giammai

Italian

Alternative forms

Etymology

From già +‎ mai, but compare French jamais, Spanish jamás and Portuguese jamais.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /d͡ʒamˈmai̯/, [d͡ʒämˈmäi̯]
  • Stress: giammài
  • Hyphenation: giam‧mai

Adverb

giammai

  1. never
    Synonym: mai
    Antonym: sempre
  2. (obsolete) sometimes, at times
    Synonym: qualche volta
    • 1374, Francesco Petrarca, “Verdi panni, sanguigni, oscuri o persi”, in Il Canzoniere‎, Florence: Andrea Bettini, published 1858, page 59:
      Di quanto per amor giammai soffersi ¶ Ed aggio a soffrir anco ¶ Fin che mi sani 'l cor colei che 'l morse, ¶ Rubella di mercè, che pur l'envoglia, ¶ Vendetta fia
      What I have sometimes suffered because of love, and what I yet have to suffer until my heart is healed by she, enemy of mercy, who bit it and yet entices it, will be avenged

References
  • giammai in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
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