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ambrogino

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Etymology and origin of the Italian word ambrogino

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1300–1350 Francesco Pegolotti, Pratica della mercatura More words from the 13th century
Ultimate origin
Latin Ambrosius

Pronunciation

  • /am.broˈd͡ʒi.no/[1]

Forms

ambrogino m (plural ambrogini)[1] The plural is recorded as Old Italian ambrugini.[2] The variant ambrosino is also used.[3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from Italian Ambrogio + -ino, after Saint Ambrose, the patron of Milan, whose image was on the coin.[2][3] Ambrose was bishop of Milan from 374 to 397.[5] Wiktionary derives it from Latin ambrosīnus, from Ambrosius.[1] The variant ambrosino goes back to Medieval Latin ambrosinus, recorded in 1160.[6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the merchant's handbook of Pegolotti, from the first half of the 14th century: Ambrugini milanesi, “Milanese ambrogini”, are valued by weight.[2]

Timeline

  • 1160 – Medieval Latin ambrosinus is recorded.[6]
  • 1300–1350 – Pegolotti lists the ambrugini milanesi.[2]
  • 1481 – Ambrosino appears in a Libro di mercatantie et usanze.[4]
  • 1834 – Tommaso Grossi uses ambrogino.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (numismatics) A gold or silver coin of Milan bearing the image of Saint Ambrose, minted from the middle of the 13th to the middle of the 14th century.[3][2][4]
  • ambrosino
  • Ambrogio

Usage notes

GRADIT, Devoto–Oli and Treccani enter the coin under ambrosino and treat ambrogino as a variant.[4][7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
  3. ^ a b c Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  4. ^ a b c d e De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  5. ^ a b Pfister, Max; Schweickard, Wolfgang; Prifti, Elton (eds.) (1979–), Lessico Etimologico Italiano, Wiesbaden: Reichert; online at lei-digitale.it
  6. ^ a b Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 158
  7. ^ Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  8. ^ Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
Cite this entry

“Ambrogino.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/it/ambrogino. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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