lentamente Italian · revision 39355

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1348, Giovanni Villani|origins=la lentus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /len.taˈmen.te/, /ˌlɛn.taˈmen.te/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lentamente''' (superlative lentissimamente)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also has [[m|roa-oit|lentemente]], in Francesco da Buti.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|it|lento|-mente|t1=slow]], with the adverbial suffix.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011) The adjective is [[inh|la|lentus|t=pliant; sticky; slow]], a word without clear relatives inside Latin;^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Nocentini compares only Germanic words such as [[goh|lindi|t=mild, soft]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the adverb to before 1348.^(GRADIT 2003) The GDLI's earliest quotation is from Giovanni Villani's chronicle, where the Florentine troops at Bologna sent for help, and it ''lentamente vi vennono'', “came there slowly”.^(GDLI|8, 945)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old texts already use the word for slow movement, and also for slackness and idleness, as in Matteo Villani's “he behaved basely and sluggishly in everything”.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Galileo has the superlative ''lentissimamente'' for stars that move very slowly in small circles.^(GDLI|8, 945) Today it also means “gradually”, of things that change or improve by degrees.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ As a musical direction ''lentamente'' passed into English in 1762, and French rendered it with its own [[m|fr|lentement]] (1767).^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses ''lentamente''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI|8, 945)

+ * 1762 – English records ''lentamente'' as a musical direction.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1767 – French ''lentement'' is used in the same musical sense.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|slowly]], at a slow pace: ''Il treno entrò lentamente in stazione.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # [[m|en|gradually]], by degrees: ''La febbre sta lentamente scendendo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(music)'' Slowly, as a direction to the performer.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lento]]

+ * [[lentezza]]

+ * [[rallentare]]

+ * [[allentare]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}