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:

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Music
Main article: Italian musical terms used in English

Italian

Art and architecture

Literature and language

Theatre and dramatic arts

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[11]
  • Cinquecento (Italian Cinquecento from millecinquecento, "1500") The culture of the 16th century[12]
  • 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[13]
  • Studio

Colours

Cuisine
  • Al dente
  • Al fresco
  • Antipasto
  • Artichoke from articiocco, Northern Italian variant of Old Italian arcicioffo[16]
  • Baguette (through French baguette from Italian bacchetta)[17][18]
  • Banquet (from Italian banchetto through French)
  • Barista: From barista, "bartender". A preparer of espresso-based coffee[19]
  • 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.[20]
  • 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[21]
  • Cauliflower (originally cole florye, from Italian cavolfiore meaning "flowered cabbage"[22]
  • 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)[23]
  • Espresso (from espresso, "expressed")
  • Fava
  • Fusilli (Italian: fusillo, pl. fusilli; a derivative form of the word fuso, meaning "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[24]
  • 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)[25][26]
  • 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)")[27]
  • 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 sfogliatella, pl. sfogliatelle; from sfoglia, "thin layer")
  • 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 (from 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 it means "little stylus" and refers to a type of thin, needle-pointed 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:

Commerce and finance
  • Bank (Italian: banco or banca) [28]
  • Bankrupt (Italian: bancarotta) [29]
  • Capitalism (from Italian capitale)
  • Carat / karat (from Italian carato – from Arabic – through French) [30]
  • Cartel (through French and German, from Italian cartello, meaning "poster") [31]
  • Cash (from Italian cassa through French caisse and Provençal) [32]
  • Credit (from Italian credito through French) [33]
  • Del credere (Italian: star del credere)
  • Ducat (from Italian ducato, whose main meaning is "duchy") [34]
  • Florin (through French from Italian fiorino) [35]
  • Finance (from Italian affinare, meaning 'do something precisely' in economy)
  • Lira [36]
  • Lombard (through French, from Italian lombardo meaning an inhabitant of Lombardy or also Northern Italy) [37]
  • Mercantile (through French) [38]
  • Management (from Italian mano for "maneggiamento", meaning "hand" for 'handlement') [39]
  • Merchandise (from Italian merce)
  • Money (from Italian Moneta)
  • Post (from Italian Posta through French "Poste"[40])

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

Love and sex
  • Bimbo (from Italian bimbo, "child")
  • Casanova
  • Dildo (from Italian diletto, meaning "pleasure")
  • Inamorata (from Italian innamorata, a female lover)
  • Ruffian (Italian: m. ruffiano, f. ruffiana)

Science and nature

words after Italian scientist names:

Religion, rituals, holidays

Games and sports
  • Catenaccio: From catenaccio, "door-bolt". A defensive tactic in association football[42]
  • 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[43]
  • 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"[44]
  • Cicerone (tourist guide)
  • Cognoscente (in Italian conoscitore)
  • Dilemma (Italian dilemma from Greek dilemmaton)
  • 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)
  • Nostalgia (with the same meaning in Italian)
  • 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 poltrona)
  • 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
    1. Harper Collins, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    2. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=chiaroscuro
    3. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=canto
    4. 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-).
    5. Douglas Harper Etymology Dictionary (2001)
    6. http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/motto
    7. http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-rod1.htm
    8. "Cantastoria: Centuries-Old Performance Style Making a Comeback", The L Magazine. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2013
    9. "Mask (noun)". Etymology Online.
    10. http://www.myetymology.com/english/scenery.html
    11. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Capriccio
    12. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Cinquecento
    13. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Quattrocento
    14. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Orange
    15. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Magenta
    16. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=artichoke&allowed_in_frame=0
    17. http://www.cnrtl.fr/etymologie/baguette
    18. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=baguette
    19. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=barista
    20. Harper, Douglas. "candy". Online Etymology Dictionary.
    21. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Cappuccino
    22. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cauliflower
    23. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=coffee
    24. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/macchiato
    25. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Orange
    26. "orange n.1 and adj.1". Oxford English Dictionary online. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-30.(subscription required)
    27. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=pesto&searchmode=none
    28. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    29. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    30. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    31. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    32. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    33. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    34. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    35. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    36. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    37. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    38. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    39. D. Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010
    40. Le Petit Robert
    41. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=Manganese
    42. "Catenaccio" at worldsoccer.com
    43. Laban, Brian. The Ultimate History of Ferrari. Bath: Parragon, 2002. ISBN 978-0-7525-8873-5.
    44. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=ciao
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