strega Italian · revision 38894

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1313–1319, Dante|origins=grc στρίξ}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈstre.ɡa/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''strega''' ''f'' (plural streghe)^(Wiktionary)

+ Northern Italian has [[lmo|stria]], with [[lmo|strion]] “wizard”, and Venetian has [[m|vec|striga]].^(REW 1935)^(Prati 1951|956) In Tuscany a masculine ''strego'' was also used, later in the sense “miser”.^(DEI|3653)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|striga|alt=strĭga|t=witch; screech owl]], recorded in Petronius, a popular variant of [[m|la|strīx|t=screech owl]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word was taken from [[grc|στρίξ|tr=stríx]], a bird of the night, perhaps the eagle owl or the barn owl; the name is probably imitative, as in [[stridere]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The Latin form comes from the Greek accusative [[m|grc|στρίγα|tr=stríga]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The Italian vowel /e/ continues the short /i/ of [[m|la|strĭga]]; the other Romance languages continue a form with a long vowel, [[m|la|strīga]]: [[fro|estrie]], [[pt|estria]], [[sc|istrìa]] and [[ro|strigă]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(REW 1935) The owl was believed to foretell misfortune and to suck the blood of newborn children at night or to feed them poisoned milk, and so it came to stand for an evil being and then for a witch.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in Dante's ''Commedia'' (1313–1319), for a woman believed to be in league with the powers of evil.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 14th century the word belonged to sermons and verse: Domenico Cavalca called anyone who believed in witches a fool, and Iacomo de' Tolomei wrote of the “streghe che andavan in tregenda” (witches who went to the sabbath).^(GDLI) The phrase ''darsi alle streghe'' “to despair” is recorded in the ''Pataffio''.^(Prati 1951|956) Derivatives followed in the 16th century: ''stregare'', ''stregamento'' (1544, Mattioli) and ''stregheria'' (Lasca).^(DEI|3653)

+

+ The sense “wicked woman; ugly old woman” is recorded before 1716, in Francesco Baldovini.^(DELI 1999) ''Caccia alle streghe'' “witch-hunt”, in its figurative sense the search for a scapegoat, is a calque of English [[m|en|witch-hunt]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Strega'' is also the name of a liqueur first made at Benevento.^(DEI|3653)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses ''strega''.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 14th century – Domenico Cavalca and Iacomo de' Tolomei write of witches.^(GDLI)

+ * 1544 – Mattioli uses ''stregamento'' “bewitchment”.^(DEI|3653)

+ * Before 1716 – Francesco Baldovini uses ''strega'' for an ugly old woman.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|witch]]: a woman believed, especially in the Middle Ages, to have magic powers from dealings with the devil.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(jocular)'' A woman who seems to guess everything: ''Ma come lo sapevi? Sei una strega!''^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # In fairy tales, an ugly old woman with evil magic powers.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(figurative, derogatory)'' A wicked, spiteful woman; an ugly old woman, a [[m|en|hag]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A bewitching, seductive woman.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(regional, Tuscany)'' A waxed wick on a pole used to light the altar candles.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stregare]]

+ * [[stregone]]

+ * [[stregoneria]]

+ * [[stregonesco]]

+ * [[stregheria]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[strige]]

+ * [[la|striga]]

+ * [[la|strix]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Colpo della strega'' is a sudden sharp pain in the back after a strain, [[lumbago]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}