mignattaio

Italian

Un mignattaio – A glossy ibis

Etymology

Derived from mignatta (“leech”) +‎ -aio (suffix denoting an occupation). The zoological sense derived from the archaic belief that the bird fed on leeches.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /miɲ.ɲatˈta.jo/, [miɲɲät̪ˈt̪äːjo]
• Hyphenation: mi‧gnat‧tà‧io

Noun

mignattaio m (plural mignattai)

1. (archaic):
   1. A person who collects and sells leeches.
   2. A person who applies leeches to the sick.
2. glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Related terms

• mignatta
• mignattino

Anagrams

• attingiamo