List of English words of Italian origin
This is a partial list of known or supposed Italian loanwords in English. A separate list of terms used in music can be found at List of Italian musical terms used in English:
Music
Italian
- Acciaccatura
- Adagio
- Allegretto
- Allegro
- Alto
- Andante
- Appoggiatura
- Aria
- Arpeggio
- Ballerina and Prima ballerina
- Baritone (from Italian baritono – from Greek βαρύτονος – through French)
- Bass (from Latin bassus, influenced by Italian basso)
- Basso
- Bel canto
- Bravo
- Bravura
- Brio
- Cadenza
- Cantata
- Castrato
- Celesta
- Cello (from Italian violoncello)
- Coda
- Coloratura
- Concert (from Italian concerto through French)
- Concertante
- Concerto
- Continuo
- Contralto
- Contrapuntal (Italian: contrappuntistico)
- Cornetto
- Crescendo
- Diminuendo
- Diva
- Duet (from Italian duetto through French)
- Duo
- Falsetto
- Fantasia
- Fermata
- Fiasco (whose Italian basic meaning is "flask, bottle")
- Finale
- Forte
- Fortissimo
- Glissando
- Impresario
- Intermezzo
- Largo
- Legato
- Librettist (Italian: librettista)
- Libretto
- Madrigal (Italian: madrigale)
- Maestro
- Mandolin (from Italian mandolino through French)
- Mezzo-soprano (in Italian without hyphen)
- Obbligato
- Oboe
- Ocarina
- Opera
- Operetta
- Oratorio
- Pianissimo
- Piano
- Piccolo (in Italian means "small")
- Pizzicato
- Presto
- Prima ballerina
- Prima donna
- Quartet (from Italian quartetto through French)
- Quintet (Italian: quintetto)
- Scherzo (in Italian means "joke")
- Semibreve
- Sextet (Italian: sestetto)
- Sol-fa, Solfa, Solfeggio, Solfège (the last one through French)
- Solo (in Italian means "alone")
- Soloist (Italian: solista)
- Sonata
- Soprano
- Sotto voce (in Italian literally means "under voice" i.e. "whisper"; often written without spaces)
- Staccato
- Tarantella after the city of Taranto
- Tempo (in Italian means "time")
- Timpani (Italian timpano, pl. timpani)
- Toccata
- Tremolo
- Trio
- Trombone
- Vibrato
- Viola
- Violin (from Italian violino through French)
- Violoncello
- Virtuoso
Art and architecture
- Antics (from Italian antico, meaning "old, ancient")
- Apartment (from Italian appartamento through French appartement)
- Arabesque (from Italian arabesco through French arabesque)[1]
- Architrave
- Archivolt (Italian: archivolto)
- Balcony (from Italian balcone)
- Bas-relief (from Italian bassorilievo through French)
- Belvedere (in Italian means a view point)
- Bust (from Italian busto through French)
- Cameo (Italian: cameo or cammeo)
- Campanile
- Caricature (from Italian caricatura through French)
- Carton (from Italian cartone through French)
- Cartoon (from Italian cartone through French)
- Chiaroscuro: From chiaro-oscuro, "light-dark". An art technique making strong use of bold stadow and harsh lighting[2]
- Corridor (from Italian corridoio through French)
- Cupola
- Dado (in Italian meaning "dice")
- Fresco (Italian: affresco from the expression a fresco)
- Gesso
- Graffiti (Italian: graffito, pl. graffiti)
- Grotto (in Italian grotta, meaning "cave")
- Impasto
- Intaglio
- Loggia (from French loge)
- Madonna (in Medieval Italian meant Lady, in Modern Italian indicates Mary the Virgin)
- Magenta called after the Italian town
- Mezzanine (Italian mezzanino, from mezzano "middle")
- Modello (Italian modello, "model, sketch")
- Moresco
- Parapet (from Italian parapetto through French)
- Patina
- Pergola
- Piazza
- Pietà (in Italian means "pity")
- Portico
- Putto (Italian putto, "baby", "cherub")
- Replica (in Italian means "repeat performance")
- Sgraffito (Italian sgraffiare, "to scratch, write")
- Stucco (in Italian means "plaster")
- Tempera
- Terra-cotta (in Italian without hyphen)
- Terrazza (in Italian means "terrace", "balcony")
- Torso
- Veranda
- Villa
Literature and language
- Canto From canto "song," originally from Latin. A section of a long or epic poem [3]
- Ditto (Old Italian for "said")
- Lingua franca (Italian lingua Franca, "Frankish language"). Its usage to mean a common tongue originated from its meaning in Arabic and Greek during the Middle Ages, whereby all Western Europeans were called "Franks" or Faranji in Arabic and Phrankoi in Greek.[4][5]
- Motto (Italian motto, "word")[6]
- Novel (Italian novella, "tale")
- Ottava rima
- Rodomontade (From Rodomonte, a character in Italian Renaissance epic poems Orlando innamorato and its sequel Orlando furioso).[7]
- Sestina
- Sonnet (From Italian sonetto through French)
- Stanza
Theatre and dramatic arts
- Cantastoria: From canta historia, "sung story" or "singing history". A theatrical form[8] In modern Italian: cantastorie.
