scorfano

Forms

scorfano m (plural scorfani)^[1] The old form is Old Italian scorfeno, and a regional one is scrofano.^[2][3][4] The southern dialects have Neapolitan scòrfane and Sicilian scròfanu, and also Sicilian scòrfina, in Calabria too.^[5][6]

Etymology

It is inherited from Latin scorpaena (“scorpionfish”), the same word as the learned scorpena, but it reached the standard language through the southern dialects.^[7][5][8] DELI suggests that the form goes back to a hypercorrect *scŏrpena.^[7] The DEI calls it a southern word, also used at Civitavecchia and Livorno, and sees in it the influence of scrofa (“sow”).^[6]

The Latin word is from Ancient Greek σκόρπαινα (skórpaina), from σκορπίος (skorpíos, “scorpion”).^[1][9][4] Zingarelli and DELI take the Greek word as probably of Mediterranean origin.^[4][7]

The sense “ugly person” seems to have spread from Rome.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

DELI's first record is scorfeno in the cookery book of Maestro Martino, in the middle of the 15th century, for the fish;^[7][2] Martino boils it when large and fries it when small.^[7][2] The form scorfano follows in 1518, in G. Rosselli.^[7]

Semantic evolution

Writers of the 16th century still set the two forms apart: one says the scorpena is smaller and blackish and the scrofano larger and red, and the more prized.^[2] Today the name covers several fish of the genus Scorpaena, such as the scorfano rosso and the scorfano nero, valued for fish soup.^[10][2]

The figurative sense comes from Rome.^[7] Belli uses scorfanella in a sonnet of 1831, explaining it as “small and lame”, and scorfena in 1834 for a small, misshapen woman.^[7][5] Palazzi records “very ugly person” in 1940.^[7] Of a woman the feminine scorfana is also used.^[10]

Timeline

• Mid-15th century – Maestro Martino writes scorfeno.^[7]
• 1476 – The learned scorpena appears in Cristoforo Landino.^[7]
• 1518 – Scorfano appears in G. Rosselli.^[7][11]
• 1831 – Belli uses scorfanella of a small, lame woman.^[7]
• 1834 – Belli uses scorfena of a small, misshapen woman.^[7][5]
• 1940 – Palazzi records the sense “very ugly person”.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (zoology) The scorpionfish, a reddish or brownish sea fish of the genus Scorpaena with a large spiny head and venomous fin spines, good to eat.^[11][3][12]
2. (figurative, colloquial) A very ugly person: ma chi è quello scorfano?^[11][3][4]

Word family

• scorfana
• scorfanotto

Related words

• scorpenide
• scorpena
• scorpione
• Latin scorpaena

Usage notes

Of a woman the feminine scorfana is common.^[10][3] Named kinds include scorfano rosso, scorfano nero and scorfano bastardo.^[11][1]

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 c d 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 Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
5. ^ a b c d Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 3417
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
8. ^ Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
9. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
10. ^ a b c Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
11. ^ a b c d De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
12. ^ Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana