teatro Italian · revision 39294

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=grc θέα}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /teˈa.tro/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''teatro''' ''m'' (plural teatri)^(Wiktionary)

+ Earlier forms include [[roa-oit|teatre]] and [[roa-oit|theatro]].^(TLIO)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|theātrum]],^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) which is [[der|grc|θέατρον|tr=théatron|t=place for viewing]], from [[m|grc|θεάομαι|tr=theáomai|t=to look at, be a spectator]], from [[m|grc|θέα|tr=théa|t=sight, spectacle]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[fr|théâtre]] and [[es|teatro]], and it spread to the other European languages;^(Nocentini 2010)^(DEI|3736) Italian passed it on to [[tr|tiyatro]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Latin word also had a popular development: it survives in the street and place names of Brescia, Padua, Pola and Rome, often where an ancient theatre stood.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|981) Padua records “Zairo” in 1077 and “Zadrum” in 1079, and Rome's Piazza dei Satiri goes back to an older “Satri” or “Zatri”.^(DEI|3736)^(DELI 1999) Of the derivatives only [[teatrale]] continues a Latin word, [[la|theātrālis]].^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951|981)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in Bono Giamboni's translation of Orosius, before 1292, where it names a public building of ancient Greece and Rome for plays and civic events.^(TLIO) DELI's first date, for a building for opera or plays, is Boccaccio, 1348–1353.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Boccaccio compares the slopes of a valley in the ''Decameron'' to the steps of a theatre, narrowing towards the bottom, and Petrarch lists the theatre among the buildings a place lacks (''Qui non palazzi, non teatro o loggia'', “Here no palaces, no theatre or loggia”).^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ From the building the word passed to its audience (before 1735, Forteguerri) and to theatre as an activity (before 1704, Menzini). From the same period it was used of a place where memorable events happen, as in ''teatro della guerra'', recorded from the mid-19th century, which Ugolini mocked in 1855 as a theatre with no comedies.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3736) In 1879 Tommaseo–Bellini records the performance itself, an author's or a country's body of plays, and a lecture room for experiments; the ''teatro anatomico'', for dissections, dates from the 17th century.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3736) Several modern phrases are calques: ''teatro da camera'' of a Russian term (1914), ''teatro di strada'' of English ''street theatre'', and ''teatro ottico'' of French ''théâtre optique'' (1888).^(GDLI|20, 783)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1077 – Paduan ''Zairo'', a popular outcome of the Latin word, is recorded as a place name.^(DEI|3736)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''teatro'' of ancient theatres.^(TLIO)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it in the ''Decameron''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1704 – Menzini uses it for theatrical activity and for a scene of memorable events.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1729 – ''Teatrale'' is recorded in Anton Maria Salvini.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1735 – Forteguerri uses it for the audience.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1879 – Tommaseo–Bellini records the senses “performance” and “body of plays”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1888 – ''Teatro ottico'' translates French ''théâtre optique''.^(GDLI|20, 783)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|theatre]], a building for plays, opera and other shows: ''Il teatro della mia città è stato restaurato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A performance or show given there: ''Stasera andiamo a teatro.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Theatre as an art and as a profession, ''gente di teatro'', people who work in it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The audience in a theatre: ''Il teatro intero si alzò ad applaudire.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The plays of an author, period or country; [[m|en|drama]]: ''il teatro di Pirandello''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' The scene of an important event: ''teatro di guerra'', the theatre of war.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # A lecture hall built like an amphitheatre: ''teatro anatomico'', for anatomy lessons.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|3736)

+ # ''(cinema)'' ''teatro di posa'', a film studio stage.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[teatrale]]

+ * [[teatralità]]

+ * [[teatrante]]

+ * [[teatrino]]

+ * [[teatrabile]]

+ * [[teatrone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[anfiteatro]]

+ * [[teoria]]

+ * [[la|theatrum]]

+ * [[grc|θέατρον|tr=théatron]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Colpo di teatro'' is a sudden twist, like ''colpo di scena''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}