List of Italian words of German origin

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula came into closer contact with Germanic peoples at the time of the Great Migration . First it was the Ostrogoths , then later the Lombards . The latter in particular have left their mark on the Italian language (a few dozen words). Word roots from Old Franconian often came to Italy via France or Provence . Some Italian terms are attributed an origin from Old or Middle High German (ahd., Mhd.), A few from New High German . In some cases an origin from Germanic is obvious, but the exact language of origin cannot be clearly determined.

Old, Middle, New High German

The words listed in the following table are (with a high degree of probability) derived from German. The different sources assess the etymology of the different words in different ways. What, according to one author, is of Old High German origin is simply referred to by another as originating from Germanic, with caution or because of different knowledge. Therefore, the references to Old High German descent should be viewed critically.

Italian word meaning origin
alabarda Halberd mhd . helmet beard
alpenstock Stick for mountaineers Alpenstock
old stop mhd. stop
anseatico Hanseatic Hanse
archibugio a kind of can Hook box
azzeccare move, miss mhd. ticks
bandone Iron sheet mhd. band
related old venetian coin Batz
I'm there mechanical winch Winch
birra beer beer
bismuto bismuth bismuth
blindato armored Blind ( French . Blind )
brindisi Toast bring it to you
chellerina Waitress Waitress
cioncare pour down mhd. give ?
cioppa Joppe, jacket Schopa ( Alemannic )
cobalto cobalt cobalt
coboldo leprechaun leprechaun
cren Horseradish, horseradish Horseradish
crusca bran ahd. crusc
edelweiss Edelweiss (plant) Edelweiss
ermellino ermine ahd . harmilīn
field (i) spatio Feldspar Feldspar
fignolo little boil fin
francobollo Stamp Free
gazza magpie ahd. aggaza (French. agace )
ghibellino political party (historical) City of Waiblingen
ghiribizzo Quirk ahd. krebiz 'cancer'
gneiss Gneiss Gneiss
gonfalone Banner, flag ahd. gundfano
gretto stingy mhd. grit 'avarice'
grinza wrinkle ahd. grimmisōn (angry)
gromma Tartar Swiss Grummele
gualcare walking ahd. walkan
guarnire garnish, decorate ahd. WARNON
guisa Way ahd. wisa
Backland
Area not near the sea		 Backland
Cherry Kirsch Kirsch
Caraway seed Caraway brandy Caraway seed
laccamuffa litmus litmus
langravio Landgrave mhd. landgrave
lista list ahd. lista 'bar'
maniscalco Farrier ahd. marah + scalc
marca brand ahd. mark
maresciallo Marshal, police chief ahd. marah , horse '+ scalc , servant'
margravio Margrave Margrave
milza spleen ahd. milzi
minstrel minstrel minstrel
obice Howitzer, grenade howitzer
ordalia Judgment of God judgment
quartzo; quartzoso Quartz; containing quartz quartz
raffica Gust of wind ahd. raffōn , take '
randa Stencil board ahd. border , border '
raspare rasps ahd. raspon
ratto rat ahd. moderato
ringhiera railing ahd. hring 'ring'
rocca Rock ahd. rok
rozza Horse ahd. hros 'horse, horse'
rubare steal, rob ahd. roubon
saccomanno Porter mhd. sackman
saga legend legend
sala Hall, parlor ahd. sal
sberleffo mocking gesture ahd. leffur 'lip'
scellino Shilling Shilling
schermo Shielding, screen ahd. skerm , skirm
shiatta Gender, clan ahd. slaht
sciamano shaman shaman
semel round bun Bread roll
senno understanding ahd. sin
sghembo aslant ahd. slimb
sgherro Henchman ahd. skerre
slitta Sledge Sledge
snello nimble ahd. snel
bacon bacon bacon
squilla; squillare Bells; ring ahd. scella
spingare, springare bump your legs ahd. jump on
stambecco Ibex (species) Capricorn
stanga Barrier, bar, drawbar ahd. stanga
stoccafisso Stockfish Stockfish
stormo swarm ahd. storm (Sturm)
stozzo Pusher mhd. stump
swirl Strudel (as a pastry) swirl
svansica an old Austrian coin Twenties
tallero Valleys Valleys
tanfo Musty smell steam
satellite servant Trabant
trampolo stilt trample
trampolino Stepping stone trample
trincare drink comfortably and abundantly drink
vasistas Hinged window what is that?
presumably Vermouth (as a drink) Wormwood
Worldview Worldview Worldview
lanzichenecco Landsknecht Landsknecht
zinco zinc zinc
nice teat mhd. teat 'breast (wart)'
Zolla Clod of earth mhd. zolle 'cylindrical piece, log, peg, toggle'

There are also derivatives for some Italian words (e.g. stangata 'overreaching, blow' to stanga ). This also applies to the following tables.