- Extravaganza (in Italian stravaganza, meaning "extravagance")
- Finale, Series finale
- Imbroglio (in Italian means "cheat")
- Punch (from the Italian character Pulcinella)
- Scenario (in Italian also meaning "scenery")[9]
- Sotto voce (Italian sottovoce, "under voice")
Arts in general and aesthetics
- Burlesque (from Italian burlesco through French)
- Capriccio: From capriccio, "sudden motion". In music, a free composition; in art, a juxtaposing of elements to create a fantastic or imagined architecture[10]
- Cinquecento (Italian Cinquecento from millecinquecento, "1500") The culture of the 16th century[11]
- Grotesque (from Italian grottesco through French)
- Pastiche (from Italian pasticcio through French)
- Picturesque (from Italian pittoresco through French)
- Quattrocento (Italian Quattrocento from millequattrocento, "1400") The culture of the 15th century[12]
- Studio
Colours
- Orange[13]
- Lava (color)
- Magenta[14]
- Rosso corsa
- Sepia (Italian: seppia, meaning "cuttlefish")
- Sienna (Italian terra di Siena, "earth of Siena")
- Terra cotta (color)
- Umber (from Latin umbra, "shadow", and the region of its origin, Umbria)
Cuisine
- Al dente
- Al fresco
- Antipasto
- Artichoke from articiocco, Northern Italian variant of Old Italian arcicioffo[15]
- Baguette (through French baguette from Italian bacchetta)[16][17]
- Banquet (from Italian banchetto through French)
- Barista: From barista, "bartender". A preparer of espresso-based coffee[18]
- Bergamot (Italian: bergamotto)
- Biscuit (through French from Italian biscotto, meaning "cooked twice")
- Bologna after the Italian city
- Bruschetta
- Broccoli (Italian: broccolo, pl. broccoli)
- Candy :from Middle English sugre candy, part translation of Middle French sucre candi, from Old French çucre candi, part translation of Italian zucchero candito, from zucchero sugar + Arabic قاندل qandI candied, from Persian قند qand cane sugar; ultimately from Sanskrit खुड् khanda "piece of sugar," perhaps from Dravidian.[19]
- Cannelloni (Italian: cannellone, pl. cannelloni)
- Cantaloupe (after the Italian village of Cantalupo in Sabina through French; in Italian the fruit is simply called melone or "Cantalupo")
- Cappuccino: From cappuccino, "little hood" or "Capuchin". A reference to the similarity between the drink's colour and that of the brown hoods of Capuchin friars[20]
- Cauliflower (originally cole florye, from Italian cavolfiore meaning "flowered cabbage"[21]
- Chipolata (from Italian cipolla, meaning "onion")
- Ciabatta (whose Italian basic meaning is "slipper")
- Coffee (from Italian caffè, from Turkish kahveh, and Arabic qahwah, perhaps from Kaffa region of Ethiopia, a home of the plant)[22]
- Espresso (from espresso, "expressed")
- Fava
- Fusilli (Italian fuso, "spindle")
- Gelatine (from Italian gelatina through French)
- Gnocchi (Italian: gnocco, pl. gnocchi)
- Gorgonzola after the village near Milan
- Granita
- Grappa
- Gusto
- Lasagne (Italian: lasagna, pl. lasagne)
- Latte (or "Caffè latte") (Italian: caffellatte or caffè e latte, "coffee and milk")
- Latte macchiato (Italian latte macchiato, "stained milk")
- Macaroni (Italian maccherone, pl. maccheroni)
- Macchiato (or Caffè macchiato) From macchiato, "stained". Espresso coffee with a small dash of milk[23]
- Maraschino
- Marinate (Italian: marinare)
- Marzipan (through German from Italian marzapane)
- Martini cocktail named after the famous brand of vermouth
- Minestrone
- Mozzarella (from Italian mozzare, "to cut")
- Muscat (through French from Italian moscato)
- Orange (through French from Italian arancia, from Arabic naranj)[24][25]
- Panini (Italian: panino, pl. panini)
- Parmesan (through French from Italian parmigiano, meaning "from the city of Parma")
