sgorbio

Forms

sgorbio m (plural sgorbi)^[1] The older form is Old Italian scorbio.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is probably inherited from Latin scorpius (“scorpion”), from Ancient Greek σκορπίος (skorpíos, “scorpion”), used as a metaphor: an ink blot calls to mind the shape of a scorpion.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} Nocentini compares the image behind scarabocchio, and Wiktionary calls the derivation possible only.^[6][1] If it is right, the word is a doublet of scorpione.^[1] Devoto explained ⟨sg⟩ and ⟨b⟩ as a double voicing of the voiceless consonants.^[9] Alessio thought the word should rather be connected with sgorbia.^[5]

REW lists the dialect words for “scorpion”, Lombard scorpio in Old Lombard, and a Lucchese scarpiattola “blunder” among its derivatives.^[10] The Greek word was thought to be a substrate word, since the scorpion is an animal of warm countries.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in Burchiello, before 1449, in the sense of an ink blot or a badly written word.^[5][7][4]

Semantic evolution

From the ink blot the word spread to any badly written word and to a careless piece of writing or drawing.^[5][7] The verb sgorbiare “to blot” is recorded as scorbiare before 1604 (Adriani) and as sgorbiare in the Crusca of 1623, which cites Burchiello for it.^[5] The figurative sense “ugly, misshapen person” appears late: scorbio in Petrocchi's dictionary of 1891, and sgorbio in the Zingarelli of 1922.^[5]

Timeline

• Before 1449 – Burchiello uses sgorbio.^[5]
• Before 1604 – Adriani uses scorbiare.^[5]
• 1623 – Sgorbiare appears in the second edition of the Crusca.^[5]
• 1873 – Scorbiatura is recorded in Tommaseo–Bellini.^[5]
• 1891 – Scorbio is recorded for an ugly person.^[5]
• 1922 – The Zingarelli has sgorbio for an ugly person and sgorbiatura.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. An ink blot made on paper by carelessness; a scribble.^[7][2][3]
2. A word, a signature or a sign written hastily and badly, almost illegible; a scrawl.^[7][2][3]
3. A piece of writing or a drawing done carelessly or of no value: Quel paesaggio non è un quadro, è uno sgorbio.^[7][3][8]
4. (figurative, derogatory) A very ugly or misshapen person.^[7][2][3]

Word family

• sgorbiare
• sgorbiatura
• sgorbietto
• sgorbiaccio

Related words

• scorpione
• scarabocchio
• Latin scorpius

Usage notes

Most dictionaries stress sgòrbio with an open vowel, while Gabrielli has a closed one and Wiktionary gives both.^{[2][4][11][1]} The diminutive is sgorbietto and the pejorative sgorbiaccio.^[4][8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
3. ^ a b c d e Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
4. ^ a b c d Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
6. ^ a b c Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d e f g De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
8. ^ a b c Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
9. ^ a b Devoto, Giacomo (1968), Avviamento alla etimologia italiana: dizionario etimologico, 2nd ed., Firenze: Le Monnier
10. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
11. ^ Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli