rezzaglio

Forms

rezzaglio m (plural rezzagli)^[1] Variants are rizzaglio, rizaglio and rizzaio.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

According to DEI, Treccani and GDLI the Tuscan word is borrowed from Ligurian resaggiu, the Genoese form, which is from Late Latin retiācŭlum (“casting net”), a diminutive of rēte (“net”).^[5][6][2][7] Nocentini and GRADIT give the Latin word directly.^[8][9]

The word is common in the ports of the Adriatic, in Sicily, at Livorno and in Liguria;^[5] Venetian has rizzaio.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is before 1494, in the form rizaglio.^[9][4] GDLI's earliest quotation is from G. Barbaro, who tells of a friar at Tana who caught partridges with a rizàglio.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Pigafetta compared other fishing nets to rizali.^[2] DEI dates rezzaglio to the 19th century as a seamen's word.^[5] It names the round casting net weighted with lead, thrown so that it opens and sinks, also called giacchio or sparviero.^[2][7][6]

Timeline

• Before 1494 – Rizaglio is recorded.^[9][4]
• 1800s – DEI's date for the form rezzaglio.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (fishing) A round casting net weighted with lead, the giacchio.^[9][3][7]
2. (fishing) A cone-shaped net used to put eels into fish ponds.^[9]

Related words

• rete
• Latin rēte

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
3. ^ a b 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 Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
5. ^ a b c d e Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3239
6. ^ a b Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
7. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
8. ^ Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b c d e De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET