fatto Italian · revision 39332

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1219|origins=la faciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈfat.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fatto''' ''m'' (plural fatti)^(Wiktionary)

+ As an adjective, the past participle of [[fare]], it is '''fatto''', feminine ''fatta'', plural ''fatti'', ''fatte''.^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|factum|t=deed, act]], the noun use of [[m|la|factus|t=made, done]], the past participle of [[m|la|faciō|t=to make, do]], which gave [[fare]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini notes that the participle took both the noun sense “something done” and the adjective sense “developed, ripe”.^(Nocentini 2010) The word is panromance: [[fr|fait]], [[oc|fach]], [[ca|fet]], [[es|hecho]], [[pt|feito]], [[sc|fattu]] and [[ro|fapt]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The Latin verb goes back to [[ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|t=to put, place]], through Proto-Italic.^(Wiktionary) Devoto observes that the participle was built on the present stem with its ⟨-c-⟩, not on the bare root, which would have given a form like [[grc|θετός|tr=thetós]].^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nocentini dates the word to 1219, and GRADIT gives “before 1219” for the sense of a story or plot.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) In DELI the first records are in Bono Giamboni, before 1292, for “accomplished” and, as a noun, “an action done” and “the content of a literary work”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old Italian the noun meant above all a deed or exploit, the plural ''fatti'' a person's actions, as in Dante's ''gran fatti'' of the families of Florence (''Paradiso'' 16).^(GDLI) Boccaccio has ''venire al fatto'' “to come to the point”, and ''fatto d'arme'', a battle or armed clash.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Prati 1951|427) From these grew the modern senses: an event that really happened, as opposed to words or ideas (''fatti, non parole''), and, in the plural, one's own business (''farsi i fatti propri'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

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+ The adjective developed senses of its own: “ripe” (before 1348, Giovanni Villani), “adult” (Francesco da Barberino), “cooked” (Mattioli, before 1563), and in recent slang “high on drugs” or “exhausted”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI) Words built on the plural include the conjunctions [[infatti]] (1566) and [[difatti]], and the adverb [[affatto]] (1274), which now often means “not at all”.^(Nocentini 2010) The pejorative [[fattaccio]], a shocking deed or a crime of blood, is a Roman word.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1219 – Nocentini's date for the first record.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1274 – ''Affatto'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses ''fatto'' for an action done and for the content of a literary work.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses the adjective for “ripe”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1566 – ''Infatti'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1735 – ''Fattaccio'' appears in Niccolò Forteguerri.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|event]], something that happens or has happened: ''È successo un fatto curioso stamattina.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|fact]], what is concrete and real, as opposed to words or opinions: ''fatti, non parole'', ''Il fatto è che non ha mai risposto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The plot of a novel, play or film: ''Il fatto si svolge a Venezia.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(chiefly in the plural)'' One's own private business: ''Pensa ai fatti tuoi!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(law)'' A fact that creates, changes or ends a legal relationship.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Made, done; made in a certain way or of a certain material: ''un mobile fatto a mano''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Fully grown, adult; of fruit, ripe; of time, late: ''un uomo fatto'', ''a notte fatta''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Suited, cut out for something: ''Non sono fatto per questo mestiere.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(slang)'' High on drugs; very tired: ''Dopo la partita era completamente fatto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fatta]]

+ * [[fattaccio]]

+ * [[fatterello]]

+ * [[fattezza]]

+ * [[fattibile]]

+ * [[fattivo]]

+ * [[fattuale]]

+ * [[fattispecie]]

+ * [[affatto]]

+ * [[infatti]]

+ * [[difatti]]

+ * [[misfatto]]

+ * [[malfatto]]

+ * [[benfatto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fare]]

+ * [[la|factum]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''di fatto'' “in fact, de facto”, ''sul fatto'' “in the act”, ''fatto sta che'' “the fact is that”, ''dire a qualcuno il fatto suo'' “to tell someone a few home truths” and the proverb ''cosa fatta capo ha'' “what is done is done”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}