'' “of Sunday” is recorded in the 14th century, and Pirandello used it in the sense “cheerful, carefree”.^(DELI 1999) Modern Italian uses ''della domenica'' for an amateur (''pittore della domenica''), ''vestito della domenica'' for one's Sunday best, and ''nato di domenica'' for a lucky person.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) The word was borrowed into Lombard as ''dümìnica'' and into Piedmontese as ''duminica''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 10th century – The Monza Glossary is the TLIO's first record of the word.^(TLIO)

+ * 11th century – ''Dominica'' appears in the Umbrian confession formula.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * c. 1225 – Garzo uses the form ''domenica''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 14th century – The adjective ''domenicale'' is recorded in the vernacular Gospels.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1328 – Medieval Latin ''dominica ovorum'' “Sunday of the eggs” is recorded in Friuli.^(DEI|1377)

+ * 1879 – ''Indomenicato'' “dressed in one's Sunday best” is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1936 – Pirandello uses ''domenicale'' for “cheerful, carefree”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|sunday|alt=Sunday]]: the seventh day of the civil week and the first of the liturgical one, which follows [[sabato]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Among Christians, the [[m|en|holiday|alt=holy day]] of rest and worship: ''Di domenica il negozio resta chiuso.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(by extension)'' A day of [[festa]]: ''Per lui ogni giorno è domenica.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[domenicale]]

+ * [[indomenicato]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[duomo]]

+ * [[don]]

+ * [[la|dominus]]

+ * [[fr|dimanche]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''La domenica'' or ''di domenica'' means “on Sundays”, ''domenica'' alone “this (coming or last) Sunday”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) ''Della domenica'' after a noun marks an amateur or a bungler (''automobilista della domenica'').^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) With a capital, ''Domenica'' is a female given name.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}