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zaffera

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Etymology and origin of the Italian word zaffera

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1537 More words from the 16th century
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek σάπφειρος

Forms

zaffera f (plural zaffere)[1]

Etymology

It is from Italian zaffiro (“sapphire”) in Nocentini and Devoto–Oli, and Treccani calls it akin to that word.[2][3][4] GRADIT, Sabatini–Coletti, Zingarelli and Gabrielli take it straight back to Ancient Greek σάπφειρος (sáppheiros), which properly meant lapis lazuli.[5][6][7][8] Tommaseo explains the name by the colour, close to that of the sapphire, and compares French safre.[9]

Nocentini traces the gem's name through Latin sapphirus to the Greek word, a Semitic loan.[2][10]

Earliest recorded meaning

Zingarelli dates the word before 1537, GRADIT to 1612, and Nocentini and Devoto–Oli to the 17th century.[7][5][2][3] The sense is a blue or violet glassy paste used to colour maiolica.[5]

Semantic evolution

Tommaseo already lists the variant zaffara beside zaffera.[9] Tommaseo describes a mixture based on cobalt that colours glass, mostly blue, and quotes a glassmaking manual where the zaffera is heated in an iron ladle in the furnace.[9] In a potter's manual it is the colour “that we call blue”, brought from Venice, the best having a violet tinge.[9]

In the history of art the word names a dark blue, almost black, applied in relief, which marks a kind of Italian maiolica of the mid-15th century.[4][3] English took the word as zaffre or zaffer (1662), from Italian or French, and German as Saffera (1741).[11]

Timeline

  • Before 1537 – First record, as Zingarelli dates it.[7]
  • 1612 – The date GRADIT gives.[5][11]
  • 1662 – English zaffre is recorded.[11]
  • 1693 – English Zaphara and Saffera.[11]
  • 1741 – German Saffera.[11]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (ceramics) A blue or violet vitreous paste based on cobalt, used to colour glass and as a glaze for maiolica.[5][7][6][8]
  2. (art) A dark blue, almost black, applied in relief on Italian maiolica of the mid-15th century.[4][3]
  • zaffiro
  • English zaffre

Usage notes

The word is also written zaffara.[3][6][4] Treccani gives both /ˈdzaffera/ and /ˈtsaffera/.[12]

References

  1. ^ 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 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 Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
  5. ^ a b c d e De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  6. ^ a b c Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  8. ^ a b Gabrielli, Aldo (2020), Grande dizionario italiano, digital ed., Milano: Hoepli
  9. ^ a b c d Tommaseo, Niccolò; Bellini, Bernardo (1861–1879), Dizionario della lingua italiana, 4 vols., Torino: UTET
  10. ^ Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  11. ^ a b c d e Stammerjohann, Harro, et al. (2008), Dizionario di italianismi in francese, inglese, tedesco, Firenze: Accademia della Crusca; online at difit.italianisticaonline.it
  12. ^ Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
Cite this entry

“Zaffera.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/it/zaffera. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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