immillare

Italian

FWOTD – 23 June 2018

Alternative forms

• inmillare (obsolete)

Etymology

Possibly coined by poet Dante Alighieri, derived from in- (derivational prefix) +‎ mille (“one thousand”) +‎ -are (1st conjugation verbal suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /im.milˈla.re/, [immil̺ˈl̺är̺e̞]
• Rhymes: -are
• Hyphenation: im‧mil‧là‧re

Verb

immillare

1. (literary, transitive) to increase thousandfold, to multiply indefinitely
   • 1845, Antonio Rosmini, Teodicea, Boniardi-Pogliani, page 328:

     […] ordine e armonia che facendo riuscire da più individui un tutto, centuplica, anzi immilla il bene creato.

     […] order and harmony that, by making a whole out of many individuals, multiply the created good hundredfold, nay, thousandfold.

   • 1911, Guido Gozzano, “L'amica di nonna Speranza”, in I colloqui:

     […] il gran lampadario vetusto che pende a mezzo il salone ¶ e immilla nel quarzo le buone cose di pessimo gusto, […]

     […] the great ancient chandelier hanging at the center of the hall ¶ multiplying the good things of dreadful taste in its quartz […]

Derived terms

• immillarsi

Related terms

• mille