comprendere Italian · revision 39349

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=first half of the 13th century, Giacomino Pugliese|origins=la prehendō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /komˈprɛn.de.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''comprendere''' (first-person singular present comprèndo, first-person singular past historic comprési, past participle compréso, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It continues [[inh|la-vul|comprendō|alt=comprendere|t=to grasp]], the contracted form of classical [[la|comprehendō|t=to seize; to include; to understand]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) DELI, Zingarelli and GDLI instead call it a learned word taken from the classical verb.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(GDLI|3, 428) The LEI describes the verb as a popular form in most Romance languages, while [[ro|cuprinde|t=to embrace, contain]] is the only one handed down by regular sound change.^(LEI|16, 614) The Latin verb is [[m|la|com-|t=together]] added to [[m|la|prehendō|t=to grasp, seize]], the source of [[prendere]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ It is found across the Romance languages: [[fr|comprendre]], [[oc|compendre]], [[ca|compendre]], [[es|comprender]], [[pt|comprender]] and [[sc|cumprendere]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) DEI notes that the sense “to grasp with the mind” is shared by Italian, Sardinian and western Romance, and compares [[de|begreifen]], which renders the same image in German.^(DEI|1039)

+

+ According to de Vaan, the simple verb goes back to [[itc-pro|*prai-χend-|t=to seize]], with a nasal present of [[ine-pro|*gʰed-|t=to grab]]; contracted forms such as the one Italian continues arose after prefixes.^(de Vaan 2008) Its cognates are [[grc|χανδάνω|tr=khandánō|t=to grab]] and [[got|𐌳𐌿𐌲𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽|tr=duginnan|t=to begin]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the poems of Giacomino Pugliese, of the first half of the 13th century, in Tuscan copy.^(TLIO) DELI dates the sense “to contain, include” before 1294, in Brunetto Latini, and the sense “to understand” to Dante's ''Convivio'' (1304–1308).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old Italian kept much of the Latin sense of seizing: the verb was used of fire, darkness, cold or snow overwhelming someone, of feelings and vices taking hold of the heart, and of catching someone in a fault.^(LEI|16, 614)^(TLIO)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Dante uses it both for containing (God “comprehends” the infinite) and for grasping with the mind, and also for perceiving with the senses.^(GDLI|3, 428)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The sense “to judge with indulgence, to excuse” developed from understanding a person's reasons.^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003) The literary sense of being overwhelmed by a feeling survives in phrases such as ''compreso d'orrore''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) The derivative ''comprendonio'', a jocular word for “understanding, wits”, is recorded as ''comprendomine'' in Aretino in 1536 and in its modern form in 1664.^(DELI 1999) ''Comprensione'' took on the sense “indulgence, sympathy” only in the 20th century, in Carlo Emilio Gadda.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * First half of the 13th century – Giacomino Pugliese uses ''comprendere''.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for “to contain, include”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses it for “to understand”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1420 – ''Comprensione'' “understanding” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1536 – Aretino uses ''comprendomine'', the forerunner of ''comprendonio''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1584–1585 – Giordano Bruno uses ''comprensibile''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1798 – ''Comprensorio'' “district” is recorded in the acts of the Cisalpine Republic.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|understand]], to grasp the meaning of something: ''Non ho compreso la domanda.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To understand a person's feelings or reasons, and so to excuse or [[m|en|forgive]]: ''Cerca di comprenderla, è molto stanca.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # To [[m|en|include]] in a group or category: ''Nel prezzo è compresa la colazione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To contain, to [[m|en|comprise]]: ''La casa comprende tre camere e due bagni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' To perceive with the senses.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' Of a feeling, to overwhelm, take hold of someone; of a disease, to strike.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(reciprocal, comprendersi)'' To understand each other.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[comprensorio]]

+ * [[comprendonio]]

+ * [[comprensibile]]

+ * [[comprensibilità]]

+ * [[comprensione]]

+ * [[comprensivo]]

+ * [[comprensoriale]]

+ * [[incomprensibile]]

+ * [[incomprensione]]

+ * [[compreso]]

+ * [[incompreso]]

+ * [[comprendimento]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prendere]]

+ * [[apprendere]]

+ * [[la|comprehendō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}