purtroppo
/purˈtrɔp.po/
adverb
Origin
Italian
pur + troppo — purely/entirely + too much
Overview
Meaning Now
- unfortunately; sadly, indicating a regrettable or negative outcome.
Literal older meaning
by too much
Language path
Latin → Italian
Earliest form
pur troppo
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word evolved from an emphatic adverbial phrase 'pur troppo' (very much or indeed too much), which gradually shifted its connotation from merely describing intensity to expressing personal regret about a situation.
Evolution
- Latin
pure
“entirely, solely”
- Old Italian
pur troppo
“entirely too much”
originally used as an emphatic phrase for excess
- Modern Italian
purtroppo
“unfortunately”
grammaticalization into a single adverb
Connections
Word parts
pur
root
purely
troppo
root
too much
Related across languages
French
trop
too much
Explore next
Related to purtroppo
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.