batocio

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Venetian batocio, due to it being used by Harlequin, a Venetian mask, who also presumably has “Batocio” as his last name, by the famous introductory phrase Mi son Arlechin Batocio, orbo de recia e sordo de ocio (“My name is Arlechin Batocio, blind in the ear and deaf in the eye”). Doublet of batacchio.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈtɔ.t͡ʃo/
• Rhymes: -ɔtʃo
• Hyphenation: ba‧tò‧cio

Noun

batocio m (plural batoci)

1. (theater) the stick of a zanni in the commedia dell'arte, most notably of Harlequin and Brighella; behind the scenes it works as a slapstick