granchio

Italian

Etymology

From a Late Latin or Vulgar Latin cancrulus or *cranc(u)lus (following metathesis and syncopation), diminutive of Latin cancer, or from the accusative form cancrum through an intermediate Vulgar Latin form *cranclu or *crancru. The Latin derives from Proto-Italic *kankros, dissimilation of *karkros (“enclosure”) (because the pincers of a crab form a circle), from Proto-Indo-European *kr-kr- (“circular”), reduplication of *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). See also the doublet cancro (“cancer”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡran.kjo/
• Rhymes: -ankjo
• Hyphenation: gràn‧chio

Noun

granchio m (plural granchi)

1. crab (animal)
2. (figurative) mistake

   Synonym: errore

Derived terms

• aggranchiare
• prendere un granchio (“to misunderstand”)
• sgranchire

Related terms

• cancro
• Cancro

Further reading

• granchio in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
• granchio in garzantilinguistica.it – Garzanti Linguistica, De Agostini Scuola Spa