Italian honorifics
Encyclopedia
Nobility
As part of the republican constitution that became effective in Italy on 1 January 1948, titleTitle
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s of nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
ceased to be recognized in law (although they were not, strictly, abolished or ban
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
ned), and the organ of state
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
which had regulated them, the Consulta Araldica
Consulta Araldica
The Consulta Araldica was a college instituted by royal decree on 10 October 1869 to advise the Italian government on noble titles, coats of arms and related matters. It was part of the Ministry of the Interior...
, was eliminated. However the so-called predicati — territorial or manorial
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
designations that were often connected to a noble title by use of a nobiliary particle
Nobiliary particle
A nobiliary particle is used in a family name or surname in many Western cultures to signal the nobility of a family. The particle used varies depending on the country, language and period of time. This article is dedicated to explain how noble families of different countries identify themselves by...
such as di, da, della, dei, could be resumed as part of the legal surname upon judicial
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
approval for persons who possessed it prior to 28 October 1922 (date of Italian fascism
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
's accession to power). In practice, this meant that, e.g., "John Doe, Duke of Somewhere" or "Princess Jane of Kingdom" might become "John Doe di Somewhere" or "Jane della Kingdom", respectively. Nonetheless, titles are often still used unofficially in villages, private clubs and some social sets. Signore and Signora (formerly signifying landed nobility
Landed nobility
Landed nobility is a category of nobility in various countries over the history, for which landownership was part of their noble privileges. Their character depends on the country.*Landed gentry is the landed nobility in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
) are translations of "Sir" and "Lady", used also in the military hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
and for persons in official positions or for members of a society's elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
. A few titles are also common in diminutive form as terms of affection
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
for young people (e.g. Principino for "Princekin" or Contessina for "the Little Countess").
- Re (King) / Regina (Queen)
- Principe (Prince) / Principessa (Princess)
- Duca (Duke) / Duchessa (Duchess)
- Marchese (Marquis) / Marchesa (Marchioness)
- Conte (Count or Earl) / Contessa (Countess)
- Visconte (Viscount) / Viscontessa (Viscountess)
- Barone (Baron) / Baronessa (Baroness)
- Coscritto (Select) / Coscritta
- Patrizio (PatricianPatricianshipPatricianship, the quality of belonging to a patriciate, began in the ancient world, where cities such as Ancient Rome had a class of patrician families whose members were the only people allowed to exercise many political functions...
) / Patrizia - Nobiluomo – n.h./n.u. (Nobleman) / Nobildonna – n.d. (Noblewoman)
- Cavaliere Ereditario (Baronet) no female equivalent/Baronetessa
Use of the prefix "Don" as a style for certain persons of distinction spread to the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
during the Spanish domination of southern Italy in the 16th Century. Officially, it was the style
Style (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
to address a noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
(as distinct from a reign
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
ing) prince (principe) or duke (duca), and their children and agnatic
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
descendants. Any Italian monarch (as in Spain) might informally be addressed or referred to with this prefix, for example King Carlos III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
was widely known in his Neapolitan
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
realm as "Don Carlo". Genealogical
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
databases and dynastic
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
works still reserve the title for this class of noble by tradition, although it is no longer a right under Italian law. In practice, especially in the countryside, Don was also used as an honorific title for untitled noblemen, such as knights. The feminine is "Donna".
State honorifics
The President of the Republic can give “honours of the Republic”. These are:- Medals (Gold, Silver, Bronze) to persons or entity for merit or valor
- Knighthood (Cavaliere di Gran Croce, Grande Ufficiale, Commendatore – comm., Cavaliere Ufficiale – cav. uff., Cavaliere – cav.) of five Orders (Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, Ordine Militare d’Italia, Ordine al Merito del Lavoro, Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana, Ordine di Vittorio Veneto)
- Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicOrder of Merit of the Italian RepublicThe Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
) is for outstanding merit in regard to the nation - Ordine Militare d’Italia (Military Order of ItalyMilitary Order of ItalyThe Military Order of Italy is the highest military order of the Italian Republic and the former Kingdom of Italy. It was founded as the Military Order of Savoy, a national order by the King of Sardinia, Vittorio Emanuele I, Duke of Savoy in 1815...
