fottere Italian · revision 39330

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1317, Venetian poetry|origins=la futuō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfot.te.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fottere''' (first-person singular present fótto, first-person singular past historic fottéi, past participle fottùto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also has the first-conjugation [[m|roa-oit|foctare]] (Lucca, 1349).^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*fŭttō|alt=*fŭttere]], for classical [[la|futuō|t=to have sex with]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The word is panromance: [[fr|foutre]], [[oc|fotre]], [[ca|fotre]], [[es|joder]], [[pt|foder]], [[sc|futtire]] and [[ro|fute]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) DEI points out that the Spanish and Portuguese forms presuppose a form with a single ⟨t⟩.^(DEI|1701)

+

+ The origin of the Latin verb is uncertain.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) De Vaan considers a link with the root of [[m|la|-fūtō|t=to strike]], as in [[m|la|cōnfūtō]], with an original noun meaning “a strike”, and he also reports a proposal tracing it to [[ine-pro|*ǵʰew-|t=to pour]].^(de Vaan 2008) Nocentini points to the common metaphor “strike” → “have sex”, as in Italian [[bussare]] and [[sbattere]], and Wiktionary gives [[m|ine-pro|*bʰew-|t=to hit]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) DEI instead proposed a Mediterranean root for a protuberance, and Devoto a blend with [[battere]].^(DEI|1701)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is an anonymous Venetian poem of 1317.^(TLIO) DELI cites ''foctare'' in a document from Lucca of 1349, and ''fottere'' in the 14th-century jester Dolcibene.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Tommaseo calls it an obscene word with examples from the 14th and 16th centuries, and the GDLI quotes it in the comic poets from Burchiello to Batacchi.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI) The figurative sense “to cheat, swindle” is recorded from 1887, and “to steal” and the reflexive ''fottersene'' “not to give a damn” are now common in popular speech;^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|1701) DEI considers the latter a calque of French ''se foutre de''.^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(DEI|1701) The prefixed [[sfottere]] “to tease, mock” (1891) and [[strafottente]] “insolent” (1856) have become ordinary, much less vulgar words.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1317 – The verb appears in an anonymous Venetian poem.^(TLIO)

+ * 1349 – ''Foctare'' is recorded in a document from Lucca.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1856 – ''Strafottente'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1887 – Petrocchi records the sense “to cheat”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1891 – ''Sfottere'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(vulgar)'' To [[m|en|fuck]], to have sex with someone; used without object, to have sex.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative, vulgar)'' To [[m|en|cheat]], swindle or do someone down: ''Quel socio lo ha fottuto alla grande.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative, vulgar)'' To steal, swipe: ''Mi hanno fottuto la bici.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fottuto]]

+ * [[fottersene]]

+ * [[sfottere]]

+ * [[sfottò]]

+ * [[strafottere]]

+ * [[strafottente]]

+ * [[strafottenza]]

+ * [[fottio]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fottersi]]

+ * [[la|futuo]]

+ * [[fr|foutre]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fottersene'' means “not to give a damn”, and ''andare a farsi fottere'' “to go to hell”, also of things that go to ruin;^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) ''va' a farti fottere!'' is an insult.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}