ginocchio Italian · revision 39210

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1268, Andrea da Grosseto|origins=ine-pro *ǵónu}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /d͡ʒiˈnɔk.kjo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ginocchio''' ''m'' (plural ginocchia f or ginocchi m)^(Wiktionary)

+ The plural is ''i ginocchi'' or, especially of the two knees of a person, ''le ginocchia'';^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Old Italian also had ''le ginocchie''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) Old forms include [[roa-oit|genocchio]], [[roa-oit|ginochio]], [[roa-oit|çenochio]] and [[roa-oit|çinocli]].^(TLIO) Southern Italy from Rome downwards has a dissimilated type ''dinocchio'', and in places ''gunùcchiu'' under the influence of Greek.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|1811)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|genuculum|t=little knee]], a variant of [[la|geniculum]], the diminutive of [[m|la|genū|t=knee]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The form with ⟨u⟩, recorded from the 4th century, took its vowel from “genu” itself and replaced the regular diminutive.^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|1811)^(Zingarelli 2010) The diminutive drove out the simple “genu” everywhere in Romance.^(REW 1935) It gave [[fro|genouil]] (modern [[fr|genou]]), [[oc|genolh]], [[ca|genoll]], [[es|hinojo]], [[pt|joelho]], [[sc|benuju]] and [[ro|genunchi]]; only [[pt|gelhas]] continues “geniculum”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|1811)

+

+ The open /ɔ/ of “ginocchio” comes from an exchange of suffixes, as in [[conocchia]], [[finocchio]] and [[pidocchio]].^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|503) Latin “genu” goes back to [[ine-pro|*ǵónu]], with the oblique stem *ǵen-u-; its cognates include [[grc|γόνυ|tr=gónu]], [[sa|जानु|tr=jā́nu]], [[hit|genu]] and [[got|𐌺𐌽𐌹𐌿|tr=kniu]], the source of [[en|knee]] and [[de|Knie]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Tuscan translation of Albertano by Andrea da Grosseto, of 1268, where the word means the joint of the leg between thigh and shin, in people and in animals.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010) DELI's first record is the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century, which tells of a fine garment that reached to the knee (''il quale le dava al ginocchio'').^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start the word appears in scenes of prayer and submission: Old Italian has ''in ginocchi'', ''gettarsi in ginocchia'' and ''calare le ginocchia a terra'' for kneeling, and ''mettere sotto le ginocchia'' for subduing someone.^(TLIO) Dante uses the plural ''le ginocchia'' in the ''Purgatorio'' (1313–1319) and the phrase ''in ginocchie'' in the ''Inferno''.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|6, 786) Petrarch writes that it is fitting to bend “the knees and the mind” to God.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Later the word was extended to the part of the trousers that covers the knee (before 1858, Ippolito Nievo) and to the middle of an oar resting on the rowlock (1889, Guglielmotti).^(DELI 1999) In technical language it names any angled or jointed bend, as in a ''trave a ginocchio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020) Modern figurative uses include ''mettere in ginocchio'', “to bring to one's knees”, and the euphemistic ''far venire il latte alle ginocchia'', “to bore to death”, in which DELI sees an old link between the knee and the sexual organs.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1268 – Andrea da Grosseto uses the word, the first record in the TLIO.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 13th century – ''Ginocchione'' “kneeling” is recorded, ''ginocchioni'' follows before 1342.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Late 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses ''ginocchio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante has the plural ''le ginocchia''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1579 – ''Ginocchiello'', a knee protection, is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1858 – Ippolito Nievo uses the word for the knee of a pair of trousers.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1889 – Guglielmotti records the sense “middle part of an oar”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1924 – ''Ginocchiera'' “knee pad” is first recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(anatomy)'' The [[m|en|knee]]: the joint of the leg formed by the femur, the tibia and the kneecap, and the part of the leg around it: ''Mi sono sbucciato un ginocchio cadendo dalla bici.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The part of a pair of [[m|en|trousers]] that covers the knee: ''Questi jeans sono consumati sulle ginocchia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(zoology)'' In cattle and horses, the joint between the forearm and the metacarpus.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(nautical)'' The middle part of an [[m|en|oar]], which rests on the rowlock.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(technology)'' An angled or jointed bend in an object or structure.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ginocchiata]]

+ * [[ginocchiello]]

+ * [[ginocchiera]]

+ * [[ginocchioni]]

+ * [[inginocchiarsi]]

+ * [[inginocchiatoio]]

+ * [[ginocchietto]]

+ * [[ginocchino]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|genu]]

+ * [[grc|γόνυ|tr=gónu]]

+ * [[en|knee]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''in ginocchio'' “kneeling” and, figuratively, “brought low” (''un paese in ginocchio''), ''mettere in ginocchio'' “to bring to one's knees”, ''piegare le ginocchia'' “to humble oneself”, and ''far venire il latte alle ginocchia'' “to bore stiff”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}