cavolo Italian · revision 37832

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=mid-13th century, Decime mugellane|origins=la caulis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈka.vo.lo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cavolo''' ''m'' (plural cavoli)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|caulus|t=stalk; cabbage]], the Late Latin form of [[la|caulis|t=stem, stalk; cabbage]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) The word probably spread from southern Italy: the southern dialects kept the diphthong /au/, and an inserted /v/ then split it into two syllables, as in the Italian names of Genoa and Mantua.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)^(LEI|13, 328) Wiktionary suggests a borrowing from [[nap|cavolo]] or [[scn|cavulu]], and Sabatini–Coletti contrast this popular word with the learned doublet [[caule|t=stem]].^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The other Romance languages continue the classical form: [[fr|chou]], [[oc|caul]], [[ca|col]], [[es|col]] and [[pt|couve]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ DELI derives the Late Latin form from [[grc|καυλός|tr=kaulós|t=stem, stalk; cabbage]], while de Vaan treats that Greek word as a cognate of the Latin.^(DELI 1999)^(de Vaan 2008) Both go back to [[ine-pro|*(s)keh₂u-l-i-|t=stem of a plant]], which also gave [[lt|káulas|t=bone]], [[lv|kauls|t=stem; bone]] and [[sga|cúal|t=bundle of sticks]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the ''Decime mugellane'', tithe records from the Mugello of the mid-13th century, for the vegetable.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO) Old Italian also had the forms ''caulo'', ''kàolo'' and ''colo'', and the phrases ''non levare un cavolo'' “to be of no use” and ''piovere cavoli e insalata'', said of something impossible.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The many cultivated varieties gave compound names: ''cavolo fiore'' appears before 1597 in Soderini and ''cavolfiore'' before 1698 in Redi, while the cabbage white butterfly was named ''cavolaia'' (1875) because its larvae eat the leaves.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) Italian ''cavolfiori'' passed into German as ''Karfiol''.^(REW 1935) Figurative phrases include ''entrarci come i cavoli a merenda'' “to be quite out of place”, ''salvare capra e cavoli'' “to have it both ways” and ''andare a ingrassare i cavoli'' “to die”.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ The sense “a trifle, nothing” is recorded in 1847 in Giuseppe Giusti.^(DELI 1999) In this sense and in phrases such as ''testa di cavolo'' or ''non capire un cavolo'', the word is a euphemism for ''cazzo'', chosen for its first syllable, like ''cacchio'';^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) ''cavolata'' and ''incavolarsi'' (1961) replace ''cazzata'' and ''incazzarsi'' in the same way.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mid-13th century – The ''Decime mugellane'' record ''cavolo''.^(DELI 1999)^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1597 – Giovan Vettorio Soderini uses ''cavolo fiore''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1698 – Francesco Redi uses ''cavolfiore''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1847 – Giusti uses ''cavolo'' for “nothing at all”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1875 – ''Cavolaia'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1961 – ''Incavolarsi'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(botany)'' [[m|en|cabbage]], the plant ''Brassica oleracea'', grown in many varieties.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The vegetable eaten, cooked or raw: ''Stasera c'è il cavolo stufato.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial, euphemistic)'' Nothing at all, in negative sentences: ''Non ho capito un cavolo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(colloquial, in the plural)'' One's own business: ''Fatti i cavoli tuoi!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(colloquial, euphemistic)'' Used to strengthen a question or complaint: ''Ma dove cavolo eri finito?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # ''(colloquial)'' Expresses surprise, admiration or annoyance: ''Cavolo, è già mezzanotte!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cavolfiore]]

+ * [[cavolaia]]

+ * [[cavolata]]

+ * [[incavolarsi]]

+ * [[cavoletto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[brasca]]

+ * [[verza]]

+ * [[caule]]

+ * [[la|caulis]]

+ * [[fr|chou]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Col cavolo!'' means “no way!”, and ''del cavolo'' after a noun means “lousy, worthless”.^(Treccani 2011)^(GRADIT 2003) ''Cavolo riscaldato'' is something old passed off as new.^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}