English words of Italian origin
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Many words of Italian origin have entered other languages. A large part of musical terminology is Italian, as are popular foods from Italian cuisine.
Art and Architecture
- Amoretto, Cupid
- from amoretto, diminutive of amore, from Latin amor = "love"
- Arcade
- from arcate = "arches"
- Architrave
- from architrave
- Artisan
- from artigiano
- Bagnio
- from bagno
- Balcony
- from balcone
- Baldachin
- from baldacchino
- Baluster
- from balaustra
- Balustrade
- from balaustrata
- Belvedere, a kind of gazebo
- from belvedere = "nice view"
- Berlinetta
- from berlinetta
- Biennale
- from biennale
- Bronze
- from bronzo
- Cameo
- from cammeo
- Campanile
- from cile
- Caricature
- from caricatura
- Carpet
- frpoijiuygbom carpita
- Carrozzeria
- from carrozzeria
- Cartoon
- from cartone, ="cardboard", augmentative of carta, ="paper"
- Chiaroscuro
- from chiaro, ="clear, light coloured" and scuro, "dark"
- Cognoscente
- from conoscente
- Colonnade
- from colonnato, from colonna column
- Conversazione
- from conversazione
- Corridor
- from corridoio
- Cupola
- from cupola, ="little cask"
- Curioso
- from curiosa
- Dilettante
- from dilettante
- Dome
- from duomo
- Facade
- from French façade, from Italian facciata, from faccia face, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin facia
- Faience
- from the city of Faenza
- Fascia
- from fascia, ="band or strip"
- Fiasco
- from Fiasco
- Figurine
- from figurina
- Fresco
- from fresco, ="fresh, cool". The Italian word for a painting on wet plaster is affresco
- Fumetti
- from fumetti
- Gallery
- from galleria, ="arcade"
- Gesso
- from gesso, ="chalk"
- Graffiti
- from graffiti, plural of graffito
- Grotesque
- from grottesca
- Impasto
- from impasto, ="dough, paste"
- Indigo
- from indaco
- Intaglio
- from intaglio, ="cutting, engraving"
- Intarsia
- from intarsio, ="inlaying, marquetry"
- Loggia
- from loggia
- Madonna
- from madonna, ="my lady"
- Madonnari
- from madonnari, plural of madonnaro
- Magenta
- from the town of Magenta, Italy
- Majolica
- from maiolica
- Mandorla
- from mandorla
- Martello
- from martello
- Mascara
- from maschera
- masquerade
- from maschera
- Mask
- from maschera
- Medal
- from medaglia
- Mezzanine
- from mezzanino
- Mezzotint
- from mezzo, ="half", and tinto, ="dyed, stained"
- Millefiori
- from millefiori
- Miniature
- from miniatura
- Model
- from modello
- Monticello
- from monticello, ="little mountain"
- Morbidezza
- from morbidezza
- Mosaic
- from mosaico
- Muslin
- from mussolina
- Niello
- from niello
- Ovolo
- from ovulo, diminutive of "uovo", "ovo" egg, from Latin "ovum"
- Palazzo
- from palazzo
- Parapet
- from parapetto
- Pastel
- from pastello
- Pasticcio
- from pasticcio, ="pastiche"
- Pentimento
- from pentimento
- Pergola
- from pergola
- Piazza
- from piazza, ="square, marketplace"
- Pietà
- from pietà, ="pity"
- Pilaster
- from pilastro
- Porcelain
- from porcellana
- Portico
- from portico
- Predella
- from predella
- Putto
- from putto
- Quattrocento
- from Quattrocento, ="1400s".
- Relievo
- from rilievo, see also alto-relievo, basso-relievo
- Replica
- from replica
- Rotunda
- from rotonda
- Saloon
- from salone
- Scagliola
- from scagliola, =literally, "little chip"
- Sepia
- from seppia, ="cuttlefish"
- Seraglio
- from serraglio
- Sfumato
- from sfumato, ="shaded, toned down"
- Sgraffito
- from sgraffito
- Sienna
- from the town of Siena, Italy
- Sketch
- from schizzo =literally, "splash"
- Soffit
- from soffitto, ="ceiling"
- Studio
- from studio, ="study"
- Stucco
- from stucco
- Tazza
- from tazza
- Tempera
- from tempera
- Terra-cotta
- from terra cotta, =literally, "baked or cooked earth"
- Terrazzo
- from terrazzo, ="terrace"
- Umber
- from Umbria, a region in Italy
- Veduta
- from veduta
- Vedutista
- from vedutista
- Villa
- from villa
- Virtue
- from virtù
- Virtuoso
- from virtuoso
Food and culinary terms
affogato
from affogato
al dente
from al (a preposition + il article) and dente, ="tooth" (al dente could be translated as "slightly underdone"; it's used particularly to specify the clicking consistency of properly done pasta)
al fresco
from al and fresco, ="fresh, cool", hence ="in a cool place". In Italian al fresco is a slang term for being in jail.
