comedimento

Comedimento is a noun used in Italian and, in related Romance languages, in Portuguese and Galician to denote restraint or moderation in conduct, especially in speech, appetite, or passions. In moral and religious contexts it refers to self-control that governs impulses toward excess, aiming at a balanced and prudent way of living.

Etymology and usage have roots in Latin concepts of moderation, and the term appears in historical Italian and Iberian writings as part of discussions on virtue and proper behavior. In philosophical and theological treatises of the Renaissance and earlier, comedimento is treated as a virtue closely connected to temperance and prudent self-government, often in contrast with excessive or undisciplined behavior.

In practice, comedimento describes a disposition to think before speaking, to moderate desires, and to behave with decorum appropriate to a given situation. It is associated with discipline, self-command, and measured judgment rather than impulsiveness or indulgence. Because it is somewhat archaic in modern usage, contemporary discussions on virtue in Italian tend to prefer terms like temperanza or moderazione, while comedimento may appear in historical analyses, scholarly discussions of moral philosophy, or translations of older texts.

Across its linguistic relatives, comedimento retains a similar sense of restraint and prudent conduct, even as modern vocabulary shifts toward more common equivalents. It serves as a historical example of how different cultures framed the ideal of self-regulation within ethical life.

See also: temperance, moderation, self-control, virtue, moral philosophy.