radica

Forms

radica f (plural radiche)^[1]

Etymology

In most dictionaries it is inherited from Vulgar Latin *rādica (“root”), drawn out of Latin rādīcula (“little root”), the diminutive of rādīx (“root”).^{[2][3][4][5][1]} DELI calls the origin doubtful, but notes that some southern Italian and Gallo-Romance dialect forms require such a *rādica, taken from radīcula through a shortened *rădicla, as *avica came from *avicla for avicula.^[6][7] DEI thinks it more likely a deverbal noun from Italian radicare, and GRADIT calls it of uncertain origin.^[8][9][10]

Wiktionary compares Sardinian rádica and Sicilian ràdica.^[1] Nocentini adds that the word passed into Old High German rātih (“radish”), modern German Rettich.^[2] Latin rādīx goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ur(e)h₂-d-iH- (“root”), the source also of Old English wyrt and Old Norse rót.^[11]

Earliest recorded meaning

Zingarelli dates the word to 1539, and DEI to the 15th century.^[12][8] DELI's first record of the popular sense “root” is in Francesco Baldelli in 1587, who tells of a ring with a root under its seal held to the nostrils of a possessed man.^[6][13]

Semantic evolution

DEI explains the word's success by the shift of radice to the sense “radish”, which left radica to mean a plant's root; it lives on in Neapolitan ràdeche, Umbrian rà(i)ca and the raca of Arezzo and the Val di Chiana.^[8] In Rome it names root vegetables: radica gialla the carrot, radica rossa the beetroot, radica amara the black salsify.^[7][3][12] Roman speech also calls a dull, uncultured person una radica.^[7][1]

The modern standard sense is the wood: G. G. Belli has it in Roman dialect before 1863, and Panzini's dictionary in 1908, for the briar root of the tree heath (Erica arborea) used for pipes.^[6] Radica di noce, the figured wood of the walnut root, is used for veneer and furniture.^[10][3][4]

Timeline

• 1539 – Zingarelli's date for the first record.^[12]
• 1587 – Francesco Baldelli uses radica “root”.^[6]
• Before 1863 – G. G. Belli uses it in Roman dialect for briar root.^[6]
• 1908 – Panzini's dictionary records briar root for pipes.^[6]
• 1959 – Radica saponaria is recorded for soapwort.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (popular, regional) root of a plant, especially of a food plant: radica gialla (carrot), radica rossa (beetroot), radica amara (black salsify).^{[10][3][14][4]}
2. The figured wood from the root of the walnut and other trees, used for veneer and furniture: un cruscotto rivestito in radica.^[10][3][12]
3. briar: the wood of a burl on the underground stem of the tree heath, used to make pipes: una pipa di radica.^[10][3][4]
4. (regional, Rome) A dull, uncultured person.^[1][7]

Word family

• radichetta
• radicone

Related words

• radice
• radicchio
• radicare
• Latin rādīx

Usage notes

Radica is also the third person singular present of radicare.^[15]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
3. ^ a b c d e f 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 Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
5. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
6. ^ a b c d e f g Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
7. ^ a b c d Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
8. ^ a b c Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3193
9. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
10. ^ a b c d e De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
11. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
12. ^ a b c d Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
13. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 15, 256
14. ^ Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
15. ^ Wikizionario (Italian Wiktionary), it.wiktionary.org