amaretto
from amaretto, diminutive of amaro bitter, from Latin amarus
antipasto
from antipasto
artichoke
from North Italian articiocco, from Arabic al-ẖaršúf.
arugula
from the Neapolian dialect rugula
barista
from barista
biscotti
from plural of biscotto ="cooked twice, cookie"
bologna or baloney (boloney)
from Bologna
broccoli
from plural of broccolo, ="cabbage-sprout or top"
calamari
from calamari
candy
from Middle English sugre candy, part translation of Middle French sucre candi, part translation of Old Italian zucchero candi, from zucchero sugar + Arabic qandI candied, from qand cane sugar
cappuccino
from cappuccino
carpaccio
from carpaccio
cauliflower
from cavolfiore
caviar
from caviale
Chicken Marengo
from the village of Marengo
ciabatta
from ciabatta
coffee
from caffè
confetti
from confetti, plural of confetto
cotechino
from cotechino
espresso
from espresso
fettuccine
from fettuccine, plural of fettuccina
focaccia
from focaccia
gelato
from gelato
grappa
from grappa
gusto
from gusto
lasagna
from lasagne
latte
from latte, ="milk". Coffee with lots of milk is called caffellatte in Italy
linguine
from linguine, plural of linguina, ="diminutive of lingua tongue"
macaroni
from maccheroni, plural of maccherone
macchiato
from macchiato, ="marked"
maraschino
from maraschino
marinara
from (alla) marinara ="literally, in sailor style"
panettone
from panettone
panini
from panini, plural of panino, ="bread roll"
parmesan
from dialect word parmesan ="from Parma", parmigiano in standard Italian
pasta
from pasta ="dough"
pepperoni
from peperoni, plural of peperone, augmentative of pepe pepper, from Latin piper
pesto
from pesto, ="crushed"
pignoli
from pinoli, plural of pinolo
pistachio
from pistacchio
pizza
from pizza
pizzeria
from pizzeria
polenta
from polenta
prosciutto
from prosciutto
provolone
from augmentative of provola
radicchio
from radicchio, ="chicory"
ravioli
from ravioli, plural of raviolo
salami
from salami, plural of salame
scampi
from scampi, plural of scampo
semolina
from semolino
soda
from soda
spaghetti
from spaghetti, plural of spaghetto, ="little string"
spumante
from spumante
spumoni
from spumone
sugar
from zucchero; ultimately from Arabic
tiramisu
from tiramisù
tortellini
from tortellini, plural of tortellino ="little cake"
tortoni
from Tortoni 19th century Italian restaurateur in Paris
trattoria
from trattoria
tutti-frutti
from tutti frutti, ="all fruits"
vermicelli
from vermicelli, plural of vermicello ="little worm"
zabaglione
from zabaglione, zabaione (actual Italian form)
zucchini
from zucchini, plural of zucchina, ="small gourd"
Language and literature
- Beatrice
- from Beatrice
- canto, subdivision of a long poem
- from canto ="song, singing"
- lingua franca
- from lingua franca
- motto
- from motto
- novel
- from novella, ="short story, tale".
- pun
- from puntiglio (originally meaning "a fine point"), diminutive of punto, "point", from the Latin punctus, past participle of pungere, "to prick."
- scenario
- from scenario
- sonnet
- from sonetto
- stanza
- from stanza, ="room"
- trill
- from trillo
Music
- alto
- from alto
- arpeggio
- from arpeggio, ="harp-like"
- attacca
- from attacca
- basso
- from basso
- bassoon
- from bassone
- bel canto
- from bel canto
- bravura
- from bravura
- cadenza
- from cadenza
- cantata
- from cantata
- canzone
- from canzone
- capo
- short for capotasto, from Italian, literally, head of fingerboard
- capriccio
- from capriccio ="sudden start, motion, or freak"
- castrato
- from castrato
- cavatina
- from cavatina
- cello
- from violoncello
- concert
- from concerto
- diva
- from diva
- divertimento
- from divertimento
- folio
- from foglio, ="leaf"
- fantasia
- from fantasia, ="fancy"
- forte, a musical direction for 'loud'
- from forte ="strong, loud"
- fugue
- from fuga
- harmonica
- from armonica
- intermedio
- from intermedio
- intermezzo
- from intermezzo
- libretto
- from libretto
- madrigal
- from madrigale
- maestro
- from maestro
- mandola
- from mandola
- mandolin
- from mandolino
- obbligato
- from obbligare, ="to oblige"
- oboe
- from oboè, òboe (actual Italian form)
- ocarina
- from ocarina
- opera
- from opera, ="a work produced"
- operetta
- from operetta, ="little opera"
- oratorio
- from oratorio
- orchestra
- from orchestra
- piano
- from piano, ="soft"
- pianoforte
- from pianoforte, ="soft-strong"
- piccolo
- from piccolo, ="small"
- presto
- from presto
- rondo
- from rondo, ="rondeau"
- scena
- from scena, ="scene"
- segue
- from segue, ="it follows"
- serenade
- from serenata
- sinfonia
- from sinfonia, ="symphony"
- solfege
- from solfeggio
- solo
- from solo
- sonata
- from sonata
- soprano
- from soprano
- sordino
- from sordino
- tempo
- from tempo, ="time"
- tessitura
- from tessitura, ="texture"
- timpani
- from timpani, plural of timpano, ="kettledrum"
- trill
- from trillo
- trombone
- from trombone, ="large trumpet"
- tuba
- from tuba
- viola
- from viola
- violin
- from violino
Politics
- ballot
- from ballottaggio
- bandit
- from bandito
- Camerlengo
- from Camerlengo
- camorra
- from Camorra
- doge
- from doge
- duce
- from (Il) Duce, which derives from the Latin dux, ducis, meaning commander, leader
- fascio
- from fascio
- fascism
- from fascismo
- generalissimo
- from generalissimo
- illuminati
- Italian, from New Latin, from Latin, plural of illuminatus
- imbroglio
- from imbroglio, "an entangling, an enwrapping, a garboile";the Italian word imbroglio is itself a borrowed word from Vèneto (Venetian) brolio meant a garden, politicians in Venice used to meet in a garden to cement alliances, so to go 'in brolio' meant to cheat or deceive
- incognito
- from incognito (from Latin in + cognitus), ="unknown"
- irredentism
- from irredentismo
- machiavellian
- from Niccolò Machiavelli
- manifesto
- from manifesto, ="manifest"
- partisan
- from partigiano
- Podestà
- from Podestà
- politico
- from politico
- propaganda
- from propaganda, (from Latin 'propagare'= literally "extending forth")
- razzia
- from razzia
- risorgimento
- from risorgimento
Science and medicine
- algebra
- from algebra
- breccia
- from breccia
- caliber
- from calibro
- gabbro
- from gabbro
- granite
- from granito ,derivative of grano, ="grain"
- gonzo
- from gonzo, ="fool(ish)"
- influenza
- from influenza
- lagoon
- from laguna,
- lava
- from lava
- lazaretto
- from lazzaretto, alteration of Nazaretto, quarantine station in Venice, from Santa Maria di Nazareth, church on the island where it was located
- malaria
- from malaria, contraction of mala, ="bad" and aria, "air"
- medico
- from medico
- neutrino
- from neutrino, ="little neutron"
- pellagra
- from pellagra, contraction of pelle, ="skin" and agra, "acid, sour"
- peperino
- from peperino
- pozzolana
- from pozzolana
- race
- from razza
- rocket
- from rocchetto
- scalpel
- from scalpello, ="chisel"
- torso
- from torso, ="stalk, stump"
- travertine
- from travertino
- tufa
- from tufa
- tuff
- from tufo
- volcano
- from vulcano (from Latin vulcanus)
Other words
- agio
- from agio
- alarm
- from all'arme (allarme in modern standard Italian), =literally, "to the arms"
- alert
- from all'erta (allerta in modern standard Italian), =literally, "on the ascent"
- archipelago
- from arcipelago
- arsenal
- from arsenale, Venetian origin: "Arsenal"
- assassin
- from assassino
- attack
- from attaccare
- attitude
- from attitudine
- autostrada
- from autostrada
- ballerina
- from ballerina
- ballet
- from balletto
- balloon
- from pallone
- bambino
- from bambino, ="child", "baby"
- bank
- from banco or banca, ="bench"
- bankrupt
- from banco or banca, ="bench" and rotto, ="broken"
- Barbarossa
- nickname given to the German emperor Friedrich I, from barba, ="beard" and rossa (feminine form of rosso), ="red"
- bella figura
- from bella figura
- ben trovato
- from ben trovato
- bersagliere
- from bersagliere
- bimbo
- from bimbo, ="child", "baby"
- biretta
- from biretta
- bizarre
- from bizzarro
- bocce
- from bocce, plural form of boccia ="ball"
- bomb
- from bomba
- bordello
- from bordello, ="brothel"
- brave
- from bravo courageous, wild, probably from Latin barbarus barbarous
- bravo
- from bravo, ="skillful, good (at something), brave (not very common in current Italian)"
- brigade
- from brigata
- brilliant
- from French brillant, present participle of briller to shine, from Italian brillare
- buffalo
- from bufalo
- buffoon
- from buffone
- bulletin
- from bolletino
- camauro
- from camauro
- Campo Santo
- from campo santo
- cannon
- from cannone
- capuchin
- from cappuccino
- carabiniere
- from carabiniere
- carat
- from carato
- caravan (disambiguation)
- from caravana or carovana
- caress
- from carezza
- carnival
- from carnevale
- carousel
- from carosello
- cartridge
- from cartoccio
- cascade
- from cascata
- cash
- from modification of Middle French or Old Italian; Middle French casse money box, from Old Italian cassa, from Latin capsa chest
- casino
- from casino, ="small house", diminutive of casa In current Italian, it means a lot of noise, a mess, or a brothel.
- catenaccio
- from catenaccio
- Cavalier
- from cavaliere, ="chevalier"
- ciao
- from ciao
- cicala
- from cicala, ="cicada"
- cicerone
- from cicerone
- colonel
- from colonnello
- condottiere
- from condottiero
- consigliere
- from consigliere
- corna
- from corna
- courtesan
- from cortigiana
- cozen
- from cozzone
- credit
- from credito, ="credit, belief, or balance"
- debit
- from debito, ="debt"
- disaster
- from disastro
- ditto
- from ditto, now detto, said
- donna
- from donna
- extravaganza
- from stravaganza
- festa
- from festa, ="feast"
- fiasco
- from fare fiasco, ="to make a bottle"
- fico
- from fico, ="fig"
- finale
- from finale, ="final"
- florin
- from fiorino
- fugazi
- from fugazi =Italian-American slang term for something that is "forged/not authentic"
- gambado
- from gambale, from gamba leg
- gazette
- from gazzetta
- ghetto
- from ghetto
- ghibli
- from ghibli
- giraffe
- from giraffa
- girandole
- from girandola
- giro
- from giro
- gondola
- from gondola
- gran turismo
- from gran turismo, ="grand touring"
- group
- from gruppo
- Harlequin
- from Arlecchino
- impresa
- from impresa
- impresario
- from impresario
- innamorato
- from innamorato
- inferno
- from inferno, ="hell"
- in petto
- from in petto, literally, "in the breast"
- jeans
- from blu di Genova
- literati
- from obsolete Italian litterati, from Latin, plural of litteratus
- lottery
- from lotteria
- lotto
- from lotto
- magazine
- from magazzino
- mafia
- from mafia
- mafioso
- from mafioso
- magnifico
- from magnifico
- Mamma Mia
- from mamma mia
- manage
- from maneggiare
- marina
- from marina
- monster
- from mostro
- morra
- from morra
- mozzetta
- from mozzetta
- musket
- from moschetto
- mustachio
- from mustacchio, ="mustache"
- ogre
- from orco, ="demon, monster"
- omertà
- from omertà
- pants
- from pantalone
- paparazzo
- from Paparazzo, the surname of a character in a movie by Fellini
- parasol
- from parasole
- pedal
- from pedale
- pilot
- from pilota
- pistol
- from the city of Pistoia, Tuscany
- piston
- from pistone
- pococurante
- from poco curante, ="caring little"
- policy
- from polizza
- poltroon
- from poltrone, ="lazy person, idler", from poltrona, armchair
- pontoon
- from pontone, augmentative of ponte, ="bridge"
- portfolio
- from portafoglio
- previdential
- from previdenza
- punchinello
- from Neapolitan language pucinella
- regatta
- from regata
- risk
- from rischio
- riviera
- from riviera
- saltarello
- from saltarello
- sansevieria
- from Raimondo di Sangro, prince of San Severo died 1774 Italian scholar
- scaramouche
- from scaramuccia, ="skirmish"
- sedan
- from sede, a southern Italian dialect derivative of "chair"
- sequin
- from zecchino
- simpatico
- from simpatico
- sirocco
- from scirocco
- skirmish
- from scaramuccia
- squad
- from squadra
- squadron
- from squadrone
- stiletto
- from stiletto, ="little dagger"
- strappado
- from strappata
- taffeta
- from taffettà
- tariff
- from tariffa
- tarot
- from tarocchi
- tifoso
- from tifoso, plural tifosi
- tinge
- from tingere, ="to dye or to colour"
- tombola
- from tombolare, ="to tumble, fall upside down"
- tombolo
- from tombolo
- traffic
- from Middle French trafique, from Old Italian traffico, from trafficare to traffic
- trampoline
- from trampolino
- turban
- from turbante
- umbrella
- from ombrello, diminutive of ombra, ="shade"
- valuta
- from valuta, ="value"
- vendetta
- from vendetta, ="vengeance"
- vista
- from vista
- viva
- from viva
- zany
- from Zanni a dialectal form of Giovanni, a Commedia dell'arte character
- zero
- from zero
- zucchetto
- from zucchetto
See all linguistics glossaries:
Published - January 2009
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