ciocio

Italian

Etymology 1

Has been connected with cioccia (“nipple”) and cecio (“chickpea”).

Noun

ciocio m (plural cioci) (Tuscany)

1. Form of address for a small child.

Derived terms

• ciocino

 

References

• Pianigiani, Ottorino (1907) “ciocio”, in Vocabolario etimologico della lingua italiana (in Italian), Rome: Albrighi & Segati

Etymology 2

Possibly sound symbolic, compare Latin cīmex, Old Armenian ճճի (čči).

Noun

ciocio m (plural cioci) (dialectal, Serrone)

1. cockroach

   Synonyms: scarafaggio, blatta

References

• AIS: Sprach- und Sachatlas Italiens und der Südschweiz [Linguistic and Ethnographic Atlas of Italy and Southern Switzerland] – map 472: “lo scarafaggio” – on navigais-web.pd.istc.cnr.it