pelago

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pelagus, from Ancient Greek πέλαγος (pélagos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛ.la.ɡo/, [ˈpɛːl̺äɡo̞]
• Rhymes: -ɛlaɡo
• Hyphenation: pè‧la‧go

Noun

pelago m (plural pelaghi) (literary)

1. sea, open sea

   Synonyms: mare, (literary) ponto

   • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell], 12th edition (paperback), Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto I, page 7, lines 22–27:

     E come quei che con lena affannata, ¶ uscito fuor dal pelago a la riva, ¶ si volge a l’acqua perigliosa e guata, ¶ così l’animo mio, ch’ancor fuggiva, ¶ si volse a retro a rimirar lo passo ¶ che non lasciò già mai persona viva.

     And even as he, who, with distressful breath, forth issued from the sea upon the shore, turns to the water perilous and gazes; so did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, turn itself back to re-behold the pass which never yet a living person left.

   • 1850, Giosuè Carducci, “Canto di primavera”, in Juvenilia‎^[1], volume Libro II, Nicola Zanichelli, published 1906, page 41, lines 1–3, 7–9:

     Qual sovra la profonda ¶ Pace del glauco pelago ¶ Uscí Venere, […] ¶ Primavera beata ¶ Su le pianure italiche ¶ Sorride

     Like Venus having risen upon the profound calm of the white sea, blessed Spring smiles upon the Italic plains

2. Figurative senses:
   1. An overwhelming passion.
      • 1353, Giovanni Boccaccio, “Prohemio [Preface]”, in Decamerone [Decameron]‎^[2], Tommaso Hedlin, published 1527, page 1:

        quel piacere, che egli è uſato di porgere a chi troppo non ſi mette ne ſuoi piu cupi pelaghi navigando

        that pleasure, that He [Love] usually grants to those who do not sail in his darkest seas

   2. A complex matter.
      • 17^th c., Galileo Galilei, Dialogo terzo, collected in Opere di Galileo Galilei, volume 4, Padova, published 1744, page 200:

        mi ricordo ancora, che quando ſtudiavo filoſofia, non reſtai perſuaſo dalla dimoſtrazione d'Ariſtotile; anzi che avevo molte eſperienze in contrario: le quali vi potrei anco addurre, ma non voglio, che entriamo in altri pelaghi

        I still remember, when I was studying philosophy, not being convinced by Aristotle's demonstration, but rather having many experiences to the contrary, which I might even mention, but I'd rather not open other cans of worms

   3. A group of various annoyances.
   4. A very large quantity (of something).

Derived terms

• impelagarsi
• spelagare

Related terms

• pelagico

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Latin

Noun

(deprecated template usage) pelagō

1. dative singular of pelagus
2. ablative singular of pelagus