cauto

Italian

Etymology

From Latin cautus, derived from caveō (“I beware, avoid”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈkau̯.to/, [ˈkäu̯t̪o]
  • Stress: càuto
  • Hyphenation: cau‧to

Adjective

cauto (feminine singular cauta, masculine plural cauti, feminine plural caute)

  1. prudent, cautious, sly
    Synonyms: accorto, attento, circospetto, guardingo, prudente
    Antonyms: arrischiato, avventato, azzardato, imprudente, incauto, inconsulto, sconsiderato
    • 1321, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell] (paperback), 12th edition, Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto XVI, lines 118–120, page 245–246:
      Ahi quanto cauti li uomini esser dienno ¶ presso a color che non veggion pur l'ovra, ¶ ma per entro i pensier miran col senno!
      Ah me! how very cautious men should be with those who not alone behold the act, but with their wisdom look into the thoughts!
    • 1353, Giovanni Boccaccio, “Giornata quarta, Novella III [Day Fourth, Novel three]”, in Decamerone [Decameron]‎, Tommaso Hedlin, published 1527, page 115:
      La Maddalena […] per un cauto ambaſciadore gli ſignificò ſe eſſere ad ogni ſuo comandamento
      Maddalena signified to him by a prudent messenger that she was at his commandment in everything
    • 1825, Vincenzo Monti, transl., Iliade [Iliad], Milan: Giovanni Resnati e Gius. Bernardoni di Gio, translation of Ἰλιάς (Iliás) by Homer, published 1840, Libro, lines 50–53, page 496:
      […] infranto ¶ N'andrebbe il carro, offesi i corridori, ¶ E tu deriso e di disnor coperto. ¶ Sii dunque saggio e cauto.
      the chariot would be destroyed, the racers hurt, and you mocked and dishonoured. Be therefore wise and cautious.
    • 1835, Giacomo Leopardi, Canti‎, Bari: Einaudi, published 1917:
      […] pochi Soli ¶ forse fien vòlti, e le cittá latine ¶ abiterá la cauta volpe, e l’atro ¶ bosco mormorerá fra le alte mura
      perhaps only a few suns will turn, and the sly fox will inhabit Latin cities, and the dark woods’ murmuring surround the high walls

Derived terms

Anagrams

Latin

Noun

cautō

  1. dative singular of cautum
  2. ablative singular of cautum

Spanish

Adjective

cauto (feminine singular cauta, masculine plural cautos, feminine plural cautas)

  1. cautious

Synonyms
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