perfino Italian · revision 39346

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1807}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /perˈfi.no/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the univerbation of a phrase formed from [[per]] and [[m|it|fino|t=as far as, until]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) The first element gives the phrase an emphatic force.^(Devoto 1968)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI records the phrase ''per fino'' in the sense “even” in 1782, in Carlo Denina, and the single word ''perfino'' in 1807, in the Milanese press; the word is recorded earlier in other senses.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) DEI cites Vannozzo, in the 14th century, and Zingarelli dates it to 1312.^(DEI|2849)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the older language ''perfino'' was a preposition meaning “as far as, until”: Vasari writes of going along the Tiber ''perfino al ponte Molle'', and ''perfino che'' meant “until” in Vasari and in Della Casa's ''Galateo''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The modern sense “even” presents what follows as the extreme limit that can be reached.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ Tommaseo–Bellini already record the modern use, as in being ashamed even to speak of someone.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1312 – Zingarelli's date for the first record.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1782 – Carlo Denina uses ''per fino'' for “even”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1807 – ''Perfino'' is written as one word in the Milanese press.^(DELI 1999)

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+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|even]], marking something as surprising or as the extreme case: ''Ha invitato perfino il sindaco.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Even just, merely: ''Mi annoio perfino a pensarci.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # With a comparative, even: ''Oggi fa perfino più caldo di ieri.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ===Preposition===

+ # ''(archaic)'' As far as, until, ''perfino che'', until.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[persino]]

+ * [[fino]]

+ * [[finanche]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Perfino'' is a synonym of [[persino]].^(Wiktionary)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) GDLI records a separate Old Italian adjective ''perfino'', “excellent, noble”, from [[per]] and the adjective [[fino]] “fine”, in Bonagiunta, Guinizelli and Guittone.^(GDLI|13, 16)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}