minchia

Forms

minchia f (plural minchie, augmentative minchióne)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Sicilian minchia, a word of the southern dialects that spread into the standard language.^[2][1][3] The Sicilian word goes back to Latin mentula (“penis”), through a popular form Vulgar Latin mencla.^[4][3] Nocentini takes the Italian word straight from Latin mentula, without the dialect step.^[5]

The sources explain the stressed /i/ in place of Latin /e/ in two ways.^[2][5] GRADIT, Sabatini–Coletti and the GDLI connect the word with Latin mingō (“to urinate”), and Meyer-Lübke started from a form Vulgar Latin *mintula reshaped after that verb.^{[2][6][3][7][8]} Nocentini puts the vowel down to the following cluster ⟨nchi⟩.^[5] The same Latin word gave Logudorese minkra.^[7]

Latin mentula is probably a diminutive of Latin mentum (“chin”) in the sense of “projection, appendage”.^[5][9] Most linguists derive it from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to project, stick out”), which would make it a relative of Latin ēmineō (“to stand out”) and Latin mōns (“mountain”).^[1][9] The Oxford Latin Dictionary calls its origin doubtful.^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is a Florentine translation of the Antidotarium Nicolai from the end of the 13th century, where the word names the male member; a second early record is Boccaccio's letter in Neapolitan of 1339.^[11] The TLIO also records it of an animal's organ.^[11]

Semantic evolution

Pulci and Aretino used the word in their verse.^[3] The derivative minchione, first recorded in the 15th century, means a fool;^[5] Nocentini notes how often the genitals serve to name a stupid person.^[5] Old texts also have fare la minchia fredda, “to play the fool”, and Oudin's dictionary of the 17th century records a form menchia.^[8][12] Since the 17th century, when Francesco Redi used it, minchia di re has named a small fish, the donzella.^[13][14]

In Sicilian and Calabrian the word is common as an exclamation of wonder and surprise.^[12] Recent Italian writers use una minchia for “nothing at all” and put the word after che, chi or come in questions to make them stronger.^[15][2]

Timeline

• Late 13th century – A Florentine translation of the Antidotarium Nicolai has the first record.^[11]
• 1339 – Boccaccio uses the word in his letter in Neapolitan.^[11]
• 15th century – The derivative minchione “fool” is first recorded.^[5]
• Before 1488 – GRADIT's date for the word.^[2]
• 16th century – Minchionare “to make a fool of” and minchioneria appear.^[5]
• 17th century – Francesco Redi records minchia di re as the name of a fish.^[13]
• 20th century – Minchiata “nonsense” is first recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (vulgar, regional) The penis.^{[2][16][17][18][1]}
2. (colloquial, vulgar) In negative sentences, nothing at all.^[2][17][15]
3. (vulgar) A stupid person.^[2][17][19]
4. (regional, zoology) In minchia di re, the donzella (Coris julis), a small fish of the wrasse family.^[16][14]

Interjection

1. (vulgar) Expressing amazement, admiration, impatience or anger.^{[2][17][6][1]}
2. (vulgar) Used in questions to make them stronger: ma dove minchia sei finito?^[2][17][15]

Word family

• minchiata
• minchione
• minchionaggine
• minchionare
• minchioneria

Related words

• mento
• Latin mentula

Usage notes

The word is regional, chiefly southern, and vulgar.^[16][6][18] Common phrases are testa di minchia, a stupid person, and rompere la minchia, to annoy.^[2][4]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
3. ^ a b c d Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 10, 434
4. ^ a b Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
7. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ a b Prati, Angelico (1951), Vocabolario etimologico italiano, Milano: Garzanti, p. 665
9. ^ a b Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
10. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
11. ^ a b c d Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
12. ^ a b Cortelazzo, Manlio; Marcato, Carla (1998), I dialetti italiani: dizionario etimologico, Torino: UTET
13. ^ a b Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2464
14. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
15. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
16. ^ a b c Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
17. ^ a b c d e Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
18. ^ a b Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
19. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli