List of English words of Italian origin

Many words of Italian origin have entered other languages. 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";Artisan :from "artigiano";Bagnio :from "bagno";Balcony :from "balcone";Baldachin :from "baldacchino";Baluster :from "balaustra";Balustrade :from "balaustrata";Belvedere, a kind of gazebo :from "belvedere" = "nice view";Berlinetta :from "berlinetta";Biennale :from "biennale";Bronze :from "bronzo";Cameo :from "cammeo";Campanile :from "campanile";Caricature :from "caricatura";Carpet :from "carpita";Carrozzeria :from "carrozzeria";Cartoon :from "cartone", ="cardboard", augmentative of "carta", ="paper";Chiaroscuro :from "chiaro", ="clear, light coloured" and "scuro", "dark";Cognoscente :from "conoscente";Colonnade :from "colonnato", from "colonna" column;Conversazione :from "conversazione";Corridor :from "corridoio";Cupola :from "cupola", ="little cask";Curioso :from "curiosa";Dilettante :from "dilettante";Dome :from "duomo";Facade :from French "façade", from Italian "facciata", from "faccia" face, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin "facia";Faience :from the city of Faenza;Fascia :from "fascia", ="band or strip";Fiasco :from "Fiasco";Figurine :from "figurina";Fresco :from "fresco", ="fresh, cool". The Italian word for a painting on wet plaster is "affresco";Fumetti :from "fumetti";Gallery :from "galleria", ="arcade";Gesso :from "gesso", ="chalk";Graffiti :from "graffiti", plural of "graffito";Grotesque :from "grottesca";Impasto :from "impasto", ="dough, paste";Indigo :from "indaco";Intaglio :from "intaglio", ="cutting, engraving";Intarsia :from "intarsio", ="inlaying, marquetry";Loggia :from "loggia";Madonna :from "madonna", ="my lady";Madonnari :from "madonnari", plural of "madonnaro";Magenta :from the town of Magenta, Italy;Majolica :from "maiolica";Mandorla :from "mandorla";Martello :from "martello";Mascara :from "maschera";masquerade :from "maschera";Mask :from "maschera";Medal :from "medaglia";Mezzanine :from "mezzanino";Mezzotint :from "mezzo", ="half", and "tinto", ="dyed, stained";Millefiori : from "millefiori";Miniature :from "miniatura";Model :from "modello";Monticello :from "monticello", ="little mountain";Morbidezza :from "morbidezza";Mosaic :from "mosaico";Muslin :from "mussolina";Niello :from "niello";Ovolo :from "ovulo", diminutive of "uovo", "ovo" egg, from Latin "ovum";Palazzo :from "palazzo" ;Parapet :from "parapetto";Pastel :from "pastello";Pasticcio :from "pasticcio", ="pastiche";Pentimento :from "pentimento";Pergola :from "pergola";Piazza :from "piazza", ="square, marketplace";Pietà :from "pietà", ="pity";Pilaster :from "pilastro";Porcelain :from "porcellana";Portico :from "portico";Predella :from "predella";Putto :from "putto";Quattrocento :from "Quattrocento", ="1400s".;Relievo :from "rilievo", see also alto-relievo, basso-relievo;Replica :from "replica";Rotunda :from "rotonda";Saloon :from "salone";Scagliola :from "scagliola", =literally, "little chip";Sepia :from "seppia", ="cuttlefish";Seraglio :from "serraglio";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";Tazza :from "tazza";Tempera :from "tempera";Terra-cotta :from "terra cotta", =literally, "baked or cooked earth";Terrazzo :from "terrazzo", ="terrace";Umber :from "Umbria, a region in Italy";Veduta :from "veduta";Vedutista :from "vedutista";Villa :from "villa";Virtue :from "virtù";Virtuoso :from "virtuoso"

