Spicciolo (masculine, plural spiccioli) is the word for loose / spare / small change in Italian. It derives from the verb spicciolare which means to pick off or to change (a sum of money) into (a different currency or denomination). Hai qualche spicciolo da darmi? Do you have any spare change you can give me? Mi dispiace, non ho spiccioli da darti. I'm sorry, I don't have any … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Spicciolo (loose change)
Adjectives
Italian Word of the Day: Vigliacco (coward)
One way of saying coward in Italian is vigliacco (masculine, plural: vigliacchi). There is also the feminine version vigliacca and its plural vigliacche. For once, we have a word that doesn't derive directly from Latin but rather the Spanish bellaco meaning wicked or vile. It refers not only to those who, for lack of courage, flee from danger or tolerate harassment without reacting, but also … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Vigliacco (coward)
Italian Word of the Day: Bislacco (eccentric / weird)
Bislacco is one way of saying eccentric, weird or quirky in Italian. It is thought to derive from the Venetian bislaco, which in turn comes from the Slovene word bezjak meaning silly. It was a nickname given to the Venetians of Friuli and the Slavs of Istria. Because it is an adjective, the ending changes depending on the gender and/or plurality of the subject in question: bislacco = … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Bislacco (eccentric / weird)
Italian Word of the Day: Sazio (full / satisfied)
In Italy, the polite way of saying that you are full is sazio after a meal if you are a man or sazia if you are a woman. (The respective plural forms are sazi and sazie.) It shares the same origin as the English words sate and satiated. Che mangiata! Sono proprio sazio! Era tutto squisito! What a meal! I'm really full! Everything was delicious! Sazio ≠ pienoPieno is the … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Sazio (full / satisfied)
Italian Word of the Day: Schizzinoso (picky / fussy)
The Italian word for someone who is very hard to please, especially when it comes to food and drink, is schizzinoso. Possible English translations include picky, fussy or finicky. It may also describe a person who is intolerant of people, things, or manners he or she considers vulgar. The word is thought to derive from the northern schizza ("squashed nose"), alluding to those who wrinkle … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Schizzinoso (picky / fussy)
Italian Word of the Day: Appiccicoso (clingy / sticky)
Soon after our son turned six months old, he went from being a very sociable baby who would flash his gummy smile at pretty much anyone in his immediate vicinity to being extremely shy and appiccicoso, which is the Italian word for clingy / clinging (when figuratively talking about a person) or sticky (when talking about an object such as honey or glue). The word is formed of the verb … [Read more...] about Italian Word of the Day: Appiccicoso (clingy / sticky)