Italian Words In The English Language

Here is Wikipedia's list of Italian words that have entered the English language. A large part of musical terminology is Italian, as are popular foods from Italian cuisine.


Art and Architecture

Albarello 
from albarello
Amoretto, Cupid 
from amoretto, diminutive of amore, from Latin amor = "love"
Arcade 
from arcate = "arches"
Architrave 
from architrave ="lintel, transom, breastsummer"
Artisan 
from artigiano ="craftsman, workman, handicraftsman, artificer"
Bagnio 
from bagno="bathroom"
Balcony 
from balcone
Baldachin 
from baldacchino="canopy"
Baluster 
from balaustra="banister"
Balustrade 
from balaustrata
Belvedere, a kind of gazebo 
from belvedere = "nice view"
Berlinetta 
from berlinetta
Biennale 
from biennale="two years"
Bronze 
from bronzo
Cameo 
from cammeo
Campanile 
from campanile="steeple, bell tower, belfry"
Caricature 
from caricatura="burlesque"
Carpet 
from carpita
Carrozzeria 
from carrozzeria="body, body work, body shop"
Cartoon 
from cartone, ="cardboard", augmentative of carta, ="paper"
Chiaroscuro 
from chiaro, ="light" and scuro, "dark"
Cognoscente 
from conoscente="acquaintance"
Colonnade 
from colonnato, from colonna column
Conversazione 
from conversazione="conversation, talk, confabulation"
Cornice 
from cornice="frame, ledge, molding"
Corridor 
from corridoio="hallway, passage, aisle, lobby, gangway"
Cupola 
from cupola, ="little cask"
Curioso 
from curioso="curious, inquisitive, peculiar, quaint, queer, nosy, inquiring, pry, rummy"
Dilettante 
from dilettante="amateur, dabbler"
Dome 
from duomo="cathedral"
Façade 
from French façade="front", from Italian facciata="facade, from faccia face, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin facia
Faience 
from the city of Faenza
Fascia 
from fascia, ="band or strip"
Fiasco 
from Fiasco="flop, frost, flagon"
Figurine 
from figurina="picture card"
Fresco 
from fresco, ="fresh, cool". The Italian word for a painting on wet plaster is affresco
Fumetti 
from fumetti="comics"
Gallery 
from galleria, ="arcade"
Gesso 
from gesso, ="chalk"
Graffiti 
from graffiti, plural of graffito; both from graffiato="scratched"
Grotesque 
from grottesca
Impasto 
from impasto, ="dough, paste"
Indigo 
from indaco
Intaglio 
from intaglio, ="cutting, engraving"
Intarsia 
from intarsio, ="inlaying, marquetry"
Loggia 
from loggia="lodge"
Machiavellian 
from Italian writer Niccolò Machiavelli
Madonna 
from madonna, ="my lady"
Madonnari 
from madonnari, plural of madonnaro="a person who draws sacred images on the street pavement"
Magenta 
from the town of Magenta, Italy
Majolica 
from maiolica
Mandorla 
from mandorla="almond"
Martello 
from martello="hammer"
Mascara 
from maschera="disguise"
masquerade 
via French mascarade from maschera="disguise"
Mask 
via Middle English masque from maschera="disguise"; ultimately from Medieval Latin masca, mascha, mascus="mask, nightmare, ghost"
Medal 
from medaglia
Mezzanine 
from mezzanino="entresol"
Mezzotint 
from mezzo, ="half", and tinto, ="dyed, stained"
Millefiori 
from millefiori="thousand flowers"
Miniature 
from miniatura="very small drawing"
Model 
from modello="pattern"
Monticello 
from monticello, ="little mountain"
Morbidezza 
from morbidezza="softness"
Mosaic 
from mosaico
Muslin 
from mussolina
Niello 
from niello
Ovolo 
from ovulo, diminutive of "uovo", "ovo" egg, from Latin "ovum"
Palazzo 
from palazzo="palace"
Parapet 
from parapetto="railing"
Pastel 
from pastello="crayon"
Pasticcio 
from pasticcio, ="pastiche"
Pentimento 
from pentimento="repentance, regret"
Pergola 
from pergola="arbor"
Piazza 
from piazza, ="square, marketplace"
Pietà 
from pietà, ="pity"
Pietra dura 
="hardstone
Pilaster 
from pilastro="pillar"
Porcelain 
from porcellana="porcelain, china"
Portico 
from portico="gallery"
Predella 
from predella="dais"
Putto 
from putto="child"
Quattrocento 
from Quattrocento, ="1400s".
Relievo 
from rilievo="relief", see also alto-relievo, basso-relievo
Replica 
from replica="copy"
Rotunda 
from rotonda="round terrace"
Saloon 
from salone="hall, lounge"
Scagliola 
from scagliola, =literally, "little chip"
Sepia 
from seppia, ="color extracted from cuttlefish"
Seraglio 
from serraglio="menagerie"
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="plaster, putty, molding"
Tazza 
from tazza, a kind of cup; ultimately from Arabic tassah and Persian tasht="cup, saucer."
Tempera 
from tempera="distemper, poster paint"
Terra-cotta 
from terra cotta, =literally, "baked or cooked earth"
Terrazzo 
from terrazzo, ="terrace"
Umber 
from Umbria, a region in Italy
Veduta 
from veduta="view"
Vedutista 
from vedutista
Villa 
from villa="manor, hall"
Virtue 
from virtù
Virtuoso 
from virtuoso="virtuous, righteous, moral"

Food and Culinary Terms
[See also: Italian cuisine]
affogato 
from affogato="drowned"
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="appetizer"
artichoke 
from North Italian articiocco, alteration of arcicioffo, from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-h_aršúf.
arugula 
from the Neapolian dialect rugula
barista 
from barista="bartender"
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="squid"
candy 
from Middle English sugre candy, part translation of Middle French sucre candi, from Old French çucre candi, part translation of Italian zucchero candi, from zucchero sugar + Arabic qandI candied, from Persian qand cane sugar; ultimately from Sanskrit khanda="piece of sugar," perhaps from Dravidian.[1]
cappuccino 
from cappuccino="white coffee"
carpaccio 
from carpaccio
cauliflower 
from cavolfiore="cabbage flower"
caviar 
from caviale
Chicken Marengo 
from the village of Marengo
ciabatta 
from ciabatta="slipper, mule"
coffee 
from caffè
confetti 
from confetti, plural of confetto="comfit"
cotechino 
from cotechino="sausage"
espresso 
from espresso="expressed", which in turn (in the sense of 'rapid', as applied to trains and drinks) derives from the English word 'express'[2]
fettuccine 
from fettuccine, plural of fettuccina="ribbon"
focaccia 
from focaccia="cake, bun"
gelato 
from gelato="ice"
grappa 
from grappa="brandy"
gusto 
from gusto="taste"
lasagna 
from lasagne
latte 
from latte, ="milk". Coffee with lots of milk is called caffelatte in Italy
linguine 
from linguine, plural of linguina, ="diminutive of lingua tongue"
macaroni 
from maccheroni, plural of maccherone
macchiato 
from macchiato, = "stained" (with milk)
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 
borrowed from a similar-sounding word with different meaning, peperoni, plural of peperone = "bell pepper"
pesto 
from pesto, ="crushed"
pignoli 
from pinoli, plural of pinolo
pistachio 
from pistacchio
pizza 
from pizza="reel"
pizzeria 
from pizzeria
polenta 
from polenta
prosciutto 
from prosciutto="ham, gammon"
provolone 
from augmentative of provola
radicchio 
from radicchio, ="chicory"
ravioli 
from ravioli, plural of raviolo
salami 
from salami, plural of salame="sausage"
scampi 
from scampi, plural of scampo="escape"
semolina 
from semolino
soda 
from soda
spaghetti 
from spaghetti, plural of spaghetto, ="little string"
spumante 
from spumante="sparkling"
spumoni 
from spumone
sugar 
via Old French sucre, from Italian 'zucchero; Medieval Latin succarum, from Arabic sukkar, from Persian shakar; ultimately from Sanskrit sharkara="grit, gravel"
tiramisu 
from tiramisù
tortellini 
from tortellini, plural of tortellino ="little cake"
tortoni 
from Tortoni 19th century Italian restaurateur in Paris
trattoria 
from trattoria="tavern"
tutti-frutti 
from tutti frutti, ="all fruits"
vermicelli 
from vermicelli, plural of vermicello ="little worm"
zabaglione 
from zabaglione, zabaione="eggnog" (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="Frankish language"
motto 
from motto="pledge"
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="scenery"
sonnet 
from sonetto
stanza 
from stanza, ="room"
trill 
from trillo="ring, quaver, chirr, roulade, beep"

Music
[See also: Musical terminology and Italian musical terms]
adagio 
from Italian ad agio="at ease"
allegro 
from allegro="cheerful"
alto 
from alto="high"
arpeggio 
from arpeggio, ="harp-like"
attacca 
from attacca="attacks"
basso 
from basso="low"
bassoon 
from bassone
bel canto 
from bel canto="nice sining"
bravura 
from bravura="cleverness"
cadenza 
from cadenza="cadence"
cantata 
from cantata="singing"
canzone 
from canzone="song"
capo 
short for capotasto, from Italian, literally, "top of fingerboard"
capriccio 
from capriccio ="sudden start, motion, or freak"
castrato 
from castrato="castrated"
cavatina 
from cavatina
cello 
from violoncello
concert 
from concerto
diva 
from diva
divertimento 
from divertimento="entertainment"
folio 
from foglio, ="leaf"
fantasia 
from fantasia, ="fancy"
forte, a musical direction for 'loud' 
from forte ="strong, loud"
fugue 
from fuga="escape"
harmonica 
from armonica
intermedio 
from intermedio=intermediate
intermezzo 
from intermezzo="interlude"
libretto 
from libretto="booklet"
madrigal 
from madrigale
maestro 
from maestro="master"
mandola 
from mandola
mandolin 
from mandolino
obbligato 
from obbligare, ="to oblige"
oboe 
from oboè, òboe="hautboy" (actual Italian form)
ocarina 
from ocarina
opera 
from opera, ="a work produced"
operetta 
from operetta, ="little opera"
oratorio 
from oratorio="oratory"
orchestra 
from orchestra="band"
piano 
from piano, ="soft"
pianoforte 
from pianoforte, ="soft-strong"
piccolo 
from piccolo, ="small"
presto 
from presto="quickly"
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="single"
sonata 
from sonata
soprano 
from soprano="treble, descendant"
sordino 
from sordino
tempo 
from tempo, ="time"
tessitura 
from tessitura, ="texture"
timpani 
from timpani, plural of timpano, ="kettledrum"
trill 
from trillo="ring"
trombone 
from trombone, ="large trumpet"
tuba 
from tuba="tube"
viola 
from viola="violet"
violin 
from violino="fiddle"

Politics
ballot 
from ballottaggio
bandit 
from bandito="outlaw"
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="beam"
fascism 
from fascismo
generalissimo 
from generalissimo="highest-raking general"
illuminati 
Italian, from New Latin, from Latin, plural of illuminatus="enlightened"
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="Mayor"
politico 
from politico="political"
propaganda 
from propaganda=electioneering, (from Latin 'propagare'= literally "extending forth")
razzia 
from razzia="raid, foray"
risorgimento 
from risorgimento=resurgence

Science and Medicine
algebra 
via Italian, Spanish, and Medieval Latin algebra; ultimately from Arabic al-jabr="reunion", "resetting of broken parts"
breccia 
from breccia="breach"
caliber 
from calibro="gauge"
gabbro 
from gabbro
granite 
from granito ,derivative of grano, ="grain"
gonzo 
from gonzo, ="fool(ish)"
influenza 
from influenza="influence"
lagoon 
via French lagune, from laguna="pond, lake," from Latin lacuna="pond, hole"
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="doctor"
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="breed"
rocket 
from rocchetto="reel
scalpel 
from scalpello, ="chisel"
torso 
from torso, ="stalk, stump"
travertine 
from travertino
tufa 
from tufa
tuff 
from tufo
volcano 
from vulcano (from Latin vulcanus); the Italian name for Volcano, Vulcano and Vulcan, the Roman god of blacksmiths, fire, and volcanoes7

Other Words
agio 
from agio="ease"
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"
amigo/amiga 
from amico-male/amica-female, meaning friend
archipelago 
from arcipelago (the Italian name for the Aegean Sea) which is ultimately derived from Greek Arkhipelagos=literally: "chief sea"
arsenal 
from arsenale, Venetian origin: "Arsenal"="armory"
assassin 
from assassino="killer"
attack 
from attaccare="attack"
attitude 
from attitudine="aptitude, disposition, bent, turn"
autostrada 
from autostrada="highway"
ballerina 
from ballerina="wagtail"
ballet 
from balletto
balloon 
from pallone="flask"
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="impress"
ben trovato 
from ben trovato="well found"
bersagliere 
from bersagliere
bimbo 
from bimbo, ="child", "baby"
biretta 
from berretta="cap"
bizarre 
from bizzarro="odd, strange"
bocce 
from bocce, plural form of boccia ="ball"
bomb 
via French bombe, from Italian from bomba, from Latin bombus="a deep, hollow noise; a buzzing or booming sound"; ultimately from Greek bombos="deep and hollow sound."[3]
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 
via French brigade, from brigata="troop, crowd, gang"; from brigare="brawl, fight" and briga="strife, quarrel." Perhaps of Celtic or Germanic origin.[4]
brilliant 
from French brillant="sparkling, shining", present participle of briller="to shine", from Italian brillare="sparkle, whirl"; perhaps from Vulgar Latin berillare="to shine like beryl" from the minerals Latin name Beryllus.
buffalo 
from bufalo
buffoon 
from buffone="jester"
bulletin 
from bolletino
camauro 
from camauro
Campo Santo 
from campo santo="holy field"
cannon 
from cannone="gun"
capuchin 
from cappuccino="white coffee"
carabiniere 
from carabiniere="carabineer"
carat 
from carato
caravan 
from caravana="trailer" or carovana="convoy, party"
caress 
from carezza="stroke, pat"
carnival 
from carnevale="is meat"
carousel 
from carosello="roundabout"
cartridge 
from cartoccio="cartouche"
cascade 
from cascata="waterfall"
cash 
from modification of Middle French or Italian; Middle French casse money box, from Italian cassa "box", 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="bolt"
Cavalier 
from cavaliere, ="chevalier"
ciao 
from ciao which can mean both "hello" and "goodbye" at the same time.
cicala 
from cicala, ="cicada"
cicerone 
from cicerone="guide"
colonel 
from colonnello
condottiere 
from condottiero="leader, warlord"
consigliere 
from consigliere="advisor"
corna 
from corna="horns"
courtesan 
from cortigiana
cozen 
from cozzone
credit 
from credito, ="credit, belief, or balance"
debit 
from debito, ="debt"
disaster 
from disastro="crash"
ditto 
from ditto, now detto,="said"
donna 
from donna="woman"
extravaganza 
from stravaganza="eccentricity"
festa 
from festa, ="feast"
fiasco 
from fare fiasco, ="to make a bottle"
fico 
from fico, ="fig"
finale 
from finale, ="final"
florin 
from fiorino="to flourish"
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=extra metal from a foundry
ghibli 
from ghibli=a hot Sahara wind
giraffe 
from giraffa="boom"
girandole 
from girandola="pinwheel"
giro 
from giro="tour"
gondola 
from gondola
gran turismo 
from gran turismo, ="grand touring"
group 
from gruppo="band"
Harlequin 
from Arlecchino
impresa 
from impresa="business"
impresario 
from impresario="manager"
innamorato 
from innamorato="in love"
inferno 
from inferno, ="hell"
in Petto 
from in petto, literally, "in the breast"
jeans 
from blu di Genova="blue of Genoa"
literati 
from obsolete Italian litterati, from Latin, plural of litteratus
lottery 
from lotteria="raffle"
lotto 
from lotto="lot, site"
magazine 
from magazzino="warehouse"
mafia 
from mafia="boldness"; possibly from Arabic mahjas="aggressive, boasting, bragging."
mafioso 
from mafioso="a member of the Mafia"
magnifico 
from magnifico="magnificent"
majordomo
via Italian maggiordomo or Spanish mayordomo (both meaning "butler") from Latin "maior domus"="mayor of the place."
Mamma Mia 
from mamma mia="mother of mine"
manage 
from maneggiare="handle"
marina 
from marina="seaside"
monster 
from mostro="freak"
morra 
from morra
mozzetta 
from mozzetta
musket 
from moschetto
mustachio 
from mustacchio, ="mustache"
Negro 
from negro meaning black in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian; ultimately from Latin nigrum (nom.: niger) and Greek Negros=both meaning "black."
nostalgia 
from nostalgia="homesickness"
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="sunshade"
pedal 
from pedale="treasol"
pilot 
from pilota
pistol 
from the city of Pistoia, Tuscany
piston 
from pistone="plunger, sucker"
pococurante 
from poco curante, ="caring little"
policy 
from polizza="bill"
poltroon
from poltrone, ="lazy person, idler", from poltrona, armchair
pontoon 
from pontone same meaning, originally augmentative of ponte, ="bridge"
portfolio 
from portafoglio="billfold"
previdential 
from previdenza="security"
punchinello 
from Neapolitan language pucinella
regatta 
from regata="race"
risk 
from rischio="risk"
riviera 
from riviera="coast"
saltarello 
from saltarello
sansevieria 
from Raimondo di Sangro, prince of San Severo died 1774 Italian scholar
scaramouche 
from scaramuccia, ="skirmish"
scarper 
from scappare, ="to flee/run away/leave/depart/escape"
sedan 
from sede, a southern Italian dialect derivative of "chair"
sequin 
from zecchino="gold coin"
simpatico 
from simpatico="sympathetic"
sirocco 
from scirocco
skirmish 
from scaramuccia="skirmish, brush"
squad 
from squadra="team"
squadron 
from squadrone="troop"
stiletto 
from stiletto, ="little dagger"
strappado 
from strappata="torn, lug"
taffeta 
from taffettà
tariff 
from tariffa="rate, fair"
tarot 
from tarocchi
tifoso 
from tifoso="supporter", plural tifosi
tinge 
from tingere, ="to dye or to colour"
tombola 
from tombolare, ="to tumble, fall upside down"
tombolo 
from tombolo="pillow"
traffic 
from Middle French trafique, from Old Italian traffico, from trafficare="to trade"
trampoline 
from trampolino="springboard"
turban 
from turbante
umbrella 
from ombrello="brolly", diminutive of ombra, ="shade"
valuta 
from valuta, ="currency"
vendetta 
from vendetta, ="vengeance"
vista 
from vista="view"
viva 
from viva="alive"
zany 
from Zanni a dialectal form of Giovanni, a Commedia dell'arte character
zero 
from zero="nothing"
zucchetto 
from zucchetto="skullcap"
References

  1. ^ Harper, Douglas. "candy". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=candy. 
  2. ^ Lo Zingarelli 2008.

  3. ^ Harper, Douglas. "bomb (n.)". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bomb+%28n.%29. 
  4. ^ Harper, Douglas. "brigade". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=brigade.