barzelletta

Italian

Etymology

From French bergerette, a kind of light-hearted song, widespread in France and Italy in the 16th century (literally, "little shepherdess").

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bar.d͡zelˈlet.ta/
• Rhymes: -etta
• Hyphenation: bar‧zel‧lét‧ta

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

barzelletta f (plural barzellette)

1. joke (amusing story)
2. (music) a 15th century dance song composed of loose septenaries and octosyllables

Related terms

• barzellettismo

Further reading

• barzelletta in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana