italian | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

1548 entries found.

"Italian restaurant," 1832, from Italian trattoria, from trattore "host, keeper of an eating house," from trattare "to treat," from Latin tractare, frequentative of trahere (past participle tractus) "to draw" (see tract (n.1)).

neutrino (n.)

"neutral particle smaller than a neutron," 1934, from Italian neutrino, coined 1933 by Italian physicist Enrico Fermi from neutro "neuter" (see neuter (adj.)) + -ino, diminutive suffix.

panettone

"type of sweet Italian bread," a specialty of the Lombardy region, made with candied fruit, etc., popular at holidays, by 1904, from Milanese dialect panatton (itself attested as an Italian word in English by 1862), a variant, probably augmentative, form of Italian pane "bread," from Latin panis "bread," from PIE root *pa- "to feed."

gran (2)

Italian, the form of grand before nouns.

tenebrism (n.)

1959, with -ism + tenebroso (1886), in reference to 17c. Italian painters in the style of Caravaggio, from Italian tenebroso "dark," from Latin tenebrosus "dark, gloomy," from tenebrae "darkness" (see temerity).

finale (n.)

1783, a musical term, from noun use of Italian finale "final," from Latin finalis "of or pertaining to an end" (see final). From 1724 as an Italian word in English. Figurative use by 1810.

signor (n.)

an Italian lord or gentleman, 1570s, from Italian signore, from Latin seniorem, accusative of senior "older" (from PIE root *sen- "old"). Feminine form signora is from 1630s; diminutive signorina is first recorded 1820.

monsignor (n.)

title conferred on some prelates and dignitaries of the papal court and household, 1640s, from Italian monsignore "my lord," formed on model of French monseigneur (see monseigneur) from equivalent elements in Italian.

Punchinello (n.)

popular puppet of Italian origin; see Punch.

violinist (n.)

1660s, from Italian violinista, from violino (see violin).

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