- Pasta
- Pepperoni (from Italian peperone, pl. peperoni, meaning "bell pepper")
- Pesto (from Italian pestare, "to crush (with mortar and pestle)")[26]
- Pistachio (Italian: pistacchio)
- Pizza
- Pizzeria
- Polenta
- Provolone
- Radicchio
- Ravioli
- Risotto
- Salami (Italian: salame, pl. salami)
- Salumi (Italian pl. of salume, "salted meat")
- Scampi (Italian: scampo, pl. scampi)
- Semolina (Italian: semolino)
- Sfogliatelle (Italian sfogliatelle, "many layers")
- Sorbet (through French from Italian sorbetto, which in turn comes from Turkish, Persian and Arabic)
- Spaghetti (Italian: spaghetto, pl. spaghetti)
- Spumoni (Italian: spumone, pl. spumoni)
- Sultana (in Italian is the female of "sultan"; the grape is called sultanina)
- Tagliatelle (Italian tagliare, "to cut")
- Tortellini (Italian tortellino, pl. tortellini)
- Trattoria
- Tutti frutti
- Vermicelli
- Vino
- Zucchini (Italian: zucchina, pl. zucchine)
Clothes, accessories, furniture
- Baldachin (from Italian baldacchino; Baldacco is an old Italian name for Baghdad)
- Brocade (from Italian broccato through Spanish)
- Costume (through French)
- Jeans (after the city of Genoa through French Gênes)
- Muslin (through French mousseline from Italian mussolina after the city of Mosul)
- Organza (after the city of Urgenč)
- Parasol (from Italian parasole through French)
- Stiletto (in Italian means "thick dagger", while the shoes are called tacchi a spillo, literally "needle heels")
- Umbrella (from Italian ombrello)
- Valise (from Italian valigia through French)
Geography and geology
- Archipelago (through Italian arcipelago, from Greek "arkhipélagos")
- Lagoon (Italian: laguna)
- Littoral (Italian: litorale)
- Marina (from Italian "mare", "sea")
- Riviera (from Italian "riviera", coming from Latin ripa, "coastline")
- Sirocco (Italian: scirocco, from Arabic)
- Terra rossa
Some toponym of Latin, Greek, Slavic or Arabic origin referring to non-Italian places entered English through Italian:
territories named after Italian explorers:
- America after Amerigo Vespucci
- Colombia after Christopher Columbus
- British Columbia after Christopher Columbus
Commerce and finance
- Bank (Italian: banco or banca) [27]
- Bankrupt (Italian: bancarotta) [28]
- Capitalism (from Italian capitale)
- Carat / karat (from Italian carato – from Arabic – through French) [29]
- Cartel (through French and German, from Italian cartello, meaning "poster") [30]
- Cash (from Italian cassa through French caisse and Provençal) [31]
- Credit (from Italian credito through French) [32]
- Del credere (Italian: star del credere)
- Ducat (from Italian ducato, whose main meaning is "duchy") [33]
- Florin (through French from Italian fiorino) [34]
- Finance (from Italian affinare, meaning 'do something precisely' in economy)
- Lira [35]
- Lombard (through French, from Italian lombardo meaning an inhabitant of Lombardy or also Northern Italy) [36]
- Mercantile (through French) [37]
- Management (from Italian mano for "maneggiamento", meaning "hand" for 'handlement') [38]
- Merchandise (from Italian merce)
- Money (from Italian Moneta)
- Post (from Italian Posta through French "Poste"[39])
Military and weaponry
- Arsenal (Italian: arsenale, from Arabic)
- Brigade (through French from Italian brigata)
- Brigand (through French from Italian brigante)
- Cannon (through French from Italian cannone)
- Cavalier (Italian: cavaliere)
- Cavalry (through French cavalerie from Italian cavalleria)
- Catapult (through Latin catapulta from Italian catapulta)
- Citadel (through French citadelle from Italian cittadella)
- Colonel (through French from Italian colonnello)
- Condottieri (Italian: condottiero, pl. condottieri)