Old Franconian

In addition to these Italian terms, those that come from Old Franconian are also of interest here, as this language is at the base of Old High German . Those for which a German word related to Old Franconian can be cited (3rd column) appear in the following table, as well as the (old) French or Provencal intermediate to Italian. Here, too, it should be noted that the old Franconian origin is not always generally recognized.

Italian word meaning Old Franconian origin Intermediate stage Related
German word
agguato Ambush wahta aguait Guardian
airone heron haigro heron
araldo Herald heriald Herald
ardire dare hardjan ardir hard
attaccare attack, attack stakka attacher Stuck
benda Blindfold I'm there Bandage
bandiera banner I'm there Bandage
bersaglio Target (target) birson bersail stalk
bidello School servant, pedell bidil Büttel
botta Blow offered botter (Anvil
buttare throw offered (Anvil
crampo Cramp cramp crampe crooked, cramp
digrignare gnash teeth grin grin
foraggio Animal feed fodar fourrage Lining
garanzia warranty werent guaranteed grant
giardino garden gard jardin garden
glissando Glissando glidan glisser slide
greppia Feeder kripja crib
gres Earthenware griot gres Semolina
guanto Glove want garment
guardare preserve wardōn waiting
guerra war werra (confuse
guitto pathetic wiht guito (spanish) Wretch
loggia Loggia, box, archway laubja arbor
marciare march markon marcher brand
marsc ' March! (Command) markon marche brand
rango hring rank Ring (circle)
rocchetta Prelate's skirt hroc skirt
smalto Enamel, varnish smalt melt
spanna a measure of length spanna Span?
sperones spur sporo spur
spingarda catapult jump espringarde leap
spies spy speho peek
staggio large bar stagia Pole?
tamponare stopper tappo tampon Cones
tappo Plug, stopper, tenon tappo Cones
tasca Trouser pocket, pocket taska bag
teccola Specks tecca Characters
( English . Token)
tovaglia Tablecloth thwahlia Zwehle
trappola Cases trappa trip
usbergo Choker, armor halsberg ausberc Collar

Germanic

Italian words of probable Germanic (in some cases Longobard) origin are listed below, for each of which a German word with the same root and often clear similarity can be used (3rd column). The numerous Italian foreign words from modern English are not taken into account here.

Italian word meaning Related German word
accetta Axe Axe
aringa herring herring
aringo Battleground ring
arruffare confuse scuffle
arpa harp harp
arrostire roast meat roast
balcone balcony bar
balla Bale Bale
banco Bench Bank
bara Coffin, stretcher stretcher
bianco White blank
biavo blue blue
bisonte Bison Bison
blocco Stone block, blockade block
blu blue blue
bordo Board Board
bosco Forest bush
breccia breach break
bruno brown brown
bugia lie angry
cotta Cowl, mail shirt habit
equipaggio (French équipage ) Crew, crew Ship (ahd. Skip )
faida feud feud
fiasco Straw bottle bottle
forra canyon furrow
freccia (French: flèche ) arrow to fly
fresco fresh fresh
gherons gore Listen
grattare scratch scratch
groppa horseback croup
guaio Mishap, accident sore
guancia Cheek, cheek cheek
guercio squinting transversely ( oberdt. Zwerch )
installare install, install Place, stable
issare hoist hoist
leccare lick lick
martora marten marten
Pizza Pizza bite
ricco rich, wealthy rich
roba Stuff robbery
sapone Soap Soap
sbilenco grown crooked Left)
sbreccare splinter break
jokes to kid to kid
scaruffare dishevel scuffle
schietto pure, real plain
schifo ship ship
sguardo Look Wait
spola Kitchen sink Kitchen sink
stalla barn Place, stable
staffa stirrup Trudge, trudge (foot)
stallo Choir stool Job
stallone stallion Stall, place
sterzo steering wheel (Plow) sterz
stinco Shin ham
stormire rustle storm
strale Arrow (poetic) beam
tedesco German German
tocca Trim made of hemp linen cloth
torba peat peat
trescare to dance threshing
trogolo trough trough
trottare trot Rut
tuffare immerse to baptize
uosa spat trousers
uro Aurochs Ur
zaffo Bung, plug Cones
zaffare to lock Cones
zanna Fang, tusk tooth
zecca tick tick
zincone Branch stump prong
zuppa Soup Soup
zuppo soaked Soup

Related articles

swell

  • A. Migliorini: Vocabolario della lingua italiana; Paravia; 1965.
  • M. Cortelazzo, PZ; Zanichelli: DELI - Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana; 1999.
  • Duden, dictionary of origin, 1997
  • German-Italian / Italian-German; Sansoni Dictionaries, 1984
  • Italian dictionary Garzanti
  • Etymology of Italian online