uomo

Italian

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin homō, from Old Latin hemō, from Proto-Italic *hemō, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰm̥mṓ (earthling). Same source as the form omo (which does not exhibit diphthongisation).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈwɔ.mo/, [ˈwɔːmo]
  • (file)
  • Stress: uòmo
  • Hyphenation: uo‧mo

Noun

uomo m (plural uomini, diminutive ometto, omino, augmentative omone)

  1. person, man (human being)
    • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell] (paperback), 12th edition, Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto XXIV, lines 127–129, page 362:
      Io vidi un, fatto a guisa di lëuto, ¶ pur ch'elli avesse avuta l'anguinaia ¶ tronca da l'altro che l'uomo ha forcuto.
      I saw one made in fashion of a lute, if he had only had the groin cut off just at the point at which a man is forked.
    Synonym: umano
    1. (by extension, collective) man, mankind, humankind
      • c. 1307, Dante Alighieri, “Trattato quarto [Fourth Treatise]”, in Convivio [The Banquet], Florence: Le Monnier, published 1964, Chapter 4:
        E però dice lo Filosofo che l’uomo naturalmente è compagnevole animale.
        Therefore the Philosopher says that man is by nature a social animal.
      • 1807, Ippolito Pindemonte, Dei Sepolcri, Molini, Landi e comp., published 1809, page 46:
        Quel duce, che col nudo acciaro in pugno ¶ l'uomo amar seppe, e che i nemici tutti, ¶ sé stesso ed anco la vittoria vinse.
        That leader who, bare steel in hand, could love mankind, and all the enemies, himself and victory itself conquered.
      • 1835, Giacomo Leopardi, “Canto notturno di un pastore errante dell'Asia [Night Song of a Wandering Shepherd in Asia]”, in Canti, Bari: Einaudi, published 1917, lines 37–40, page 89:
        Vergine luna, tale ¶ è la vita mortale. ¶ Nasce l’uomo a fatica, ¶ ed è rischio di morte il nascimento.
        O virgin Moon, such is mortal life. Man is born in labour, and birth brings the risk of death.
      Synonym: umanità
  2. man (male human)
    • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Paradiso, Le Monnier, published 2002, Canto V, lines 79–81, page 91:
      Se mala cupidigia altro vi grida, ¶ uomini siate, e non pecore matte, ¶ sì che 'l Giudeo di voi tra voi non rida!
      If evil appetite cry aught else to you, be ye as men, and not as silly sheep, so that the Jew among you may not mock you.
    • 1840, Alessandro Manzoni, I promessi sposi, Tip. Guglielmini e Redaelli, Capitolo XXXIII, page 628:
      L’uomo si vide perduto: il terror della morte l’invase
      The man saw that he was lost. The fear of death took possession of him
  3. (familiar, with possessive) man (husband; boyfriend; lover)
    • 1475, Angelo Poliziano, “Libro I”, in Stanze de messer Angelo Politiano cominciate per la giostra del magnifico Giuliano di Pietro de Medici, collected in Poesie Italiane by Saverio Orlando, Bologna: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, published 1988, section 54:
      Or poi che ’l sol sue rote in basso cala, ¶ [] ¶ la villanella all’uom suo el desco ingombra
      Now that the sun bends down its chariot wheels, the countrywoman loads the table for her man
  4. (chiefly archaic) one (any person)
    • 1475, Angelo Poliziano, “Libro I”, in Stanze de messer Angelo Politiano cominciate per la giostra del magnifico Giuliano di Pietro de Medici, collected in Poesie Italiane by Saverio Orlando, Bologna: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, published 1988, section 59:
      Ahi, come poco a sé creder uom degge! ¶ ch’a virtute e fortuna Amor pon legge
      Alas, how little must one trust to himself!, for Love imposes laws on virtue and fortune

Derived terms

See also

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