- Infantry (through French infanterie from Italian infanteria; Modern Italian: fanteria)
- Generalissimo
- Salvo (Italian: salva)
- Scimitar (through Italian: Scimitarra from ancient Persian shamshir)
- Stiletto (Italian stiletto, "little stylus, an engraving tool)
- Stratagem (through French stratagème from Italian stratagemma, in its turn from Latin and Greek)
- Venture (Italian: ventura)
Crime and immorality
- Assassination (from Italian: assassinio. The first to use this Italian word was William Shakespeare in Macbeth. Shakespeare introduced a lot of Italian or Latin words in English language. Assassin and assassination to derive from the word Hashshashin (Arabic: حشّاشين, ħashshāshīyīn, also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, means Assassins),and shares its etymological roots with hashish. It referred to a group of Nizari Shia Persians who worked against various Arab and Persian targets.
- Assassin (from Italian: assassino)
- Bandit (Italian: bandito)
- Bordello
- Casino (in Italian means "hunting cottage" or "brothel", and – figuratively – "mess" or "a lot")
- Charlatan (through French from Italian ciarlatano)
- Cosa nostra
- Mafia and Mafioso
Politics
- Doge
- Discrimination (from Italian discriminazione)
- Embassy (through French embassée from Italian ambasciata)
- Fascism (Italian: fascismo)
- Fascist (Italian: fascista)
- Ghetto
- Machiavellian and Machiavellianism after Niccolò Machiavelli
- Manifesto (in Italian means "poster")
- Nuncio (Italian: nunzio)
- Politico (in Italian means "politician")
- Propaganda
- Segregation (from Italian "segregazione")
- Sociology (from Italian "sociologia")
Love and sex
Science and nature
- Belladonna
- Cascade (from Italian cascata through French)
- Flu (from influenza)
- Influenza
- Lava
- Lazaret (Italian: lazzaretto)
- Manganese[40]
- Malaria
- Medico
- Neutrino
- Parma violet (Italian: violetta di Parma, after the city of Parma)
- Pellagra
- Quarantine (Italian: quarantena)
- Tarantula (through Medieval Latin from Italian tarantola, after the city of Taranto)
- Volcano (Italian: vulcano derived from the name of Vulcano, a volcanic island in the Aeolian Islands)
- Zebra (through Portuguese)
- Zero
words after Italian scientist names:
- Eustachian tube after Bartolomeo Eustachi
- Fermium after Enrico Fermi
- Fibonacci series after Leonardo Fibonacci
- Galvanic after Luigi Galvani
- Galvanize after Luigi Galvani
- Volt after Alessandro Volta
Religion, rituals, holidays
- Biretta (Italian: berretta)
- Camerlengo
- Carnival (through French from Italian carnevale)
- Confetti (from Italian confetto, pl. confetti, meaning "dragée"; in Italian confetti are called coriandoli)
- Intaglio (burial mound) (from the art usage)
- Masquerade (through French from Italian mascherata)
- Monsignor (Italian: monsignore)
- Padre (in Italian means "father")
- Promession (Italian promessa, "promise")
Games and sports
- Catenaccio: From catenaccio, "door-bolt". A defensive tactic in association football[41]
- Curva, a curved stadium grandstand
- Fianchetto (Italian fianchetto, "little flank") A chess tactic
- Lottery (Italian: lotteria)
- Tarot (through French) and Taroc (Italian tarocco)
- Tifo and Tifosi (literally meaning "typhus"; Italian tifosi, "sports fans", "supporters")
- Tombola
- Zona mista (literally meaning "mixed zone"; often referred to as "Gioco all'italiana" or "The Game in the Italian style")
- Libero from Italian libero "free", a defensive specialist posit position in modern volleyball
Others
- Armature (through Italian plural armature singular armatura; in English rebar, short for reinforcing bar)
- Berlinetta: From berlinetta, "little saloon". A two-seater sports car[42]
- Bravado (through French bravade from Italian bravata)
