rezza

Forms

rezza f (plural rezze)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin rētia, the plural of rēte (“net”), taken as a feminine singular.^[2][3][1][4] The singular gave rete.^[2] DEI records Medieval Latin recia at Parma in 1255, and the Lucchese diminutives lézzola and lézzora “cobweb”.^[4][5] Nocentini calls the origin of rēte unclear, without sure cognates.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is in a Sicilian commentary on the Passion according to Matthew of 1373, for a fishing net.^[6] The Old Sicilian form is also written ricza.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In the 15th century rezza was a net of fine thread with tiny meshes used as the ground for embroidery.^[7][3] Pulci says that a lance went through a cuirass as if it were una rezza, and Lorenzo de' Medici writes that big barbel non si piglian senza rezza (are not caught without a net).^[7][8][9] Tommaseo also records the word for the skin of onions and garlic.^[8][5]

DEI describes the word as central and southern today, and in Rome and Naples rezzola is a hairnet.^[4][5] The dictionaries mark the embroidery sense as old and the fishing net as regional.^[10][11][12]

Timeline

• 1255 – Medieval Latin recia is recorded at Parma.^[4]
• 1373 – A Sicilian text has rezza “fishing net”.^[6]
• 1481 – The Zingarelli dictionary dates the first record.^[13]
• 1483 – GRADIT dates the first record.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (regional, central and southern Italy) A fishing net; a trammel net.^{[3][10][11][1]}
2. (archaic) A net of fine thread with very small meshes, used as a ground for embroidery.^{[3][10][11][12]}

Word family

• rezzola
• rezzaglio

Related words

• rete
• Latin rēte

Usage notes

A separate rezza “light breeze”, from orezza with the first vowel dropped, is found in old texts.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
3. ^ a b c d e De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
4. ^ a b c d Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3239
5. ^ a b c Prati, Angelico (1951), Vocabolario etimologico italiano, Milano: Garzanti, p. 835
6. ^ a b c Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
7. ^ a b c Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
8. ^ a b Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
9. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
10. ^ 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
11. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
12. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
13. ^ Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli