What do the acts of prodding, poking, teasing and stimulating all have in common? They are all linked by the verb stuzzicare in Italian, as we’ll discover below! The origin of stuzzicare appears to be uncertain. Devoto-Oli claims it comes from the verb tuzzare meaning “to strike at the tip,” while Treccani suggests it is …
Today’s word miscela means mixture or blend, or more specifically, a mix of two or more different substances whose particles are blended without undergoing any chemical reactions. This noun originates from the Latin adjective miscellus, meaning “mixed,” which is derived from the verb miscere, indicating the act of mixing. Because miscela is a feminine noun, …
Life is often full of unexpected twists and turns that can throw our plans into disarray and leave us feeling disoriented. Whether it’s a sudden change of circumstances, unforeseen obstacles, or a series of unpredictable events, these disruptions can leave us grappling with frustration. An Italian verb that is often used to describe this kind …
Accozzaglia is one of those wonderful words that, to my ears, sounds exactly like the meaning it is meant to convey. Denoting “a strange, messy and often unpleasant assortment of things or people”, there are numerous translations we can fall back on including jumble, mix, mishmash or hodgepodge (when talking about things) or rabble and …
In a world filled with diverse cultures and individuals, it’s all too common for biases and prejudices to arise before we even have a chance to truly understand each other. A person with these negative characteristics can be described as prevenuto in Italian. The adjective prevenuto is in its masculine form, indicated by its ending …
Today, we’re going to delve into the intriguing world of a little Italian word that plays a significant rule in our everyday lives: pomello (knob / pommel). After all, we wouldn’t be able to open many doors without it! Pomello is the diminutive form of pomo which, along with the far more commonly used mela, …