- Brave (through French from Italian bravo)
- Capisci ("understand", often misspelled kapish, or kapeesh)
- Ciao: From ciao, an informal greeting or valediction, originally from Venetian sciavo, "(your humble) servant". Goodbye.[43]
- Cognoscente (in Italian conoscitore)
- Dilemma (in Italian means "alternativa tra due posizioni inaccettabili")
- Dilettante (in Italian means "amateur")
- Ditto
- Genoa after the city
- Gonzo (in Italian means "simpleton", "diddled")
- Humanist (through French from Italian umanista)
- Inferno (in Italian means "hell")
- Latrine (through Italian plural latrine from Latin lavatrina)
- Lido (in Italian means "coast", usually "sandy coast")
- Lipizzan (Italian: lipizzano)
- Major-domo (Italian maggiordomo)
- Mizzen (through French misaine from Italian mezzana)
- Paparazzi (Italian paparazzi, plural of paparazzo, the name of a character in the film La Dolce Vita)
- Pococurante (from poco, little and curante, caring)
- Poltroon (through French poltron from Italian poltrone)
- Pronto
- Regatta (Italian: regata)
- Vendetta (in Italian means "vengeance")
- Vista (in Italian means "sight")
- Viva
Sources
- D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ Harper Collins, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=chiaroscuro
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=canto
- ↑ http://www.komvos.edu.gr/dictonlineplsql/simple_search.display_full_lemma?the_lemma_id=16800&target_dict=1, Lexico Triantaphyllide online dictionary, Greek Language Center (Kentro Hellenikes Glossas), lemma Franc ( Φράγκος Phrankos), Lexico tes Neas Hellenikes Glossas, G.Babiniotes, Kentro Lexikologias(Legicology Center) LTD Publications, ISBN 960-86190-1-7, lemma Franc and (prefix) franco- (Φράγκος Phrankos and φράγκο- phranko-).
- ↑ Douglas Harper Etymology Dictionary (2001)
- ↑ http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/motto
- ↑ http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-rod1.htm
- ↑ "Cantastoria: Centuries-Old Performance Style Making a Comeback", The L Magazine. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2013
- ↑ http://www.myetymology.com/english/scenery.html
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Capriccio
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Cinquecento
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Quattrocento
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Orange
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Magenta
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=artichoke&allowed_in_frame=0
- ↑ http://www.cnrtl.fr/etymologie/baguette
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=baguette
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=barista
- ↑ Harper, Douglas. "candy". Online Etymology Dictionary.
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Cappuccino
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cauliflower
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=coffee
- ↑ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/macchiato
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Orange
- ↑ "orange n.1 and adj.1". Oxford English Dictionary online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-30.(subscription required)
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=pesto&searchmode=none
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
- ↑ Le Petit Robert
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Manganese
- ↑ "Catenaccio" at worldsoccer.com
- ↑ Laban, Brian. The Ultimate History of Ferrari. Bath: Parragon, 2002. ISBN 978-0-7525-8873-5.
- ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=ciao
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