governatore Italian · revision 39282

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1275, Albertano volgarizzato (Florentine)|origins=grc κυβερνάω}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɡo.ver.naˈto.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''governatore''' ''m'' (plural governatori, feminine governatrice)^(Wiktionary)

+ Older forms include [[roa-oit|governadore]], [[m|roa-oit|ghovernatore]], [[m|roa-oit|gubernatore]] and northern [[m|roa-oit|governaor]].^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It continues [[inh|la|gubernātor|t=helmsman, pilot]], the agent noun of [[m|la|gubernō|t=to steer; to govern]], and stands beside [[governare]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Tommaseo treats it as the verbal noun of that verb.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The Romance outcomes are [[pro|governaire]], [[fr|gouverneur]], [[es|gobernador]] and [[pt|governador]]; except in Provençal they took only the transferred sense “governor”, while the helmsman came to be called [[timoniere]] or [[pilota]].^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin verb is borrowed from [[grc|κυβερνάω|tr=kubernáō|t=to steer]], with both its nautical and its political sense.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wikizionario) The Italian Wikizionario compares [[m|grc|κυβερνήτης|tr=kubernḗtēs|t=helmsman]].^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is the Florentine translation of Albertano da Brescia (1275).^(TLIO) Its earliest senses are a steersman, a person who directs or disposes of something (God, in many texts), and a person who exercises power over a community.^(TLIO) DELI's first date is a Volterra document of 1322 speaking of the ''governatori del Commune'', and Andrea Simintendi (before 1333) uses the word for a high official ruling a territory for the central power.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian also used the word for a guardian or tutor of a minor and for a breeder of animals.^(TLIO) Matteo Villani writes of the ''governatori del Comune di Firenze''.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The sense “tutor of a prince” survives in the modern dictionaries as historical.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) In the Venetian Republic a ''governatore'' was a nobleman in command of a ship.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The title of the head of a large financial institution, as in ''governatore della Banca d'Italia'', is dated 1869.^(DELI 1999) Under Fascism the ''governatore'' ruled the ''governatorato'' of Rome (from 1925).^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011) The word is also used for the head of each US state,^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) and since the 1990s journalists use it for the directly elected president of an Italian region.^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) English borrowed it as the rare ''governator'' (1522), and German as ''Governatore'' (1838).^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1275 – The Florentine ''Albertano volgarizzato'' gives the first record.^(TLIO)

+ * 1322 – A Volterra document names the ''governatori del Commune''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1333 – Andrea Simintendi uses the word for a high state official.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1522 – English ''governator'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1838 – German ''Governatore'' is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1869 – The sense “head of a financial institution” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1925 – The ''governatore'' of Rome replaces the mayor.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1999 – ''Governatore'' is used of the president of the Lazio region.^(GDLI|Supplemento 2009)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(uncommon)'' A person who governs, a ruler.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A high official who governs a territory on behalf of the central power: ''il governatore della colonia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The [[m|en|governor]] of a US state: ''il governatore dell'Ohio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(journalism)'' The president of an Italian region.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The head of a central bank or large financial institution: ''il governatore della Banca d'Italia''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(history)'' Under Fascism, the head of the ''governatorato'' of Rome.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The head of a religious [[m|en|confraternity]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(historical)'' The [[m|en|tutor]] of a prince.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A helmsman or ship's commander.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[governatorato]]

+ * [[governatoriale]]

+ * [[governatrice]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[governare]]

+ * [[governo]]

+ * [[la|gubernātor]]

+ * [[fr|gouverneur]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The feminine is ''governatrice'';^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) ''governatora'' is popular or joking.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}