lancio Italian · revision 39351

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=back-formation|attested=c. 1346, Florentine translation of Valerius Maximus|origins=la lancea}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈlan.t͡ʃo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lancio''' ''m'' (plural lanci)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a noun formed from the verb [[lanciare]] without a suffix.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto 1968)^(Wiktionary) The verb comes from [[la-lat|lanceō|alt=lanceāre|t=to wield a lance]], from [[la|lancea|t=lance]].^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is in the Florentine translation of Valerius Maximus, of about 1346, where it means the hurling of missiles, stones or arrows; the same sources also use it for a long leap.^(TLIO) DELI's first record is in Franco Sacchetti, before 1400, who describes the leaps and kicks of a horse that scatter the crowd.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI|8)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until the 19th century the word mostly meant a sudden leap or bound, and Tommaseo–Bellini lists phrases such as ''a lanci'' “by leaps” and ''di lancio'' “in a single quick movement”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(GDLI|8) DEI dates the use for a parachute jump from an aircraft to the 20th century; the word is now also used for the launch of missiles and spacecraft.^(DEI)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ The figurative sense of promoting a product or a person to the public is first recorded in 1928, in the ''Illustrazione italiana''.^(DELI 1999) Sport added the throwing events of athletics (1953), the cast of a fishing line (1957), the long pass in football and the pitch in baseball.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010) In newspaper jargon a ''lancio'' is each dispatch of news sent out by an agency.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1346 – The Florentine translation of Valerius Maximus uses ''lancio'' for the hurling of missiles.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1400 – Franco Sacchetti uses ''lanci'' of a horse's leaps.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1928 – The sense “promotional launch” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1953 – The throwing events of athletics are called ''lanci''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1957 – The cast of a fishing line is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|throw]], the act of throwing something with force: ''il lancio di un pallone''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A jump, especially from an aircraft with a [[m|en|parachute]], and a drop of supplies from an aircraft.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # The [[m|en|launch]] of a rocket or spacecraft, giving it the speed it needs to take off.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(figurative)'' The launch of a product or the promotion of a person, an idea or an initiative: ''il lancio del nuovo modello''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(sports)'' A throwing event in athletics (''lancio del disco'', ''del giavellotto''), a long pass in football, a pitch in baseball, and the cast of a fishing line.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(journalism)'' A news dispatch sent out by an agency.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' A sudden, impetuous leap.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lanciare]]

+ * [[slancio]]

+ * [[lancia]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Offerta di lancio'' and ''prezzo di lancio'' are an introductory offer and price.^(Treccani 2011)^(Zingarelli 2010) DEI and Tommaseo–Bellini also record an obsolete ''lancio'', used only in the plural ''lanci'', meaning “lances”.^(DEI|2161)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}