) rewards the actions of units of the armed forces or by soldiers, demonstrating expertise, responsibility and valour. The title may be given posthumously - Ordine al Merito del Lavoro (Order of Merit for LabourOrder of Merit for LabourThe Order of Merit for Labour was founded as national order of chivalry in 1923 by King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy; it is awarded to those "who have been singularly meritorious" in agriculture, industry and commerce, crafts, lending and insurance. It is a continuation of the earlier Ordine al...
) for those who have worked with skilfulness, contributing to the development of the nation and to a better status to the workers - Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Order of the Star of Italian SolidarityOrder of the Star of Italian SolidarityThe Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity was founded as national order by the first President of the Italian Republic, Enrico De Nicola, in 1947, to recognise civilian and military expatriates or foreigners who made an outstanding contribution to the reconstruction of Italy after World War...
) for the post-war reconstruction of Italy - Ordine di Vittorio Veneto (Order of Vittorio VenetoOrder of Vittorio VenetoThe military Order of Vittorio Veneto was founded as national order by the fifth President of the Italian Republic, Giuseppe Saragat, in 1968, "to express the gratitude of the nation" to those decorated with the Medaglia e Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare who had fought for at least six months in...
) for the Italian soldiers of the First World War
- Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
In addition, the orders of chivalry of the Royal House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
(Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in mediæval Italy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the honours system in the Kingdom of Italy, which ceased to be a national order when the kingdom became a republic in 1946...
, Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus is an order of chivalry awarded by the House of Savoy, the heads of which were formerly Kings of Italy...
; Civil Order of Savoy; Order of Merit of Savoy) - no longer national orders but dynastic orders of the non-regnant Royal House - also confer and employ the following honorifics (for men): Cavaliere (Cav.), Cavaliere Ufficiale (Uff.), Commendatore (Comm.), and Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Cav. di G.C.); (for women): Dama, Ufficiale (Uff.), Dama di Commenda (Comm.), and Dama di Gran Croce (D. di G.C.). Since received from a genuine fons honorum, the head of the House of Savoy, these bestow and indicate authentic, traditional knighthood.
State rules
- Presidente – pres. (President): used for the President of the Republic, or for the President of the Senate, of the Chamber of Deputies, of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister), of the Constitutional Court, of a Region Council, for Judges president of a Court
- Presidente emerito – pres. em. (Emeritus President): used for ex President of the Republic
- Senatore – sen. (Senator): some are for life (ex Presidents of the Republic and persons who glorified the Country)
- Onorevole – on. (Honourable Member of the Chamber of Deputies)
- Ministro – min. (Minister)
- Giudice (Judge)
- Console – cons. (Consul)
- others
Work
- Dottore / Dottoressa – dott. (Doctor; in Italy it is used for any person holding a university degree. This usage often confuses foreigners.)
- Maestro / Maestra (teacher or expert artisan or musician)
- Mastro (archaic for artisans)
- Professore – prof. / Professoressa – prof.ssa (Professor, usually used for university teachers, and high school teachers)
- Full professors in the university are most formally addressed as Chiarissimo Professor (Chiar.mo Prof.), derived from Latin clarus which meant famed. University headmasters (Rettore) are formally addressed as Magnifico Rettore (Magnificent Headmaster).
Academic degrees
- High school diplomas:
- Ragioniere – rag. (business economics).
- Geometra – geom. (land surveying and construction).
- Perito – per. (degree of technical extraction in a specific branch, such as chemistry or mechanics or naval or nautical; in some cases, however, a perito holds no more than a three-year university laurea.)
- Maestro / Maestra (degree from a music conservatory or educational program). Note, however, that grade-school teachers of all levels are frequently called "maestro" in common, everyday use, while high-school teachers are called "professore").