Food and culinary terms

;affogato :from "affogato";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";artichoke : from North Italian "articiocco", from Arabic "al-ẖaršúf".;arugula :from the Neapolian dialect "rugula";barista :from "barista";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";candy :from Middle English "sugre candy", part translation of Middle French "sucre candi", part translation of Old Italian "zucchero candi", from "zucchero" sugar + Arabic "qandI" candied, from "qand" cane sugar;cappuccino :from "cappuccino";carpaccio :from "carpaccio";cauliflower :from "cavolfiore";caviar :from "caviale";Chicken Marengo :from the village of Marengo;ciabatta :from "ciabatta";coffee :from "caffè";confetti :from "confetti", plural of "confetto";cotechino : from "cotechino";espresso :from "espresso";fettuccine :from "fettuccine", plural of "fettuccina";focaccia :from "focaccia";gelato :from "gelato";grappa :from "grappa";gusto :from "gusto";lasagna :from "lasagne";latte :from "latte", ="milk". Coffee with lots of milk is called "caffellatte" in Italy;linguine :from "linguine", plural of "linguina", ="diminutive of "lingua" tongue";macaroni :from "maccheroni", plural of "maccherone";macchiato :from "macchiato", ="marked";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 :from "peperoni", plural of "peperone", augmentative of "pepe" pepper, from Latin "piper";pesto :from "pesto", ="crushed";pignoli :from "pinoli", plural of "pinolo";pistachio :from "pistacchio";pizza :from "pizza";pizzeria :from "pizzeria";polenta :from "polenta";prosciutto :from "prosciutto";provolone :from augmentative of "provola";radicchio :from "radicchio", ="chicory";ravioli :from "ravioli", plural of "raviolo";salami :from "salami", plural of "salame";scampi :from "scampi", plural of "scampo";semolina :from "semolino";soda :from "soda";spaghetti :from "spaghetti", plural of "spaghetto", ="little string";spumante :from "spumante";spumoni :from "spumone";sugar :from "zucchero"; ultimately from Arabic;tiramisu :from "tiramisù";tortellini :from "tortellini", plural of "tortellino" ="little cake";tortoni :from "Tortoni 19th century Italian restaurateur in Paris";trattoria :from "trattoria";tutti-frutti :from "tutti frutti", ="all fruits";vermicelli :from "vermicelli", plural of "vermicello" ="little worm";zabaglione :from "zabaglione", "zabaione" (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";motto :from "motto";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";sonnet :from "sonetto";stanza :from "stanza", ="room";trill :from "trillo"

Music

;alto :from "alto";attacca :from "attacca";basso :from "basso";bassoon :from "bassone";bel canto :from "bel canto";bravura :from "bravura";cadenza :from "cadenza";cantata :from "cantata";canzone :from "canzone";capo :short for capotasto, from Italian, literally, head of fingerboard;capriccio :from "capriccio" ="sudden start, motion, or freak";castrato :from "castrato";cavatina :from "cavatina";cello :from "violoncello";concert :from "concerto";diva :from "diva";divertimento :from "divertimento";folio :from "foglio", ="leaf";fantasia :from "fantasia", ="fancy";forte, a musical direction for 'loud' :from "forte" ="strong, loud" ;fugue :from "fuga";harmonica :from "armonica";intermedio :from "intermedio";intermezzo :from "intermezzo";libretto :from "libretto";madrigal :from "madrigale";maestro :from "maestro";mandola :from "mandola";mandolin :from "mandolino";obbligato :from "obbligare", ="to oblige";oboe :from "oboè", "òboe" (actual Italian form);ocarina :from "ocarina";opera :from "opera", ="a work produced";operetta :from "operetta", ="little opera";oratorio :from "oratorio";orchestra :from "orchestra";piano :from "piano", ="soft";pianoforte :from "pianoforte", ="soft-strong";piccolo :from "piccolo", ="small";presto :from "presto";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";sonata :from "sonata";soprano :from "soprano";sordino :from "sordino";tempo :from "tempo", ="time";tessitura :from "tessitura", ="texture";timpani :from "timpani", plural of "timpano", ="kettledrum";trill :from "trillo";trombone :from "trombone", ="large trumpet";tuba :from "tuba";viola :from "viola";violin :from "violino"

Politics

;ballot :from "ballottaggio";bandit :from "bandito";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";fascism :from "fascismo";generalissimo :from "generalissimo";illuminati :Italian, from New Latin, from Latin, plural of "illuminatus";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";politico :from "politico";propaganda :from "propaganda", (from Latin 'propagare'= literally "extending forth");razzia :from "razzia";risorgimento :from "risorgimento"

cience and medicine

;algebra :from "algebra";breccia :from "breccia";caliber :from "calibro" ;gabbro :from "gabbro" ;granite :from "granito" ,derivative of "grano", ="grain";gonzo :from "gonzo", ="fool(ish)";influenza :from "influenza";lagoon :from "laguna",;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";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";rocket :from "rocchetto";scalpel :from "scalpello", ="chisel";torso :from "torso", ="stalk, stump";travertine :from "travertino";tufa :from "tufa";tuff :from "tufo";volcano :from "vulcano" (from Latin vulcanus)

