granchio

Italian

Etymology

From a Late Latin or Vulgar Latin cancrulus or *cranc(u)lus (following metathesis and syncopation), diminutive of Latin cancer, or from the accusative form cancrum through an intermediate Vulgar Latin form *cranclu or *crancru. The Latin derives from Proto-Italic *kankros, dissimilation of *karkros (“enclosure”) (because the pincers of a crab form a circle), from Proto-Indo-European *kr-kr- (“circular”), reduplication of *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). See also the doublet cancro (“cancer”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈɡran.kjo/

Noun

granchio m (plural granchi)

  1. crab (animal)
  2. (figuratively) mistake
    Synonym: errore

Derived terms

Further reading
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