cazzo Italian · revision 37609

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=derivation|attested=before 1310, Meo dei Tolomei|origins=la-lat cattia}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkat.t͡so/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cazzo''' ''m'' (plural cazzi, diminutive cazzétto or cazzettìno, pejorative cazzàccio, augmentative-derogatory cazzóne)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain, and the dictionaries weigh several proposals.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Nocentini and the LEI follow Angelo Prati, who took it as [[der|roa-oit|cazza|t=ladle, scoop]] turned masculine and used as an obscene metaphor.^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|13, 1) That word is [[la-lat|cattia]], a ladle in the Latin glosses, adapted from [[grc|κυάθιον|tr=kuáthion]], the diminutive of [[m|grc|κύαθος|tr=kúathos|t=ladle, cup]], and it also gave [[cazzuola]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|13, 1)^(Wiktionary) In its favour, the earliest form is feminine, the 14th century already uses the ladle word for the male member, and the image of a ladle or pestle worked inside a vessel recurs in many languages.^(Prati 1951|261)^(Nocentini 2010)^(TLIO) Prati also pointed to other object names used for the member, such as [[pannocchia]] and [[verga]].^(DELI 1999)

+

+ DELI finds more convincing the view of Franco Crevatin (1977): a form [[ocazzo]], from the dialect word [[oco|t=gander]] with the suffix [[-azzo]], whose article fused and was cut again, so that the gander word with the article was reanalysed as “lo cazzo”; in some dialects [[oca]] and the masculine do name the member.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The LEI objects that the word for a gander is recorded only before 1492, nearly two centuries after the obscene word.^(LEI|13, 1)

+

+ Other proposals have found little support.^(LEI|13, 1) Alessio in DEI doubted any direct link with the ladle and suggested a sailors' metaphor from [[grc|ἀκάτιον|tr=akátion|t=mainmast]].^(DEI|833)^(Wiktionary) Rohlfs proposed an Arabic source, on the model of [[tazza]], which the LEI rejects on geographical grounds, and a derivation from the Latin verb behind [[cacciare]] is rejected for its meaning.^(LEI|13, 1) Körting thought of [[la|*catius]], a side form of [[m|la|catus]].^(Körting 1907)

+

+ The word passed from northern Italy into French as [[frm|cas]] in the 16th century, in Brantôme.^(DEI|833) It was borrowed as [[en|catso]] (1602), for the member, as an oath and for a rogue.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A nickname ''Medium Cazum'' is recorded at Arco near Trento in 1266.^(DELI 1999) The Florentine poet Rustico Filippi uses the plural ''cazza'' before 1300, and the masculine ''cazzo'', “penis”, is first found in the Sienese poet Meo dei Tolomei before 1310.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Though banned from polite conversation, the word has always been very much alive.^(DELI 1999) Already in the 16th century it was applied to a foolish man: Machiavelli complains that Ariosto left him out of his list of poets “like a ''cazzo''”.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) It is also an exclamation of surprise, anger or impatience, recorded from 1582.^(DIFIT)^(GDLI) The negative use ''un cazzo'' “nothing at all” is dated 1972, and the plural ''cazzi'' “one's own business”, as in ''sono cazzi miei'', is modern.^(DIFIT)^(GDLI)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ Many derivatives are 20th-century: ''incazzarsi'' “to get angry” (1908), ''cazzata'' “nonsense” (1964), ''cazzone'' “idiot” (1972) and ''cazzuto'' (1988); ''cazzotto'' “punch” goes back to the 17th century, by a change of meaning that is not clear.^(Nocentini 2010) In speech the word is often replaced by euphemisms such as ''cavolo'', ''cacchio'' and ''caspita''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Prati 1951|261) Esperanto borrowed it as ''kaco''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1266 – The nickname ''Medium Cazum'' is recorded at Arco (Trentino).^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1300 – Rustico Filippi uses the plural ''cazza''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1310 – Meo dei Tolomei uses ''cazzo''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1582 – The interjection is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1602 – English ''catso'' is first recorded.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1908 – ''Incazzarsi'' is first recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1972 – ''Un cazzo'' “nothing” is recorded.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(vulgar)'' [[m|en|penis]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(vulgar, in negative sentences)'' Nothing at all: ''Con questa nebbia non vedo un cazzo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(vulgar, in the plural with a possessive)'' One's own business or problems: ''sono cazzi tuoi''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(vulgar)'' A stupid man.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # ''(vulgar)'' Expressing [[m|en|surprise]], anger or impatience: ''Cazzo, ho perso il treno!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(vulgar)'' As an [[m|en|intensifier]] in questions: ''Dove cazzo hai messo le chiavi?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cazzata]]

+ * [[cazzone]]

+ * [[cazzotto]]

+ * [[cazzottare]]

+ * [[scazzottare]]

+ * [[cazzuto]]

+ * [[incazzarsi]]

+ * [[incazzatura]]

+ * [[scazzare]]

+ * [[cazzeggiare]]

+ * [[cacacazzo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cazza]]

+ * [[cazzuola]]

+ * [[caspita]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases include ''testa di cazzo'' “dickhead”, ''del cazzo'' “worthless”, ''a cazzo'' “carelessly”, ''grazie al cazzo'' “obviously” and ''stare sul cazzo'' “to be unbearable” (to someone).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}