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-ino

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Etymology and origin of the Italian word -ino

Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
Inherited from
Latin -inus
Ultimate origin
Latin -īnus

Pronunciation

Forms

-ino m (noun-forming suffix, plural -ini, feminine -ina)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin -īnus, an adjective suffix meaning “belonging to, of the nature of”.[2][3][4][5][1] The Oxford Latin Dictionary describes it as an enlargement of -nus, forming adjectives from nouns (dīvīnus, vīcīnus) and especially from personal and place names (Latīnus).[6] It comes from Proto-Italic *-īnos, from Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos, and is related to Ancient Greek -ινος (-inos) and Proto-Germanic *-īnaz.[1][7] Treccani calls the Italian suffix one of varied origin, some of whose uses are already Latin.[8]

The same suffix is French -in, Catalan -í, Spanish -ino and Romanian -in.[1]

Semantic evolution

Italian kept the Latin sense in adjectives and nouns of origin, mostly from place names (fiorentino, perugino, alpino), and in adjectives of material, likeness or colour (argentino “silvery”, cristallino, marino, caprino).[4][9][8] From nouns and verbs it made names of trades (ciabattino “cobbler”, contadino, imbianchino, bagnino) and of tools and devices (accendino “lighter”, cerino, lavandino, temperino).[9][4][8]

Its commonest use today is as a diminutive and term of endearment for nouns, adjectives and even adverbs: gattino “kitten”, tavolino, carino, poverino, pianino.[9][3] It often adds irony or mild scorn (dottorino, professorino).[9] In familiar Tuscan speech ino is used as a word on its own, often doubled (ino ino), to stress the smallness already expressed by a diminutive;[10][3][8] Tommaseo recorded it.[10][3][8] French uses -in as a diminutive or pejorative suffix as well.[11]

Meanings

Suffix

  1. Forms diminutives and terms of endearment of nouns, adjectives and adverbs, sometimes ironic: nipotino, bruttino, adagino.[9][4][8]
  2. Forms adjectives and nouns of origin, chiefly from place names: triestino, parigino.[4][5][1]
  3. Forms adjectives of material, likeness or colour from nouns: cenerino, paglierino.[4][9][5]
  4. Forms names of trades and occupations: postino, spazzino, arrotino.[4][9][5]
  5. Forms names of tools, devices and objects: frullino, colino, macinino.[4][9][8]
  • -ina
  • Latin -inus
  • French -in
  • English -ine

Usage notes

Written the same way is the ending -ino of the third person plural of the present subjunctive and imperative of regular verbs in -are.[1] In organic chemistry -ino names the hydrocarbons of the acetylene series, the alkynes (etino).[3][12] In zoology it is the singular of the family suffix -ini (bovino, felino).[12][8] The chemical suffix -ina came by way of German -in and French -ine.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  3. ^ a b c d e Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  5. ^ a b c d Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
  6. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  10. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
  11. ^ Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it
  12. ^ a b Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana

Related etymologies

  • no · also from Latin
  • cosa · also from Latin
  • a · also from Latin
  • mio · also from Latin
  • uno · also from Latin
  • si · also from Latin
  • sapere · also from Latin
  • fare · also from Latin
Cite this entry

“-ino.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/it/-ino. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·