- University degrees:
- Dottore – dott. (all people holding a laureaLaureaIn Italy, the laurea is the main post-secondary academic degree.-Reforms due to the Bologna process:Spurred by the Bologna process, a major reform was instituted in 1999 to introduce easier university degrees comparable to the bachelors...
degree). The laurea was previously the only academic degree given by Italian Universities. With the Riforma Universitaria, the Italian system has moved closer to conformity with the rest of Europe and North America. Laurea may now refer to a three-year degree (the laurea triennale) or to a laurea magistrale, which requires two additional years of study. The former confers the title dottore; holders of the latter receive the academic title dottore magistrale. Outside of Italy, however, it is inappropriate for the holder of a new laurea to use the title "Doctor." - Avvocato – avv. (Lawyer, a laurea specialisticaLaureaIn Italy, the laurea is the main post-secondary academic degree.-Reforms due to the Bologna process:Spurred by the Bologna process, a major reform was instituted in 1999 to introduce easier university degrees comparable to the bachelors...
in law and a state-exam are both required.) - Ingegnere – ing. (Engineer, a laurea specialisticaLaureaIn Italy, the laurea is the main post-secondary academic degree.-Reforms due to the Bologna process:Spurred by the Bologna process, a major reform was instituted in 1999 to introduce easier university degrees comparable to the bachelors...
in engineering and a state-exam are both required.) - Architetto – arch. (Architect, a laurea specialisticaLaureaIn Italy, the laurea is the main post-secondary academic degree.-Reforms due to the Bologna process:Spurred by the Bologna process, a major reform was instituted in 1999 to introduce easier university degrees comparable to the bachelors...
in architecture and a state-exam are both required.) - Dottore di Ricerca (holder of a Ph.D.DoctorateA doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
, literally "Doctor of Research").
- Dottore – dott. (all people holding a laurea
Roman Catholic Church hierarchy
Besides normal titles, there are some words that are strictly Italian:- Don - used for members of the secular clergySecular clergyThe term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or members of a religious order.-Catholic Church:In the Catholic Church, the secular clergy are ministers, such as deacons and priests, who do not belong to a religious order...
, more a form of address than a title as such, don comes from a medieval styling for very esteemed persons, it is a colloquial form of Dominus - the Latin for Lord, Sir. It is still used for the leading or wealthiest citizens in some areas (as in some parts of SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
) and also for mafia bosses. - prevosto: provostProvost (religion)A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
- title used in northern Italy for important parish priests. - arciprete: archpriestArchpriestAn archpriest is a priest with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches, although it may be used in the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church instead of dean or vicar forane.In the 16th and 17th centuries, during...
- usually used for the senior priest in an important or significant town that is not a bishop's seat, i.e. not the center of a dioceseDioceseA diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
. - curato: curateCurateA curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
- parish priest of the countryside. - canonico: canon - the senior priests attached to the cathedral, who have special liturgcialLiturgyLiturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
and administrative responsibilities both there and in the diocese.
Military hierarchy
- Esercito (Army): see Italian Army enlisted military ranks and Italian Army officers military ranks
- Marina Militare (Navy): see Naval officer ranksNaval officer ranksNavies have military rank systems that often are quite different from those of armies or air forces. Sometimes, services that are considered parts of the navy – marine or amphibious corps – use the army-style ranks instead, while the ranks listed here are reserved for fleets.-NATO Rank...
- Aeronautica Militare (Air force)
- Carabinieri (Military police)
Style for letters
Excluding special titles or antique versions, in Italy that is the manner of address in letters:- to men: Egregio signor – Egr. sig. (Eminent mister / Esq.)
- to women: Gentile signora – Gentile sig.ra (Gentle Mrs. / Madam)
- to agencies: Spettabile ... – Spett.le ... (Esteemed sirs / Messrs.)
See also
- Italian orders of meritItalian orders of meritThere are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
- Military Order of ItalyMilitary Order of ItalyThe Military Order of Italy is the highest military order of the Italian Republic and the former Kingdom of Italy. It was founded as the Military Order of Savoy, a national order by the King of Sardinia, Vittorio Emanuele I, Duke of Savoy in 1815...
- Italian medals 1860-today (Italian Wikipedia)