incidere

Incidere is an Italian verb that means to engrave, to carve into a surface, or more broadly to cut into or imprint. It is used for physical engraving on materials such as metal, stone, or wood, as well as for recording a sound or a video onto a medium. In a figurative sense, incider can mean to leave a lasting mark or to influence someone or something deeply, such as a memory or a perspective.

Etymology and related forms: the verb derives from Latin incīdere, from in- (into) and caedere (to cut). In modern Italian it is a regular -ere verb, with the standard present-tense endings: io incido, tu incidi, lui/lei incide, noi incidiamo, voi incidete, loro incidono. The past participle is inciso, used with avere in compound tenses (ho inciso, hai inciso, ha inciso, abbiamo inciso, avete inciso, hanno inciso). The feminine plural form before a preceding object can be inciso vs. incise depending on agreement, as with other essere/avere verbs.

Usage and examples: physical engraving is common in jewelry, signage, or artwork, e.g., l’artista ha inciso un disegno sull’anello. In music or film production, si dice che una band ha inciso un nuovo album and that un disco è stato inciso in uno studio. In a figurative sense, si può dire che un evento incide profondamente sulla nostra visione del mondo.

Nouns and related terms: the noun incisione refers to the act or result of engraving or cutting. An incisore is a person who engraves or carves, such as an engraver. The past participle inciso also appears in phrases like un disco inciso or incisione come Immagine inciso su metallo.