English Words from Italian (Latin) Roots
Art and Architecture
Arcade
from arcate = "arches"
Balcony
from balcone
Bronze
from bronzo
Carpet
from carpita
Cartoon
from cartone, ="cardboard", augmentative of carta, ="paper"
Corridor
from corridoio="hallway, passage, aisle, lobby, gangway"
Dome
from duomo="cathedral"
Figurine
from figurina="picture card"
Gallery
from galleria, ="arcade"
Graffiti
from graffiti, plural of graffito; both from graffiato="scratched"
Mask
via Middle English masque from maschera="disguise"; ultimately from Medieval Latin
masca, mascha, mascus="mask, nightmare, ghost"
Medal
from medaglia
Miniature
from miniatura="very small drawing"
Model
from modello="pattern"
Pastel
from pastello="crayon"
Porcelain
from porcellana="porcelain, china"
Replica
from replica="copy"
Sketch
from schizzo =literally, "splash"
Studio
from studio, ="study"
Stucco
from stucco="plaster, putty, molding"
Tempera
from tempera="distemper, poster paint"
Virtue
from virtù
Food and culinary terms
bologna or baloney (boloney)
from Bologna
broccoli
from plural of broccolo, ="cabbage-sprout or top"
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 لدناقqandI candied, from Persian دنقqand cane sugar; ultimately from
Sanskrit खुड् khanda="piece of sugar," perhaps from Dravidian.[1]
cauliflower
from cavolfiore="cabbage flower"
coffee
from caffè
confetti
from confetti, plural of confetto="comfit"
lasagna
from lasagne
macaroni
from maccheroni, plural of maccherone
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"
pizza
from pizza="reel"
ravioli
from ravioli, plural of raviolo
salami
from salami, plural of salame="sausage"
soda
from soda
spaghetti
from spaghetti, plural of spaghetto, ="little string"
spumoni
from spumone
sugar
via Old French sucre, from Italian 'zucchero; Medieval Latin succarum, from Arabic ركس
sukkar, from Persian رکشshakar; ultimately from Sanskrit शर्करा sharkara="grit, gravel"
tiramisu
from tiramisù
tortellini
from tortellini, plural of tortellino ="little cake"
zucchini
from zucchini, plural of zucchina, ="small gourd"
Music
cello
concert
from violoncello
from
harmonica
from
opera
from
orchestra
from
piano
from
solo
from
soprano
from
tempo
from
trombone
from
tuba
from
viola
from
violin
from
concerto
armonica
opera, ="a work produced"
orchestra="band"
piano, ="soft"
solo="single"
soprano="treble, descendant"
tempo, ="time"
trombone, ="large trumpet"
tuba="tube"
viola="violet"
violino="fiddle"
Science and medicine
algebra
via Italian, Spanish, and Medieval Latin algebra; ultimately from Arabic ربجلاaljabr="reunion", "resetting of broken parts"
granite
from granito ,derivative of grano, ="grain"
influenza
from influenza="influence"
lagoon
lava
race
rocket
via French lagune, from laguna="pond, lake," from Latin lacuna="pond, hole"
from lava
from razza="breed"
from rocchetto="reel
volcano
from vulcano; the Italian name for Volcano, Vulcano and Vulcan, the Roman god of
blacksmiths, fire, and volcanoes
Other words
alarm
alert
from all'arme (allarme in modern standard Italian), =literally, "to the arms!"
from all'erta (allerta in modern standard Italian), =literally, "on the ascent!"
ballerina
from ballerina="female dancer"
ballet
from balletto
balloon
from pallone="flask"
bank
from banco or banca, ="bench"
bizarre
from bizzarro="odd, strange"
brave
from bravo="courageous, wild", probably from Latin barbarus barbarous
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
bulletin
from bollettino="small bill"
caravan
from caravana="trailer" or carovana="convoy, party", ultimately from arabic"
carnival
from carnevale="meat is allowed", in fact a para-etymology from Latin "carnascialis",
carousel
from carosello="roundabout"
cash
from modification of Middle French or Italian; Middle French casse money box, from
Italian cassa "box", from Latin capsa chest
credit
from credito, ="credit, belief, or balance"
debit and debt
from debito, ="due, duty"
disaster
from disastro="foe star"
finale
from finale, ="final"
giraffe
from giraffa="boom"
group
from gruppo="band"
jeans
from blu di Genova="blue of Genoa"
manage
from maneggiare="handle"
marina
from marina="seaside"
monster
from mostro="freak”
pants
from pantalone, a Commedia dell'Arte character, whose name was
"Pantalone"="Pantaleon"
pedal
from pedale="treasol"
pilot
from pilota, originally meaning "helmsman"
policy
from polizza="bill"
risk
from rischio="risk"
skirmish
from scaramuccia="skirmish, brush"
squad
from squadra="team"
squadron
from squadrone="troop"
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"
vendetta
from vendetta, ="vengeance"
vista
from vista="view"
zany
zero
from Zanni a dialectal form of Giovanni, a Commedia dell'arte character
from zero="zero", from Latin "zephirus"="breeze", ultimately a misinterpretation of
arabic "sifr"="cipher"
Resource:
Wikipedia: List of words in English with Italian Origins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Italian_origin
