appellare

Appellare is a verb found in Latin and Italian with related but distinct uses in each language. In Latin, appellāre means to call by name, to designate or address someone or something, and it can also convey the sense of calling upon or invoking a person or principle. The term appears in various constructions where a name or designation is given, or where one calls upon an authority or source for action. In legal or rhetorical contexts, it can carry the nuance of appealing to someone or something, though the primary sense remains “to call” or “to name.”

Etymology and related forms: Appellare comes from Latin appellāre, a direct descendant in the Romance and scholarly traditions. It is the source of English terms such as appeal and appellate through the French lineage (Old French appeller). The Italian verb is a direct descendant of the Latin form and is used in everyday as well as formal language.

Usage in Latin: As a first-conjugation verb, it appears with forms such as appellō, appellās, appellat, and in perfect tense as appellāvī, appellāvim, among others. It governs direct objects in the sense of naming or designating a person or thing, and can appear with a name or descriptive phrase following the action of calling.

Usage in Italian: Appellare is a regular -are verb meaning “to call by name,” “to designate,” or, in certain contexts, “to appeal.” Common senses include naming someone or something (lo appellò Marco, “he called him Marco”) and the figurative sense “to appeal to” (appellare al buon senso). In legal language, Italian often prefers fare appello or ricorrere in appello, but appellare can still appear in phrases like appellare a una legge o a una norma.

See also: appellation, appeal, appello, appellato, appellant.