suzzacchera

Italian

FWOTD – 20 February 2019

Alternative forms

• suzzachera

Etymology

From Late Ancient Greek ὀξυσάκχαρον (oxusákkharon), compound of ὀξύς (oxús, “sharp, acid”) + σάκχαρον (sákkharon, “sugar”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sudˈd͡zak.ke.ra/, [s̪ud̪ˈd̪͡z̪äkke̞r̺ä]
• Rhymes: -akkera
• Hyphenation: suz‧zàc‧che‧ra

Noun

suzzacchera f (plural suzzacchere) (Tuscany, archaic or rare)

1. A medicinal drink made of vinegar and sugar.
   • 14^th c., Franco Sacchetti, “Novella CCX [Novel 210]”, in Novelle di Franco Sacchetti, published 1724, page 177:

     noi ce ne avvedremo a’ medici e alli ſciroppi e alle ſuzzacchere, che ſapete quello che coſtano

     We will realize it with the doctors, and the syrups and the suzzacchere; you know how much they cost

2. (by extension) muddle, mixture
3. (figurative) Something that brings sorrow or sadness.
4. (figurative) Something lengthy and boring.

Derived terms

• zozza

References

• suzzacchera in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
• Template:R:DIO
• Pianigiani, Ottorino (1907) “suzzacchera”, in Vocabolario etimologico della lingua italiana (in Italian), Rome: Albrighi & Segati