Other words

;agio :from "agio";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";archipelago :from "arcipelago";arsenal :from "arsenale", Venetian origin: "Arsenal";assassin :from "assassino";attack :from "attaccare";attitude :from "attitudine";autostrada :from "autostrada";ballerina :from "ballerina";ballet :from "balletto";balloon :from "pallone";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";ben trovato :from "ben trovato";bersagliere :from "bersagliere";bimbo :from "bimbo", ="child", "baby";biretta :from "biretta";bizarre :from "bizzarro";bocce :from "bocce", plural form of "boccia" ="ball";bomb :from "bomba";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 :from "brigata";brilliant :from French "brillant", present participle of "briller" to shine, from Italian "brillare";buffalo :from "bufalo";buffoon :from "buffone";bulletin :from "bolletino";camauro :from "camauro";Campo Santo :from "campo santo";cannon :from "cannone";capuchin :from "cappuccino";carabiniere :from "carabiniere";carat :from "carato";caravan (disambiguation) :from "caravana" or "carovana";caress :from "carezza";carnival :from "carnevale";carousel :from "carosello"; :from "cartoccio";cascade :from "cascata";cash :from "modification of Middle French or Old Italian; Middle French casse money box, from Old Italian cassa, 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";Cavalier :from "cavaliere", ="chevalier";ciao :from "ciao";cicala :from "cicala", ="cicada";cicerone :from "cicerone";colonel :from "colonnello";condottiere :from "condottiero";consigliere :from "consigliere";corna :from "corna";courtesan :from "cortigiana";cozen :from "cozzone";credit :from "credito", ="credit, belief, or balance";debit :from "debito", ="debt";disaster :from "disastro";ditto :from "ditto", now "detto", said;donna :from "donna";extravaganza :from "stravaganza";festa :from "festa", ="feast";fiasco :from "fare fiasco", ="to make a bottle";fico :from "fico", ="fig";finale :from "finale", ="final";florin :from "fiorino";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";ghibli :from "ghibli";giraffe :from "giraffa";girandole :from "girandola";giro :from "giro";gondola :from "gondola";gran turismo :from "gran turismo", ="grand touring"; :from "gruppo";Harlequin :from "Arlecchino";impresa :from "impresa";impresario :from "impresario";innamorato :from "innamorato";inferno :from "inferno", ="hell";in petto :from "in petto", literally, "in the breast";jeans :from "blu di Genova";literati :from obsolete Italian "litterati", from Latin, plural of "litteratus";lottery :from "lotteria";lotto :from "lotto";magazine :from "magazzino";mafia :from "mafia";mafioso :from "mafioso";magnifico :from "magnifico";Mamma Mia :from "mamma mia";manage :from "maneggiare";marina :from "marina";monster:from "mostro";morra :from "morra";mozzetta:from "mozzetta";musket :from "moschetto";mustachio :from "mustacchio", ="mustache";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";pedal :from "pedale";pilot :from "pilota";pistol :from the city of Pistoia, Tuscany;piston :from "pistone";pococurante :from "poco curante", ="caring little";policy :from "polizza";poltroon: from "poltrone", ="lazy person, idler", from "poltrona", armchair;pontoon :from "pontone", augmentative of "ponte", ="bridge";portfolio :from "portafoglio";previdential :from "previdenza";punchinello :from Neapolitan language "pucinella";regatta :from "regata";risk :from "rischio";riviera :from "riviera";saltarello :from "saltarello";sansevieria :from Raimondo di Sangro, prince of "San Severo" died 1774 Italian scholar;scaramouche :from "scaramuccia", ="skirmish";sedan :from "sede", a southern Italian dialect derivative of "chair";sequin :from "zecchino";simpatico :from "simpatico";sirocco :from "scirocco";skirmish :from "scaramuccia";squad :from "squadra";squadron :from "squadrone";stiletto :from "stiletto", ="little dagger";strappado :from "strappata";taffeta :from "taffettà";tariff :from "tariffa";tarot :from "tarocchi" ;tifoso :from "tifoso", plural "tifosi";tinge :from "tingere", ="to dye or to colour";tombola :from "tombolare", ="to tumble, fall upside down";tombolo :from "tombolo";traffic :from Middle French "trafique", from Old Italian "traffico", from "trafficare" to traffic;trampoline :from "trampolino";turban :from "turbante";umbrella :from "ombrello", diminutive of "ombra", ="shade";valuta :from "valuta", ="value";vendetta :from "vendetta", ="vengeance";vista :from "vista";viva :from "viva";zany :from "Zanni" a dialectal form of "Giovanni", a "Commedia dell'arte" character;zero :from "zero";zucchetto :from "zucchetto"