traditore Italian · revision 39299

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=13th century, Gerardo Patecchio|origins=la trado}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /tra.diˈto.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''traditore''' ''m'' (plural traditori, feminine traditrice)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old forms include ''traitore'', ''tradetore'' and ''tradictore''; the popular feminine ''traditora'' survives in ''alla traditora''.^(GDLI|21)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|traditor|alt=trāditor|t=one who hands over]], formed from [[m|la|trādō|t=to hand over]] with the agent suffix [[m|la|-tor]], and it followed the meaning of [[tradire]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The sense “betrayer” spread in the Christian Latin of the 4th century, from the name given to the bishops who had handed over sacred books and vessels to the pagan authorities in the persecution of Diocletian.^(GDLI|21)^(Treccani 2011) Zingarelli calls it a learned word, and GRADIT forms it in Italian from the verb with the suffix [[-tore]].^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The word is found across Romance: Logudorese [[m|sc|traitore]], [[fro|traitre]] (modern [[fr|traître]]), [[pro|traidor]], [[es|traidor]] and [[pt|traidor]].^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) Meyer-Lübke took the Romance forms for old book words.^(REW 1935)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The form ''traitor'' is in Gerardo Patecchio, in the 13th century: a traitor or a thief gets nothing from being rich.^(GDLI|21) DELI finds ''traditore'' in laude of the 13th century and in Dante (1300–1313), who writes of ''il traditor ch'i' rodo'', the traitor whose head Ugolino gnaws.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As an adjective (1374, Petrarch) it means “that betrays”, and of eyes “seductive”, already in Dante before 1321.^(DELI 1999) ''Vino traditore'' is wine that seems light but makes one drunk.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) The noun also names an unfaithful partner.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The saying ''traduttore, traditore'', “translator, traitor”, holds that every translation betrays its author; it has been quoted in French and, from the 20th century, in English.^(DIFIT)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – Gerardo Patecchio uses ''traitor''.^(GDLI|21)

+ * 1300–1313 – Dante uses ''traditore''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1321 – Dante calls eyes ''traditori'', “seductive”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1374 – Petrarch uses the adjective.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 20th century – ''Traduttori traditori'' is quoted in English.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|traitor]], someone who breaks faith or an obligation: ''Lo hanno trattato come un traditore della causa.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Someone unfaithful to a spouse or partner.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|treacherous]], that betrays.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Deceptive, harmless in appearance: ''Attento, quel gradino è traditore.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[traditoresco]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tradire]]

+ * [[tradimento]]

+ * [[tradizione]]

+ * [[la|traditor]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The feminine is ''traditrice''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) ''Alla traditora'' means “treacherously, by surprise”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}