1796, from Italian Accademia della Crusca, literally "Academy of the Chaff," "the name of an Academy established at Florence in 1582, mainly with the object of sifting and purifying the Italian language; whence its name, and its emblem, a sieve" [OED]. From della "of the" (from Latin de "of" + illa "that") + crusca "bran." Related: Della-Cruscan.
